The Hall

by Jeff Laffel

THE HALL is a series of fictional short stories, all of which take place over one hundred years at Carnegie Hall. All the characters are fictional and no real persons living or dead, other than the Mahlers, are to be found here. The author asks that the stories are read in the order as many are interconnected.

132 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 4, 2021

Reviews

[Robert Karmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Laffel has captured all the human and musical notes among the vividly rendered characters attending the timeless concerts at Carnegie Hall. Opening the collection of short stories with a glimpse of Mahler and his unhappy, sex starved wife , Alma, moments before the American premiere of his "Resurrection Symphony," the fictional stories that follow capture the diversity of all who are drawn to the Hall through the years by the intoxication of the classical and popular musical performances. What is especially brilliant and touching is the way Mr. Laffel allows the reader to trace the evolution of some of the key characters, such as Agatha Moore with her loving embrace of her son, Buddy, in spite of her marriage to a bitter, homophobic husband. We follow her in one of the last stories as an elderly woman attending a performance of Berlioz' " Symphonie Fantastique," a piece she shared in earlier years with Buddy who died in Vietnam and who still lives in her memory through the Symphony they both loved. So many of the stories are equally transformative as the fictional lens of the writer allows the reader to experience new perspectives of these characters as they are changed by both time and the music which brings them to The Hall. It is a memorable collection of stories carrying us through a century of memorable music and unforgettable characters in the immortal setting of Carnegie Hall.

[R Gerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bravo, Mr. Laffel

What a wonderful symphony of vignettes. The author's love of music sings through every passage. He captures the life of his characters in exquisite detail. You know these people and smile and cry and mourn and cheer with them. The pleasure of learning more of some of the character's stories, as they and their families return to the hall through the decades, is a masterful flourish. A well deserved standing ovation for you, Mr. Laffel.

[Janis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes a book just touches you. This is one of those books. I loved it!