The Role of Music in Maestro Essay

Analyse the role of music in clarifying the characters and themes in Maestro.

Music is not so much a theme as an ever-present thread in the rich tapestry that is Peter Goldsworthys Bildungsroman Maestro. The role of music within the novella is one which helps clarify and add further depth to the characters and themes explored throughout Maestro. Not only are key characters such as both Pauls parents defined by music, but music also helps develop the link between the storys protagonists in Paul Crabbe and Eduard Keller. With this said, Paul and the characters that surround him are also heavily shaped by the music they choose to play and listen to. Ultimately without music the characters and themes explored in Maestro may have remained both vague and therefore hard to relate to.

The Crabbes, Pauls parents, are both heavily enriched through the musical links that Paul explains throughout the novel. Their interests in Friday night soirees and Gilbert and Sullivan operas illustrate the cultured and posh interests of these characters. Music is their true career in Pauls opinion as we see both characters are able to truly express themselves through the music they play each other on the piano each night. Music also furthers the readers knowledge and understanding of these characters as we learn more than just what artists they like when the parents quibble about what music to play: The Haydn..? I would prefer the Mozart The D flat major? The G minor, The Allegro?, The Adagio. It is from these expressions of individuality that only music allows that readers are able to further clarify the characters contained within Maestro. With all this said Pauls life too, is shaped by his love of music.

As a rite of passage novel, Maestro offers a number of moments of epiphany for Paul from his first sexual encounter all the way to his growth in compassion for Keller. As a theme, personal growth flows throughout the course of the novel. However, without the ever-present links to music this growth would be hard to explore. Goldsworthy adds clarity to scenes of growth by including music as the catalyst for all the growth that in fact takes place. The novel charts shifts in Pauls attitudes through his developments in music. As he matures, he adopts a more sensual response to music, responding emotionally rather than intellectually to what he hears and sees. It is through the final sections of the novel that we truly empathise with Paul as we see the struggles and subsequent agonies of self-doubt as he tries to establish himself as a first rate concert pianist. As well as developing themes such as these ones of personal growth and the finding of identity, music also helps further explore the relationships and personalities of such characters as Eduard Keller.

Music, throughout the novel, is Kellers means of survival; his means of true expression, both materially through his teaching and spiritually through the emotional and intellectual nourishment it provides. In exile he dismisses the passionate excesses of Lizst, Rachmaninoff and Wagner, seeking refuge in the technical safety of Mozart, Bach and Scaletti, as if seeking some kind of ultimate discipline, some perfect control to set against the treacheries of emotion. Essentially without these expressions through music, Kellers attempts at shutting himself off from the emotional side of music would be hard to illustrate and a vital part of this character would be unable to be explored. Ultimately, once again, without the continual links with music throughout this novel, characters such as Keller would be unable to be carefully clarified. With this said, however, music does more than simply clarify characters through Maestro, it also helps explore the interesting themes that Paul Crabbe encounters while growing up.

Ultimately, the role of music in clarifying the characters and themes in Maestro is an extremely crucial one and in essence is the basis of the entire novel. Essentially, key characters such as Eduard Keller, Paul Crabbe and his parents are able to deeply explore their differences of opinion as they express themselves through the music they choose to play. Music also allows for the exploration of themes such as the theme of personal growth and the discovery of identity. Music allows characters such as Paul to mature and this is reflected in the changes in musical influences at different times. Without music, therefore, Maestro would have remained both vague and unclear and thus hard to relate to. Music is thus, crucial.