ABANDONED. Violin Performance with 3 Strings? (fiction)

[Laura]

I'm actually a reference librarian (public adult and teen services), and have been trying to help a patron locate a book he's read. I've tried all of my magic tricks, but can't find it - and this is even a topic with which I'm personally familiar! So far, here are the details he's given me:

- Young man (pretty sure it was a man) is performing a violin solo with an orchestra, but finds a string is missing just before playing.

- Someone, possibly his teacher, joins him on stage and inspires him to finish the performance.

- Also mentioned something about an auction? It was an old violin, but doesn't sound like a historical setting; maybe mid-20th Century or WWII era, but he wasn't 100% sure.

Given the age (80+) and beliefs (very religious/Christian) of this patron, I imagine it's not a bodice-ripping romance, thriller, laden with cursing, etc. Ya never know, though! All I keep thinking of is "The Red Violin," but that wasn't ever a book. Oh, and I've already eliminated the following titles:

- Tenderwire
- Broken Song
- Prelude for a Lord
- Fiddle Game
- The Violin of Auschwitz
- Paganini's Ghost
- Devil's Trill (he gave me a "maaaybe" on this one)

Thanks in advance for any ideas, as this patron is one of my favorites... and us librarians hate saying "I don't know" to ANY reference questions! :-/

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

When did he read it? Did he read it in English? Was it adult or YA?

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Some lists to look through:

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...

[Laura]

He didn't say exactly when he read it, but did say "yes" when I asked if it was a newer title. He's about 85 years old, though, so "new" to him could be 10+ years... it's a subjective term, lol. And I'm not sure if it was adult or YA, but doubt he would have picked up a YA book (unless he didn't notice). I'll try to get more info the next time he's here!

[Laura]

Oh, and as far as I know, he only speaks English... so unless it was translated, I would also assume it's in English.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Another question to ask is what country it's set in. If he can't remember the country, what continent.

[Laura]

Sounded like Europe when he described the setting, but also unfortunately missing that detail... he's a bit hard of hearing, so I can only get bits & pieces at a time. Sorry!

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

A couple possibilities:

Canone Inverso
The Butterfly and the Violin

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Or possibly:

Mountain Solo (MC is a teen girl)

Overture (possibly not as it involves a fling with a pregnancy)

Sonata for Mind and Heart "a promising teenage violinist who becomes involved in smuggling cocaine in order to finance a trip to New York to audition for a prestigious scholarship"

An Equal Music

At Ease YA, violinist has stage fright. Published in November 2015.

Antonietta Antonietta is a Stradivarius violin.

The Black Violin set in 1797.

The Violin Lover

[Andy]

Reminds me of this urban legend http://www.snopes.com/music/artists/p...

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

In real life, occasionally a string does break for the soloist, or the bridge collapses, and what happens is that the soloist hands the damaged violin to the concertmaster, who hands his/her violin to the soloist. Then the associate (or second) concertmaster, who is sitting next to the concertmaster, hands her violin to the concertmaster. At that point another violinist hands their violin to the second concertmaster, or else the second concertmaster gets up and goes backstage with the damaged violin. This all happens quickly and the music doesn't stop, if the musicians are professionals or very good amateurs.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Andy wrote: "Reminds me of this urban legend http://www.snopes.com/music/artists/p..."

Wow I never heard that one before. Interesting.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Laura, have you checked out the suggestions from @8 on?

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Lobstergirl wrote: "Laura, have you checked out the suggestions from @8 on?"

No response in 2+ years. Moving to Abandoned.