Donald Greig (1)

An ambitious musicologist stumbles across an original 15th century manuscript and tries to keep this knowledge close to his chest while figuring out how to leverage the find to advance his own career. Surely this is the basis for a thriller with all its attendant twists and turns of plot but no.

It is something much more real than that. The action in this book is character driven. From the bumbling, self-centered musicologist, Andrew, to the conflicted head of the concert group, Emma, all the show more twists and turns happen due to their ambitions and self-doubt.

Interwoven throughout is the fifteenth century story of the musicians who created and ultimately suppressed the manuscript. The musicians actually lived and created but they are not put on a pedestal. They are shown warts and all through the purported diary of one of their own. Here too the suppression of the manuscript was a result of the ambitions of the characters involved.

Time Will Tell by Donald Greig is an enjoyable story that also educates. It brings to light the intrigues behind the lives of fifteenth century musicians as well as the life of more modern day touring musicians. show less

I had trouble finishing Time Will Tell: I kept waiting and waiting for something to happen, and kept being disappointed. Much (make that most) of the book is internal, or involves lengthy exposition - a lot of "telling" and not much "doing." And Andrew and Emma, the two main characters, are so self-concerned and so strikingly oblivious to what's really going on around them - I'm assuming that (strange as it may sound) Greig actually wanted the reader to dislike them. In fact, there really show more aren't any thoroughly likable characters in the book. That would have been forgivable if there had been more action to hold my interest. I'm afraid I just didn't connect with this one. I might recommend it to music scholars, but I think it's not a book for everyone. show less

I think I was probably the perfect reader of Time Will Tell. I know just enough to follow the early music content but not enough to be bored by explanations or to poke holes if there are holes to poke. That said, I can't work up a lot of enthusiasm for it. It's solid and maybe a bit stolid - a true three-star novel.
Andrew Eiger is early music musicologist who has lucked into a 15th century manuscript of a 34 (!) part "Misere mei." His ambition outruns his ability and he is besides, socially show more obtuse and physically clumsy. Emma Mitchell is creator and director of Beyond Compère, an early music ensemble of singers, who would be the perfect group to premiere Andrew's find. In counterpoint with these is Geoffroy Chiron, whose 16th century memoir of Johannes Ockeghem's final years parallels and contrasts with the concerns of the 21st century characters.
Good premise; good writing; decent character development - I'm not sure what goes wrong. There are some mildly funny parts, and the conclusion is satisfying. My thanks to ER for an opportunity to read this. I wish I had loved it. show less

could it be that truly game changing event - the discovery of a hitherto hidden manuscript by one of the greatest of pre renaissance composers Johannes Ockeghem - and not just a new piece of music, but one that rewrites the rules and history of music? Such a discovery would be enough to make careers and change history. This is the premise of Donald Greig's new novel, set both in 15th century Tours and in 20th century classical music world. I found this a very enjoyable read - particularly show more the sections set in the modern world of academic musicology and of classical music performance, which are deftly described, often very funny and offer the reader a real insight into these worlds. Greig's academic world has the dry wit and farce of David Lodge, while his performers stay one drink behind Jilly Cooper's orchestral extravaganzas. I found the sections set in mediaeval Tours more serious and less engaging. And as for the ending - a neat and clever, and perhaps inevitable solution.... show less