Richard Harvell: "The Bells"
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2010-09-14/richard-harvell-bells
Author Richard Harvell next to a bell in the Church of St. Gall, Switzerland
Domenico Sposato
A new novel takes us from an abbey in rural Switzerland to the slums and courts of 18 th century Vienna to tell the story of a singer worshiped by opera lovers as an angel. The beauty and tragedy behind this voice.
Guests
Richard Harvell
author
Comments
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Richard,
you assimilated Swiss life to an astounding degree. Your novel seems to fit right in between 'Via Mala' and 'Derborance'.
What a fabulous, enchanting idea for a book. I loved the idea of both the auditory bell theme and the unfolding of the tale as the castrato. The interview with Diane Rehm was fascinating, in hearing the original inspiration of the author as he heard his wife sing an aria. I also was interested to hear more detail about how castrati lived and participated in choirs and operas. This novel sounds a delightful mix of european opera history and a gripping story. It will be a perfect book club choice. Thanks to Richard Harvell and Diane Rehm!
Don't forget that there were many more castrati who were not successful and died a miserable and maimed life.
This reminds me of the parallels between historical, forced castration and our continued forced circumcision (of males and females, approved by questionable medical and religious rationales, ultimately for selfish purposes, as well).
Thank you for bringing that book to our attention. I will get it before the day is over. Having visited St.Gallen Abbey as well as Vienna many times, it should be fun to imagine the story in these very picturesque settings.
So enjoyed your program today, and the book. My Grandfather Huppi was born in St. Gallen, so I really enjoed reading about it in "The Bells". I am an independant bookseller (& fan of the Diane Rehm Show), and have been handselling "The Bells" since it came out, best of luck to the author & thank you for the pictures!
I have read The Bells and I enjoyed it a lot. It was such a unique kind of story. I enjoy reading things that are more historically accurate - which The Bells is. Where's the next book??
What a wonderful story! I have laughed and cried while reading this amazing story. Thank you Richard Harvell for several hours of pure pleasure.
Diane, shame on you for telling the story. In future interviews, it would be nice to only hint at the story not tell it!!
It's not fair to comment on an authors' slant when I haven't read his book, nor could I contemplate reading it knowing already more than I need to about castrati.
I found the interview distressing as it seemed the author was excited, enthusiastic and almost enamored by the "rock star" like lives of these singers.
Children weren't castated at birth to insure a beautiful voice, castrations took place around ages seven or older. This did not insure the child would retain a beautiful voice, the results varied greatly. Those mens' futures varied greatly.
Remember this was Italy a land that greatly valued machismo and virility. This was a country were it was illegal to marry if known to be infertile. The career span and earning potential of successful castrati also varied greatly.
The life of moderately successful castrati was filled with humiliation, mockery and derision.
Castrated children with poor voices found life brutalizind and degrading. Adults too.
If I may recommend to the author watching scene 4 of the movie Farinelli - castrato vs. trumpet, it shows a range of treatment of the singers, and a poignant viewpoint of the characters' pain. Spoiler alert-
(A mediocre castrato is mocked by a street audience, and a great castrato participates only to mock the mockers.)
Farinelli is a great movie based on a one of the "rock star" castrati of history. My 1963 Encyclopedia Brit. also has a great article on Farinelli. If you're lucky enough to find the original video-cassette version of it you will be amazed at the quality of sound and highly technical reproduction of a castrato voice. The CD sound quality is good too, and picture quality better.
It is wonderful that this book was written, and well written. It's always good to give insight into very different lives and history. Continued success to the author and I will read his next book, unless it's about the inquisition.