By Rafael A. Hernandez
Music. Romance. Tribulations of life itself. These are just a fraction of the contents sewn within the narratives of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Nocturnes. Comprised of five short stories, Ishiguro’s work discusses the complications and beauties of music and musicianship. Of course not every story involves musicians per se. Music lovers are just as important to this book as those who created the music itself. But it is not simply music that finds its spotlight on the pages. There is a heavy, if perhaps, unrealized romantic quality to each story. Though it is important not to mistake this romance as something common or even recognizable. The beauty of Nocturnesis that it is subtle and intricate. To fully appreciate the nuances of this book, one must consider perspective and circumstance. Every character has a unique perspective and their stories are riddled with specific, life changing, circumstances.
Ishiguro accomplishes an outstanding display of musical mastership. Though his skill is not displayed on an instrument, readers can see how well music is portrayed on the page. His deep artistic understanding does give his words a dimension separate from the literary. Readers may find themselves alongside the various protagonists as they contemplate the quality of music, their personal worries and future endeavors. For those who understand the devotion and satisfaction of musical artistry, the stories “Crooner”, “Malvern Hills” and “Cellists” will certainly hit close to home. Even more astonishing are the distinct differences between stories. “Crooner” testifies to the oddities and beauty of celebrity love. Inspiration and (musical) integrity are the focus of “Malvern Hills”. Ishiguro’s personal appreciation of music seems deep seeded in “Cellists” as he narrates the relationship between a promising cellist and his muse.
A majority of the book is spent focused on musicians but stories such as “Come Rain or Come Shine” and “Nocturne” are devoted to the emotional effect music has on the human condition. Things like the opinion of friends and public image are at the mercy of one’s inner demons. Ishiguro’s formulation of these stories expresses a pleasant notation of life’s changes. But despite this, the unglamorous fact of reality still is allowed room to take form. Nocturnes retains a hardy amount of humor and optimism toward everyday life without stepping too far into the realm of the unrealistic.
Though this collection of stories does inspire and fascinate, it may leave the reader lacking closure and satisfaction. For those expecting happy endings, this book will be lacking. All others who are unconcerned with definitive outcomes will thoroughly enjoy the exploits of the characters and their journeys. Nocturnes is indeed a chronicle of spirit and propensity of life.
