Low Notes on a High Level - A Novel

The future of the English Broadcasting Company depends on a strange musical instrument—and its eccentric inventor—in this rollicking workplace comedy from one of the twentieth century’s great, underappreciated masters.

Alan Applerose is, at his core, a composer of serious music. Unfortunately, this ambition is often thwarted during the course of his day job as the Assistant Musical Director of the English Broadcasting Company. At work, he splits his time between shepherding mediocre performances, appeasing high-maintenance musicians, and putting out fires at the behest of his larger-than-life boss, Sir Lancelot Telly.

When Sir Lancelot comes to Alan with news of a real coup—the famed Norrolandish composer, Stannsen, has finally finished his Tenth Symphony, and has offered the EBC and its Symphony Orchestra the exclusive opportunity to broadcast the premiere—it’s a genuinely exciting prospect. But there’s a catch. The score of Stannsen’s Tenth relies on incredibly low notes that can only be reached on a Dobbophone, an obscure instrument. And the only person who knows how to play the Dobbophone (or who can, indeed, obtain one) is the instrument’s inventor, Dobb, who was a good friend of Stannsen’s right up until they had a major falling out, years ago.

Sir Lancelot has staked the financial future of the EBC on the success of Stannsen’s Tenth, and so Alan has no choice but to make it happen. With the help of Dobb’s niece, Inga, Alan sets off through London to track down the reclusive musician, reunite two former friends and collaborators, and maybe make music history in the process.