What is it, in summary?: A romance novel series all about the opera world! They're set in and around the opera scene in Britain at the time, written by an author who really was friends with the leading opera players of the day -- so they read extremely authentically. They highlight all different sides of that world -- the leads range from prima donna sopranos to music teachers to stage managers to contraltos to concert pianists to conductors and more! They're written with such passion for the field; it's clear when reading them that this is someone who really knew what it was like to love people like this. They're terribly interesting and will ring so true if you have any experience with music or theater.
“Do you know what I mean by a music-maker? It's something quite different from a performer, you know. Different from someone who goes on a platform to demonstrate -- often very successfully -- how accomplished he or she may be. It means someone who serves the great art of music with heart and soul, as well as fingers and brain. It takes everything... to make the real thing. Above all, there must be that desire to serve, rather than to impress. To be humble rather than easily satisfied with oneself.” ― Mary Burchell, Child of Music
What do you love about it?: EVERYTHING! That's unhelpful but, they've straight up become some of my favorite books ever. They're just written with such passion, intelligence, and nuance. They're really lovely -- the heroines are all so vibrant and interesting, the heroes competent and sometimes cold, but in a really interesting way. They just make me so happy to read!!! They're very into the idea of work and industry; the characters are often talented, but if they don't have the work ethic to back it up, they will not get far. Burchell creates such a marvelous world -- it really draws you into this artistic field. The way she writes about it is so!!
For a second such panic overwhelmed her that she nearly rushed from the stage too. But then an innate self-discipline — and the knowledge that several people were depending on her — gave her some courage. And the first notes from the orchestra warned her to be ready.
In something between desperation and supplication, she glanced in the conductor’s direction, and again she received that wonderful smile which she had seen him occasionally bestow on others but never, until that day, on herself.
“It’s part of his technique for making me do what he wants, and doesn’t really mean a thing,” she told herself. And then she thought no more of him as a person. Only as the supreme support and inspiration which carried her, almost effortlessly, into her first phrases from an operatic stage.
At first, in her nervousness, she hardly seemed to hear anything. And then, suddenly, the glorious intoxication of singing with full orchestra for the first time was upon her. It seemed as though the whole world opened out before her to limitless horizons, and, as her voice soared into the upper reaches of the opera house, it was as though she soared too — a spirit released from human bondage.
Nothing like it had ever happened to her before, and she was so indescribably elated that she would have forgotten all artistic discipline and control if she had not been held by the iron authority, and yet flexible direction, of the man at the conductor’s desk." ― Mary Burchell, A Song Begins
They can also be so terribly romantic -- there's a part in the third book that makes me swoon each time.
‘You’re very quiet.’ He frowned impatiently. ‘Have you decided to be offended or something?’
‘N-no.’
‘Then what’s the matter? — Why,’ he exclaimed incredulously, ‘you’re crying!’
‘No, I’m not.’
‘I don’t believe you.’ He put out his hand and caught her, lightly and with some accuracy, by the wrist. Then with a questing, uncertain movement he unexpectedly put his other hand against her wet cheek. ‘You are crying,’ he said again, and there was astonishment and amusement in his voice, and something else which curiously warmed her cold, frightened heart.
‘I’m — sorry,’ she gasped.
‘No, don’t be sorry. I can’t recall that anyone ever cried for me before. Perhaps arrogant people don’t inspire tears.’ And he laughed slightly. Then he released her wrist, but only so that he could take her face between both his hands.
'You silly girl,’ he said, half mockingly, half tenderly. ‘Your cheeks are quite wet. But I think, from the feel of it, that you have a pretty shape to your face — and laughter lines here — ’ those sensitive fingers traced a light curve round the corners of her mouth. Then suddenly he released her and said in a matter-of-fact sort of tone,
‘Well, I suppose we’d better do some of those letters, particularly the ones from the people who loathe me. After all, we don’t want them to think I’m self-pitying, do we?’
‘N-no,’ agreed Antoinette huskily. ‘We’ll reply to them very promptly and confidently.’
The thing about Burchell is that she's so -- she'll write these ridiculous romance novel situations, but they're always so human. There's such a sense of humanity and often wit and humor in her work. I go to her work when I need to remember how to write. The theme of work and industry is really apparent in this series especially; talent will only take you so far, and you have to work to become truly skilled and a great artist. Same with money. Mink coats and diamonds may sometimes be present in Burchell's work, but there's always an understanding of how much they cost. She's also a master at building up chemistry between characters -- again, I really do look at her work when I'm trying to write romance herself.
TLDR: As you can see, I really really really love her work. XD Also, if you've ever seen this post (www.tumblr.com/teashoesandhair/178139857748/luthienebonyx-teashoesandhair) then you know how fascinating Burchell was as a person! It's not many people who can juggle writing a billion (good) romance novels while also smuggling families out of Nazi Germany. If nothing else, definitely read her autobiography, which is 75% about her love for opera, 25% about her time in ww2, and 100% full of her trademark wit and character.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it?: I'm requesting fic for characters in two books, Music of the Heart and Masquerade of Music. The problem with Burchell is that when you're supposed to like the second male love interest, I often end up liking him more than the main lead! I'd really love fic centering around Gail Rostall/Oliver Bannister and Kate Grayson | Katherine Gray/Carlo Etlinger.
Her mind was buzzing with questions she wanted to ask. And when, as Oliver had prophesied, they were left alone in the compartment at Gatwick, she burst out, ‘Why did you never tell me?’
‘Tell you what?’ he countered lightly.
‘That you’re one of the Bannisters.’
‘I thought you probably knew. Most people do. Anyway —’ he laughed, ‘perhaps I wanted to be loved for myself alone. There’s such a thing as liking to be an individual, you know, instead of the least important member of a family circus.’
It was the half scornful last phrase which gave her the clue that, under all that easy good humour, there was a strain of totally unexpected bitterness.
Gail is a young contralto trying to make a break into the opera world, and she's friends with Oliver, a young musical theater composer trying to do the same with the musical theater world. They're almost dating at the start of the story, when he brings her down to meet his family -- who happen to be much more involved in the opera world than he is. From then on, Gail becomes entangled with the problems of the Bannisters, struggling to balance her own artistic interests with what is ethical. Her and Oliver sort of fade out romantically as she begins to fall for his older brother -- and I do like his older brother, but Oliver is just so interesting, and him and Gail have such great chemistry! Later in the book, she ends up collaborating with him on a musical, and though she's dismissive of musicals (the flaw in Burchell's work for me T_T), they end up creating art together. I just think she has more chemistry with him than with his brother, and I'd love to see them take the musical theater world by storm together!
Once she said, ‘That’s a bit trite. But perhaps it doesn’t matter. It’s quite a good tune.’ And another time she said, ‘That’s heaven! You can afford to repeat it.’
At last Oliver turned and looked at her with new respect and said, ‘How do you know so much about it?’
‘I don’t. It’s just a sort of instinct. I’m the completely average girl with a little bit up here —’ she tapped her head. ‘This is what everyone reasonably intelligent is longing for. They’re sick of bawling and crudities. They want spice without vulgarity, a touch of romance without too much sugar, nostalgia without self-pity. You know — you just can’t fail!’
‘Isn’t she a honey?’ said Oliver. ‘What did I tell you?’ And he got up and kissed her.
Now Kate Grayson | Katherine Gray/Carlo Etlinger is from Masquerade with Music, and this is almost my favorite book in the series. I love Kate so much; she's the niece of title character famous conductor Oscar Warrender, and she ends up meeting him while in disguise as a secretary, not wanting to presume upon him under her own name, since he hates her mother. But she has operatic aspirations, and she knows full well he is the connection to have in this field. I love her. The strange family feeling that shows up between her, her uncle, and his wife, Anthea Warrender (the lead of the first book of course) is so interesting, and this book would be almost perfect were it not that the main romantic lead sucks. They have too much miscommunication.
However, Carlo Etlinger is here, and he is lovely. He's this young baritone who is bold and brash and utterly genuine in everything he does. He's described as "boyishly friendly," and someone who could be very talented one day if he applies himself -- which he hasn't been. But I think, with influence from Kate, he could really grow and mature-- and he's so lovable.
Feeling almost an intruder, Kate pressed back against the wall (which enabled at least three other people to press forward out of turn) and rather wished she had not come. Then suddenly the door immediately opposite her opened and Carlo stood there in the doorway in shirt sleeves, his dark hair curling damply on his forehead, and around him still the strange aura of the eternal lover doomed to self-destruction. Just for a moment something wrenched at her heart, and she could not have said whether it was pity or admiration. Then he smiled straight at her across the small forest of waving programmes and said,
‘Kate! I thought you weren’t coming. Come on in——’ he jerked his head in the direction of the room behind him. Then he turned his smile on the autograph-hunters and said, ‘Later, later—give me five minutes longer and I’ll be with you all.’
She went in, the others falling back to make way for her, their curious,half envious, half congratulatory glances following her until he closed the door behind her. His dresser was still in the room, but that did not prevent Carlo from kissing her on both cheeks before he asked, ‘How did you like it? Hew did you like me?’
In that moment she forgot what Sir Oscar had said about controlling her enthusiasm and replied, ‘I thought you were perfectly marvellous. What else do you expect me to say?’
‘I don’t know.’ He leaned back against the dressing-table and gave a curiously dissatisfied little laugh. ‘I’m never sure how good I am until someone else tells me.—Am I, Robert?’ he added, appealing suddenly to his dresser, who gave him a glance of mingled exasperation and affection.‘The whole audience have been telling you for the best part of the evening, haven’t they?’ he replied. ‘What else do you suppose all that applause meant?’
‘Oh, that——’ Carlo shrugged discontentedly. ‘They like the look of me, and the way I can leap about and swing a sword. The Maestro didn’t fall over himself to tell me I was marvellous.’
Later on, him and Kate discover that they have a connection musically -- a certain magnetism together that is very compelling. And I think it's a darn shame she gives that up to work doggedly with the main love interest, when she could have worked hard with Carlo, building her own career well with good experience, and he too would have benefited massively from consistent work. They're just so interesting together. In another book by Burchell, he would very much have been the main love interest! Not this one, sadly.
He laughed and, getting up from his chair, came to stand beside her at the piano. For her part, Kate was suddenly strangely excited and very faintly scared, though she was not sure why. She picked out a note or two on the piano and said, ‘I’m just trying to remember how it goes——’
‘Take it from here.’ He leaned across her so that he was unexpectedly close, and sketched a phrase or two.
‘Yes, I’ve got it!’ She began to play, and all at once that warm, seductive baritone voice was addressing her personally in a melody which had captured the world long before she was born.
Good musical discipline made her join in accurately at the right point. But then something she had never before experienced warmed and coloured her voice with a sort of sensuous excitement that was totally alien to Kate Grayson, and entirely in keeping with the infatuated Nedda. She had to respond, she had to let Silvio know that she loved him and, casting all her humdrum life aside, would go with him.
The beautifully blended voices soared to a triumphant peak and came to a stop. And at that point Carlo picked her right up in his arms and kissed her several times—laughing, breathless and in some curious way exultant.
‘You see?’ he said, still holding her close against him. ‘That’s how it should be done! You’re learning, my little Kate—you’re learning!’ And, as she disentangled herself from his embrace, she was nearly sure that he was referring to something other than just singing.
Also shout out to this iconic line. "Look, Van, there isn’t a girl alive who wouldn’t like being kissed by a handsome, madly successful baritone."
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships?: I am only requesting characters from two books, Music of the Heart and Masquerade with Music, so you can only read those and be just fine! The books are written so that they can be read in almost any order. However, if you choose to write Masquerade with Music fic, it might be helpful, though not necessary, to read the first book A Song Begins so you get more context for the Warrenders.
Content warnings (ie, rape, incest, racism, gore/violence): A couple of books make reference to the opera Othello, and the brownface done historically in the role.
The Warrender Saga - Mary Burchell
Media: Literature.
Approx length: 13 books of about 190-200 pages.
Where to find it:
https://www.amazon.com/Warrender-Saga-13-book-series/dp/B07CQ83H3C
https://openlibrary.org/authors/OL892147A/Mary_Burchell
https://openlibrary.org/works/OL4472939W?edition=key%3A/books/OL22726812M
What is it, in summary?: A romance novel series all about the opera world! They're set in and around the opera scene in Britain at the time, written by an author who really was friends with the leading opera players of the day -- so they read extremely authentically. They highlight all different sides of that world -- the leads range from prima donna sopranos to music teachers to stage managers to contraltos to concert pianists to conductors and more! They're written with such passion for the field; it's clear when reading them that this is someone who really knew what it was like to love people like this. They're terribly interesting and will ring so true if you have any experience with music or theater.
“Do you know what I mean by a music-maker? It's something quite different from a performer, you know. Different from someone who goes on a platform to demonstrate -- often very successfully -- how accomplished he or she may be. It means someone who serves the great art of music with heart and soul, as well as fingers and brain. It takes everything... to make the real thing. Above all, there must be that desire to serve, rather than to impress. To be humble rather than easily satisfied with oneself.”
― Mary Burchell, Child of Music
What do you love about it?: EVERYTHING! That's unhelpful but, they've straight up become some of my favorite books ever. They're just written with such passion, intelligence, and nuance. They're really lovely -- the heroines are all so vibrant and interesting, the heroes competent and sometimes cold, but in a really interesting way. They just make me so happy to read!!! They're very into the idea of work and industry; the characters are often talented, but if they don't have the work ethic to back it up, they will not get far. Burchell creates such a marvelous world -- it really draws you into this artistic field. The way she writes about it is so!!
For a second such panic overwhelmed her that she nearly rushed from the stage too. But then an innate self-discipline — and the knowledge that several people were depending on her — gave her some courage. And the first notes from the orchestra warned her to be ready.
In something between desperation and supplication, she glanced in the conductor’s direction, and again she received that wonderful smile which she had seen him occasionally bestow on others but never, until that day, on herself.
“It’s part of his technique for making me do what he wants, and doesn’t really mean a thing,” she told herself. And then she thought no more of him as a person. Only as the supreme support and inspiration which carried her, almost effortlessly, into her first phrases from an operatic stage.
At first, in her nervousness, she hardly seemed to hear anything. And then, suddenly, the glorious intoxication of singing with full orchestra for the first time was upon her. It seemed as though the whole world opened out before her to limitless horizons, and, as her voice soared into the upper reaches of the opera house, it was as though she soared too — a spirit released from human bondage.
Nothing like it had ever happened to her before, and she was so indescribably elated that she would have forgotten all artistic discipline and control if she had not been held by the iron authority, and yet flexible direction, of the man at the conductor’s desk."
― Mary Burchell, A Song Begins
They can also be so terribly romantic -- there's a part in the third book that makes me swoon each time.
‘You’re very quiet.’ He frowned impatiently. ‘Have you decided to be offended or something?’
‘N-no.’
‘Then what’s the matter? — Why,’ he exclaimed incredulously, ‘you’re crying!’
‘No, I’m not.’
‘I don’t believe you.’ He put out his hand and caught her, lightly and with some accuracy, by the wrist. Then with a questing, uncertain movement he unexpectedly put his other hand against her wet cheek. ‘You are crying,’ he said again, and there was astonishment and amusement in his voice, and something else which curiously warmed her cold, frightened heart.
‘I’m — sorry,’ she gasped.
‘No, don’t be sorry. I can’t recall that anyone ever cried for me before. Perhaps arrogant people don’t inspire tears.’ And he laughed slightly. Then he released her wrist, but only so that he could take her face between both his hands.
'You silly girl,’ he said, half mockingly, half tenderly. ‘Your cheeks are quite wet. But I think, from the feel of it, that you have a pretty shape to your face — and laughter lines here — ’ those sensitive fingers traced a light curve round the corners of her mouth. Then suddenly he released her and said in a matter-of-fact sort of tone,
‘Well, I suppose we’d better do some of those letters, particularly the ones from the people who loathe me. After all, we don’t want them to think I’m self-pitying, do we?’
‘N-no,’ agreed Antoinette huskily. ‘We’ll reply to them very promptly and confidently.’
The thing about Burchell is that she's so -- she'll write these ridiculous romance novel situations, but they're always so human. There's such a sense of humanity and often wit and humor in her work. I go to her work when I need to remember how to write. The theme of work and industry is really apparent in this series especially; talent will only take you so far, and you have to work to become truly skilled and a great artist. Same with money. Mink coats and diamonds may sometimes be present in Burchell's work, but there's always an understanding of how much they cost. She's also a master at building up chemistry between characters -- again, I really do look at her work when I'm trying to write romance herself.
TLDR: As you can see, I really really really love her work. XD Also, if you've ever seen this post (www.tumblr.com/teashoesandhair/178139857748/luthienebonyx-teashoesandhair) then you know how fascinating Burchell was as a person! It's not many people who can juggle writing a billion (good) romance novels while also smuggling families out of Nazi Germany. If nothing else, definitely read her autobiography, which is 75% about her love for opera, 25% about her time in ww2, and 100% full of her trademark wit and character.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it?: I'm requesting fic for characters in two books, Music of the Heart and Masquerade of Music. The problem with Burchell is that when you're supposed to like the second male love interest, I often end up liking him more than the main lead! I'd really love fic centering around Gail Rostall/Oliver Bannister and Kate Grayson | Katherine Gray/Carlo Etlinger.
Her mind was buzzing with questions she wanted to ask. And when, as Oliver had prophesied, they were left alone in the compartment at Gatwick, she burst out, ‘Why did you never tell me?’
‘Tell you what?’ he countered lightly.
‘That you’re one of the Bannisters.’
‘I thought you probably knew. Most people do. Anyway —’ he laughed, ‘perhaps I wanted to be loved for myself alone. There’s such a thing as liking to be an individual, you know, instead of the least important member of a family circus.’
It was the half scornful last phrase which gave her the clue that, under all that easy good humour, there was a strain of totally unexpected bitterness.
Gail is a young contralto trying to make a break into the opera world, and she's friends with Oliver, a young musical theater composer trying to do the same with the musical theater world. They're almost dating at the start of the story, when he brings her down to meet his family -- who happen to be much more involved in the opera world than he is. From then on, Gail becomes entangled with the problems of the Bannisters, struggling to balance her own artistic interests with what is ethical. Her and Oliver sort of fade out romantically as she begins to fall for his older brother -- and I do like his older brother, but Oliver is just so interesting, and him and Gail have such great chemistry! Later in the book, she ends up collaborating with him on a musical, and though she's dismissive of musicals (the flaw in Burchell's work for me T_T), they end up creating art together. I just think she has more chemistry with him than with his brother, and I'd love to see them take the musical theater world by storm together!
Once she said, ‘That’s a bit trite. But perhaps it doesn’t matter. It’s quite a good tune.’ And another time she said, ‘That’s heaven! You can afford to repeat it.’
At last Oliver turned and looked at her with new respect and said, ‘How do you know so much about it?’
‘I don’t. It’s just a sort of instinct. I’m the completely average girl with a little bit up here —’ she tapped her head. ‘This is what everyone reasonably intelligent is longing for. They’re sick of bawling and crudities. They want spice without vulgarity, a touch of romance without too much sugar, nostalgia without self-pity. You know — you just can’t fail!’
‘Isn’t she a honey?’ said Oliver. ‘What did I tell you?’ And he got up and kissed her.
Now Kate Grayson | Katherine Gray/Carlo Etlinger is from Masquerade with Music, and this is almost my favorite book in the series. I love Kate so much; she's the niece of title character famous conductor Oscar Warrender, and she ends up meeting him while in disguise as a secretary, not wanting to presume upon him under her own name, since he hates her mother. But she has operatic aspirations, and she knows full well he is the connection to have in this field. I love her. The strange family feeling that shows up between her, her uncle, and his wife, Anthea Warrender (the lead of the first book of course) is so interesting, and this book would be almost perfect were it not that the main romantic lead sucks. They have too much miscommunication.
However, Carlo Etlinger is here, and he is lovely. He's this young baritone who is bold and brash and utterly genuine in everything he does. He's described as "boyishly friendly," and someone who could be very talented one day if he applies himself -- which he hasn't been. But I think, with influence from Kate, he could really grow and mature-- and he's so lovable.
Feeling almost an intruder, Kate pressed back against the wall (which enabled at least three other people to press forward out of turn) and rather wished she had not come. Then suddenly the door immediately opposite her opened and Carlo stood there in the doorway in shirt sleeves, his dark hair curling damply on his forehead, and around him still the strange aura of the eternal lover doomed to self-destruction. Just for a moment something wrenched at her heart, and she could not have said whether it was pity or admiration. Then he smiled straight at her across the small forest of waving programmes and said,
‘Kate! I thought you weren’t coming. Come on in——’ he jerked his head in the direction of the room behind him. Then he turned his smile on the autograph-hunters and said, ‘Later, later—give me five minutes longer and I’ll be with you all.’
She went in, the others falling back to make way for her, their curious,half envious, half congratulatory glances following her until he closed the door behind her. His dresser was still in the room, but that did not prevent Carlo from kissing her on both cheeks before he asked, ‘How did you like it? Hew did you like me?’
In that moment she forgot what Sir Oscar had said about controlling her enthusiasm and replied, ‘I thought you were perfectly marvellous. What else do you expect me to say?’
‘I don’t know.’ He leaned back against the dressing-table and gave a curiously dissatisfied little laugh. ‘I’m never sure how good I am until someone else tells me.—Am I, Robert?’ he added, appealing suddenly to his dresser, who gave him a glance of mingled exasperation and affection.‘The whole audience have been telling you for the best part of the evening, haven’t they?’ he replied. ‘What else do you suppose all that applause meant?’
‘Oh, that——’ Carlo shrugged discontentedly. ‘They like the look of me, and the way I can leap about and swing a sword. The Maestro didn’t fall over himself to tell me I was marvellous.’
Later on, him and Kate discover that they have a connection musically -- a certain magnetism together that is very compelling. And I think it's a darn shame she gives that up to work doggedly with the main love interest, when she could have worked hard with Carlo, building her own career well with good experience, and he too would have benefited massively from consistent work. They're just so interesting together. In another book by Burchell, he would very much have been the main love interest! Not this one, sadly.
He laughed and, getting up from his chair, came to stand beside her at the piano. For her part, Kate was suddenly strangely excited and very faintly scared, though she was not sure why. She picked out a note or two on the piano and said, ‘I’m just trying to remember how it goes——’
‘Take it from here.’ He leaned across her so that he was unexpectedly close, and sketched a phrase or two.
‘Yes, I’ve got it!’ She began to play, and all at once that warm, seductive baritone voice was addressing her personally in a melody which had captured the world long before she was born.
Good musical discipline made her join in accurately at the right point. But then something she had never before experienced warmed and coloured her voice with a sort of sensuous excitement that was totally alien to Kate Grayson, and entirely in keeping with the infatuated Nedda. She had to respond, she had to let Silvio know that she loved him and, casting all her humdrum life aside, would go with him.
The beautifully blended voices soared to a triumphant peak and came to a stop. And at that point Carlo picked her right up in his arms and kissed her several times—laughing, breathless and in some curious way exultant.
‘You see?’ he said, still holding her close against him. ‘That’s how it should be done! You’re learning, my little Kate—you’re learning!’ And, as she disentangled herself from his embrace, she was nearly sure that he was referring to something other than just singing.
Also shout out to this iconic line. "Look, Van, there isn’t a girl alive who wouldn’t like being kissed by a handsome, madly successful baritone."
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships?: I am only requesting characters from two books, Music of the Heart and Masquerade with Music, so you can only read those and be just fine! The books are written so that they can be read in almost any order. However, if you choose to write Masquerade with Music fic, it might be helpful, though not necessary, to read the first book A Song Begins so you get more context for the Warrenders.
Content warnings (ie, rape, incest, racism, gore/violence): A couple of books make reference to the opera Othello, and the brownface done historically in the role.