The Ensemble

A Novel

By: Aja Gabel

Narrated by: Rebecca Lowman

"Pitch-perfect." —People

"You won’t be able to quit these characters." —goop

The addictive novel about four young friends navigating the cutthroat world of classical music and their complex relationships with each other, as ambition, passion, and love intertwine over the course of their lives.

Jana. Brit. Daniel. Henry. They would never have been friends if they hadn't needed each other. They would never have found each other except for the art which drew them together. They would never have become family without their love for the music, for each other.

Brit is the second violinist, a beautiful and quiet orphan; on the viola is Henry, a prodigy who's always had it easy; the cellist is Daniel, the oldest and an angry skeptic who sleeps around; and on first violin is Jana, their flinty, resilient leader. Together, they are the Van Ness Quartet. After the group's youthful, rocky start, they experience devastating failure and wild success, heartbreak and marriage, triumph and loss, betrayal and enduring loyalty. They are always tied to each other - by career, by the intensity of their art, by the secrets they carry, by choosing each other over and over again.

Following these four unforgettable characters, Aja Gabel's debut novel gives a riveting look into the high-stakes, cutthroat world of musicians, and of lives made in concert. The story of Brit and Henry and Daniel and Jana, The Ensemble is a heart-skipping portrait of ambition, friendship, and the tenderness of youth.

Musicians will relate

This book gives a glimpse into the interpersonal relationships between members of a string quartet. Musicians of all sorts will relate to the dynamics of performers. Others who are curious about musicians may find this book interesting. The reader is excellent overall.

A great glimpse into the world of classical musicians

I enjoyed the storyline, the characters and the intricate way each of them develops throughout the book, in a similar way that a work of classical music does. Having played violin most of my life, I loved the details about the various classical works described, as well as the challenges and triumphs of performing in general. It is well written - rich prosaic detail. I wish I had read the actual book instead of listening. I’m not a fan of this particular narrator, and I think I will try to avoid her audible books in the future. It might be just me because she has narrated many previous books and has received good reviews. This is the second book I’ve listened to that she has narrated, and I had the same reaction both times.

Beautiful Use Of Language

The tone and use of language in The Ensemble was more beautiful and interesting than the story line. Listening to the words was like listening to a quartet.

Score!!!

Intelligent, funny and evocative. Beautiful language telling the tale. Luxurious exploration into character' pysches. Great production and narrator. Enjoy!

Took forever to get through

Finally finished The Ensemble. I started reading this book over a year ago for a book club I joined. The author’s talent is clear, but there is so much internal dialogue that it’s a bit maddening. It’s not a Jonathan Franzen internal dialogue, it’s different and great in some spaces, but it was dizzying. The ending was great, but it took a lot of time and effort to get to that point.