Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

  • Music and Silence

  • By: Rose Tremain
  • Narrated by: Jenny Agutter
  • Length: 18 hrs and 27 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (312 ratings)
Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Music and Silence cover art

Music and Silence

By: Rose Tremain
Narrated by: Jenny Agutter
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £16.99

Buy Now for £16.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

The Colour cover art
Restoration cover art
Grim cover art
Those Rosy Hours at Mazandaran cover art
The Rich Earth cover art
Buddenbrooks cover art
The Lemon Table cover art
The Persian Boy cover art
Fire from Heaven cover art
The American Boy cover art
The Midwife's Revolt cover art
Wanting cover art
The Lute Player cover art
Dynasty 1: The Founding cover art
The Sealwoman's Gift cover art
The Girl in the Glass Tower cover art

Summary

Winner of the Whitbread Novel of the Year, 1999.
Winner of the Costa First Novel Award, 2008.
A Radio 4 Book Club Selection.

In the year 1629, a young English lutenist named Peter Claire arrives at the Danish Court to join King Christian IV's Royal Orchestra. From the moment when he realizes that the musicians perform in a freezing cellar underneath the royal apartments, Peter Clair understands that he's come to a place where the opposing states of light and dark, good and evil, are waging war to the death.

©1999 Rose Tremain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Music and Silence

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    192
  • 4 Stars
    76
  • 3 Stars
    33
  • 2 Stars
    8
  • 1 Stars
    3
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    196
  • 4 Stars
    46
  • 3 Stars
    14
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    159
  • 4 Stars
    67
  • 3 Stars
    21
  • 2 Stars
    12
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A great listen

I normally avoid "historical" novels, and only decided to download this having read "The Colour" and "Sacred Country". I was so impressed with Rose Tremain's writing that I gave this a go. And I am glad I did.

A really interesting story .. on the surface about events during two years surrounding the breakdown of the marriages of King Christian, and associated subplots (which are really the main plots). But like Rose Tremain's other novels: lots of insights into the nature of what makes life interesting and worth living. How to create meaning, happiness... ...very existential stuff , and some great quotes . Beautiful writing. Loved both the "goodies" and the "baddies".

Jenny Agutter is masterful in her rendition of this book.. Beautifully read and a joy to listen to. She captures the essence of the characters really well, from the prickly and nasty Kirsten to the daydreaming Marcus.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

33 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Held by the reader

This is the sort of book I admire but don't enjoy and I know had I read it on the printed page I would have given up on it. Although everything links together, the plot is built up on multiple narrators, some of whom I found more interesting than others. Jenny Agutter's wonderful reading of it lulled me through the more stolid bits and carried me firmly through the engrossing parts. It is no doubt a beautifully written and thought -provoking book. However it is bleak and at the time this didn't suit my mood, so for me to say I was glad that I listened to the whole book is praise. This is a very biased review, but I would say if you are really struggling after an hour or so, you are going to have an uphill battle.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

25 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Sublime Book

I am bereft having finished listening to this wonderful book. Jenny Agutter's narration transported me to ancient Denmark with its cast of robust and sympathetic characters, I loved them all even the awful ones! It made me yearn to learn more- one of the best books ever!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Ms
  • 09-06-16

Brilliant

I absolutely loved this book. It is compulsive, fascinating and beautifully narrated, what bliss and sad for it to end. What can I listen to now that this wonderful story is over.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Kirsten is Christina

The notion of the true story of King Christian IV of Denmark set in the year of 1630 as 'racy' seems a bit of a stretch, but Rose Tremain through the character of Kirsten or Christina Munk pulls it off. Lots of plots and sub plots, great storytelling from a writer who was new to me - really enjoyable. Jenny Agutter's performance is great as well, she has the perfect voice for this one - a pleasure in itself.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Different and excellent

Took time to settle in but as the narrator settled in, the book became alive and flowing. Amazing story telling with many contemplative ideas. Would recommend and the narration excellent.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

It doesn't miss a beat!

Like all of her stories, life and emotion in all its diversity, immerse me in the time, the people and the events.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful story, beautifully written & narrated

I enjoyed every minute of this. Jenny Agutter is the perfect narrator, her voice blending perfectly with this slightly mystical tale. At the same time I learned a lot about Denmark in the 1600s. Will definitely be searching out some more Rose Tremain audibles

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Eighteen hours too long

Well I had high hopes for this but oh dear what a marathon. You grasp that the different strands will come together at some point but after seven hours I couldn’t hang on and wasn’t really interested in finding out what happened. The narration is weird too in that there are pregnant pauses all the time. Just when you think it is faulty she starts the narration again, but it makeS the whole thing disjointed.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Music and Silence

Every character is written with overwhelming compassion... so that the book feels like a celebration of the best and worst of human nature. a lovely and compelling book beautifully read.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful