Moderato cantabile

Moderato Interessante
Review of the Calder Publications english translation (2018) of the French language original (1958)

I suppose this was some sort of existentialist musing on the futility of things. It failed to retain my interest though. The short novella length can probably be read in only a few hours but it took me several days to get through it. The premise in the synopsis did make it sound intriguing at first. It starts to have an unrealistic haze to it though as the mother continues to return to the bar-cafe of the incident in order to hear a local tell her what are likely invented stories about the murderous couple. Meanwhile her son plays on the street outside while being unsupervised. On Fridays, the son and mother go to his show more piano lesson where he stubbornly refuses to understand what the musical instruction "moderato cantabile" (moderately, as if singing) means, although he plays the piano quite well. You suspect it is all leading up to something, but it just fritters out in the end.

I read Moderato Cantablie as part of my 2020 subscription to Parisian independent bookstore's Year of Reading Lost Treasures which contains an excellent variety of curated choices, many of which have been new to me. show less

"Na luz resplandecente dos lustres, Anne Desbaresdes continua a calar-se e a sorrir.
O homem decidiu-se a partir em direcção ao outro extremo da cidade, para longe do parque. À medida que se afasta, o cheiro das magnólias diminui, cedendo lugar ao do mar.
Anne Desbaresdes irá comer um pouco de gelado de café para que a deixem em paz.
O homem retrocederá sobre os seus passos contra a sua própria vontade. Reencontra as magnólias,as grades, e as janelas ao longe, ainda e sempre iluminadas. Nos lábios, tem de novo esse canto ouvido essa tarde, e na boca esse nome que pronunciará um pouco mais alto. Passará.
E ela, uma vez mais o sabe. A magnólia entre os seios murcha completamente. Percorreu o Verão no espaço de tempo de uma show more hora. O homem passará adiante do parque mais tarde ou mais cedo. Passou. Anne Desbaresdes continua num gesto interminável a supliciar a flor." show less

Um conto lírico de paixão e adultério - e que consegue ser surpreendentemente original.

Not my style, unfortunately...

I'm beginning to appreciate Nouveau Roman more and more.

Of all the books I read in college, this is one of my favorites.

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