The Time of Our Singing

infobox Book |
name = The Time of Our Singing
title_orig =
translator =


caption =
author = Richard Powers
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series =
genre = Novel
publisher = Vintage
release_date = 2003
english_release_date =
media_type = Print
pages = 640 pp
isbn = ISBN 0099453835
preceded_by = Plowing the Dark
followed_by = The Echo Maker

The Time of Our Singing (2003) is a novel by American writer Richard Powers. It tells the story of two brothers involved in music, dealing heavily with issues of prejudice.Their parents met at Marian Anderson's legendary concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial after she had been barred from any other legitimate concert venue.The story goes back and forth between the generations describing the unusual coupling of a German-Jewish physicist who has lost his family in the holocaust and a black woman from Philadelphia both of whom have strong musical backgrounds. They impart their love of music to their family. Their two boys go on to study music and become professional musicians. One a singer, the other a pianist.

This is a complex novel juxtaposing historical events depicting racism and the development of civil rights efforts and the author's love and knowledge of music and physics. The book can be enjoyed on many levels but those who have at least some familiarity with music will find a plethora of apt references to music from all eras and styles. Powers is as knowledgeable about medieval, baroque, classical, romantic and modern music including jazz and blues as he is about history and, apparently, race relations. Indeed he seems to give insight to much about human relationships in general.

This is a sprawling epic covering most of the 20th century and is full of beautiful quotes and insights.

Quotations

* "There's not a horse alive that's purebred" "- regarding racial purity.Fact|date=March 2007
* "The bird and the fish can fall in love. But where will they build their nest?" "Fact|date=March 2007

*"Her face occupied that place I thought I lived in alone."Fact|date=March 2007
*"The use of music is to remind us how short a time we have a body."

Music referenced in the book

Powers makes many references to specific composers, musicians and singers in the novel. Below are some examples for further reading.
* "Time Stands Still" by John Dowland (1563 - 1626) - Page 4
* "Carmen" by Georges Bizet - Page 9
* Nina Simone
* "Concierto de Aranjuez" by Joaquin Rodrigo
* "Sketches of Spain" by Miles Davis
* "Der Erlkönig" by Franz Schubert
* "Bist du bei mir" attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach, actually by Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel.
* The Visitation by Gunther Schuller

Physics referenced in the book

* General Relativity - Page 9
* Second Law of Thermodynamics - Page 88

Political references

* The Daughters of the American Revolution refused permission for Marian Anderson to sing to an integrated audience in Constitution Hall.

External links

* [http://richardpowers.net/novels_time_of_our_singing.htm Bibliography of editions of The Time of Our Singing.]
* [http://richardpowers.net/reviews_time_of_our_singing.htm Listing of reviews and writings about The Time of Our Singing.]
* [http://chronicle.com/free/v50/i36/36b00701.htm The Chronicle of Higher Education] Review of "The Time of Our Singing" in the context of artistic collaboration between Jewish & African American musicians.
* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CEEDD1E31F935A15752C0A9659C8B63&sec=&spon=&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink New York Times] Review of "The Time of Our Singing".