The Prague Sonata

By: Bradford Morrow

Narrated by: Christina Delaine

Length: 18 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

In the early days of the new millennium, pages of a worn and weathered original sonata manuscript - the gift of a Czech immigrant living out her final days in Queens - come into the hands of Meta Taverner, a young musicologist whose concert piano career was cut short by an injury. To Meta's eye, it appears to be an authentic 18th-century work; to her discerning ear, the music rendered there is commanding, hauntingly beautiful, clearly the undiscovered composition of a master. But there is no indication of who the composer might be. The gift comes with the caveat that Meta attempt to find the manuscript's true owner - a Prague friend the old woman has not heard from since the Second World War forced them apart - and to make the three-part sonata whole again. Leaving New York behind for the land of Dvorák and Kafka, Meta sets out on an unforgettable search to locate the remaining movements of the sonata and uncover a story that has influenced the course of many lives, even as it becomes clear that she isn't the only one after the music's secrets.

©2017 Bradford Morrow (P)2017 HighBridge, a Division of Recorded Books

Critic reviews

"A magnificent obsession sparks Morrow's gorgeous novel, and Christina Delaine's narration adds the needed heat.... Delaine's lush tones allow the characters to take center stage." (AudioFile)

Quite wonderful

A friend recommended this book because I had been in Prague, after the Velvet Revolution, six or se en times. It was wonderful to have many Prague neighborhoods and landmarks recalled to me. Most surprising, tough, was that it was a. Ra king good story, very well told.

Fantastic

A great journey through history, music and very interesting places and people . Highly recommend.

Trouble hearing some critical conversations

The reader dropped her voice for I assume dramatic effect when some of the characters were talking to a volume so low as to be unintelligable. I was listening in my car on the road, but I could hear the rest just fine. It was very frustrating. Too bad.

Historical fiction and Beethoven are alovable

Slow at times but great story well delivered and so enjoyable to listen to! WWII CZECHOSLOVAKIA to recent times USA, love story and love of music history combined in a unfolding mystery .

Interesting story BAD narration.

I really struggled to finish this. I wish I had read it instead. The narrator was so heavy-handed with her interpretaion, it was too hard to listen to...the breathiness...the 'puking' ... the over the top accents (one character is from New York and, for some reason, had a Maine accent). Several of the characters sounded like Dracula. It was bad.

Original and enjoyable

Nicely structured mix of historical and contemporary fiction. A little technical in parts but Highly recommend.

Maybe a little slow, but worth the patience!

I really enjoyed this novel, even though it did seem slow at times. I also really liked the narrator, though I also felt her narrative style was a bit frustrating at times, when I wanted a bit more sense of urgency for her rather than the higher dramatic emphasis. However, all over, the book is rather wonderful!

A not-to-be-missed read!

An engaging story, beautifully written, and performed by a reader with enormous talent. Loved it!

Epic novel in many ways.

Bradford Morrow has delivered a masterpiece with this novel. Rich in detail and historically accurate. I loved this book.

I was looking for Prague travelogue

Lovely descriptions of old Prague and history of the many stories within. Somewhat unbelievable plot but, hey, isn’t that why we read?