‘What can literature and music do for each other?’ In This man and music, novelist and composer Anthony Burgess explores the topic, touching on composition, poetry, prose, and his own personal experiences.

IntroductionThis man and music1 Biographia musicalis2 A matter of time and space3 Let’s write a symphony4 Music and meaning5 Meaning means language6 Under the bam7 Nothing is so beautiful as sprung8 Re Joyce9 Contrary tugs10 Oedipus wrecks11 Bonaparte in E flatAppendices1 Comparison of ‘Blest Pair of Sirens’ and ‘Disharmonious Sisters’ to This man and music 2 Original Prefatory Note from ‘Blest Pair of Sirens’3 Reviews4 Excerpt from ‘The Novel as Music’5 Similar passages in This Man and Music [1982], The Pianoplayers [1986], and Little Wilson and Big God [1986]6 Correspondence between Hans Keller and Anthony BurgessNotes

In these eleven interconnected essays, Anthony Burgess explores the complex relationship between literature and music. Drawing on his experience as both a writer and composer, Burgess not only asks what literature can contribute to the art of composition, but how music can influence the process of writing. From the poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins, to the prose of James Joyce, to the lyrics of Lorenz Hart, Burgess takes the reader on a journey of discovery, pausing to consider philosophical conundrums of art and adaptation, questions of meaning, and his personal experiences. Part-musical autobiography, part-literary and musical analysis, This Man and Music is a must-read for fans of Burgess who want to understand some of Burgess’s most enigmatic writing. Burgess’s erudition, wry humour and wit make this book a unique artefact in the stunning output of a prolific artist.

'There is a lot in this book to recommend it to Burgess readers. There is even more, I would say, to recommend it to scholars of music. For those interested in the meeting points of music and literature, it is essential reading. It is a deeply personal book, but one that any reader will come away from filled with interesting factoids, and a much better and braver sense of how the written and the heard can come together.'Manchester review of books