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The Master's Violin
The Master's Violin is a novel written by Myrtle Reed and published in 1904. The story revolves around the life of David Blackburn, a renowned violinist, and his prized possession, a Stradivarius violin. The violin has been passed down through generations of Blackburn's family and is believed to have magical powers that can bring happiness and success to its owner.The novel follows Blackburn's journey as he struggles to balance his love for music and his desire for a normal life. He falls in love with a young woman named Sylvia, but their relationship is threatened by the jealous and manipulative actions of his former lover, Madame de Stael.As Blackburn's fame and success grow, he begins to realize the true value of his violin and the sacrifices he has made for his career. He ultimately learns that true happiness cannot be found in material possessions or fame, but in the love and relationships he has built throughout his life.The Master's Violin is a timeless tale of love, sacrifice, and the pursuit of happiness, set against the backdrop of the world of classical music in the early 1900s.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
324 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1904
15 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
About the author
Myrtle Reed
94 books32 followersMyrtle Reed/Mrs McCullough (1874-1911) was an American author, the daughter of Elizabeth Armstrong Reed and the preacher Hiram von Reed. She sometimes wrote under the pseudonym of Olive Green. She was born in Chicago, where she graduated from the West Division High School. In 1906 she was married to James Sydney McCullough.
She wrote under her own name, but also published a series of cook books under the pseudonym of Olive Green, including What to Have for Breakfast (1905), One Thousand Simple Soups (1907) and How to Cook Fish (1908).
Myrtle was a diagnosed insomniac with prescribed sleeping drafts. She died August 17, 1911 of an overdose of sleeping powder taken with suicidal intent in her flat, called "Paradise Flat" at 5120 Kenmore Ave., Chicago, Illinois. The following day, her suicide letter, written to her maid, Annie Larsen, was published.
She wrote under her own name, but also published a series of cook books under the pseudonym of Olive Green, including What to Have for Breakfast (1905), One Thousand Simple Soups (1907) and How to Cook Fish (1908).
Myrtle was a diagnosed insomniac with prescribed sleeping drafts. She died August 17, 1911 of an overdose of sleeping powder taken with suicidal intent in her flat, called "Paradise Flat" at 5120 Kenmore Ave., Chicago, Illinois. The following day, her suicide letter, written to her maid, Annie Larsen, was published.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 21, 2014
As a literary effort, Myrtle Reed's books probably don't rate five stars, but I love them so much and always feels so happy that I have read one, that I am giving it the maximum rating. The stories are filled with quietly good people. There is respect for the elderly and a desire to learn from them in the young. There is respect for youth and the passion that usually accompanies it.
Here is the description of Miss Field. "The years had been kind to her--had given her only enough bitterness to make her realize the sweetness, and from the threads that Life had placed in her hands at the beginning, had taught her how to weave the blessed fabric of Content."
As a mother of four grown sons I loved this passage. "His mother, too, was watching him, as always when she thought herself unobserved. In spite of his stalwart manhood, to her he was still a child. Forgiving all things, dreaming all things, hoping all things with the boundless faith of maternity, she loved him, through the child that he was, for the man that he might be--loved him, through the man that he was, for the child that he had been."
The Master plays, "By insensible degrees the music grew in volume, filled with breadth and splendor, yet with a lyric undertone. Sounding chords, caught from distant silences, one by one were woven in. Songs that had an epic grasp; question, prayer, and heartbreak; all the pain and beauty of the world were part of it, and yet there was something more."
This is a love story on so many levels: love for literature and good books, love for music and its power to speak and heal, young lovers, middle-age love renewed, older love that sustains and sacrifices.
It is a lesson in opposites. "Life has many meanings," said Margaret, "but it is what we make it, after all. The pendulum swings form daylight to darkness, from sun to storm, but the balance is always true...we need sorrow as the world needs night. We cannot always live in the sun. We can take what comes to us bravely, as gentlewomen should, but we must take it, dear--there is no other way."
From Miss Field, "I have deliberately forgotten all the unpleasant things and remembered the others. When a little pleasure has flashed for a moment against the dark, I have made that jewel mine...I call it my Necklace of Joy. When the world goes wrong, I have only to close my eyes and remember all the links in my chain, set with gems, some large and some small, but all beautiful with the beauty that never fades."
Here is the description of Miss Field. "The years had been kind to her--had given her only enough bitterness to make her realize the sweetness, and from the threads that Life had placed in her hands at the beginning, had taught her how to weave the blessed fabric of Content."
As a mother of four grown sons I loved this passage. "His mother, too, was watching him, as always when she thought herself unobserved. In spite of his stalwart manhood, to her he was still a child. Forgiving all things, dreaming all things, hoping all things with the boundless faith of maternity, she loved him, through the child that he was, for the man that he might be--loved him, through the man that he was, for the child that he had been."
The Master plays, "By insensible degrees the music grew in volume, filled with breadth and splendor, yet with a lyric undertone. Sounding chords, caught from distant silences, one by one were woven in. Songs that had an epic grasp; question, prayer, and heartbreak; all the pain and beauty of the world were part of it, and yet there was something more."
This is a love story on so many levels: love for literature and good books, love for music and its power to speak and heal, young lovers, middle-age love renewed, older love that sustains and sacrifices.
It is a lesson in opposites. "Life has many meanings," said Margaret, "but it is what we make it, after all. The pendulum swings form daylight to darkness, from sun to storm, but the balance is always true...we need sorrow as the world needs night. We cannot always live in the sun. We can take what comes to us bravely, as gentlewomen should, but we must take it, dear--there is no other way."
From Miss Field, "I have deliberately forgotten all the unpleasant things and remembered the others. When a little pleasure has flashed for a moment against the dark, I have made that jewel mine...I call it my Necklace of Joy. When the world goes wrong, I have only to close my eyes and remember all the links in my chain, set with gems, some large and some small, but all beautiful with the beauty that never fades."
April 23, 2016
"It was the Cremona!"
Myrtle reed's string of heart-quickening romances never fail to keep me turning the page, from finding out what else happened in this vintage world of secret admirers and such sweet words!
This one was slightly different from the rest in the respect that I felt more closely relatable to Iris. Like her, I read and compare nearly everything to the fictional world. It is a terrible fault. The other is making my mind up about something and not being able to discern my emotions concerning someone or something. Sometimes it's mixed and you need it clarified. The playing of the Cremona helped to clarify Iris's love for Lynn. I wonder. What will be the thing that wakes me up and says, "this is who you love?"
Myrtle reed's string of heart-quickening romances never fail to keep me turning the page, from finding out what else happened in this vintage world of secret admirers and such sweet words!
This one was slightly different from the rest in the respect that I felt more closely relatable to Iris. Like her, I read and compare nearly everything to the fictional world. It is a terrible fault. The other is making my mind up about something and not being able to discern my emotions concerning someone or something. Sometimes it's mixed and you need it clarified. The playing of the Cremona helped to clarify Iris's love for Lynn. I wonder. What will be the thing that wakes me up and says, "this is who you love?"
May 14, 2014
My mom got me an original copy of this rare book for my birthday this year. Such a sweet story! I enjoyed every minute of the reading.
February 10, 2017
Such beautiful quotations contained in this piece of writing
November 25, 2024
🖍️A sentimental story this is, and the writing is actually quite lovely. Purple prose? Who cares? The authoress gets the story told in better days. A movie could be successfully made from this story, but today's world of wicked witches and demons, Hollywood would look at this sweet story as sappy. How sad.
📕 Published in 1904.
જ⁀➴🔵 The e-book version can be found at Internet Archive.
જ⁀➴🟢The e-book version can be found on Project Gutenberg.
🖋️ About Myrtle Reed: Born in Norwood Park, Illinois September 27, 1874. She passed away at her apartment 5120 N. Kenmore, Chicago (suicide) August 17, 1911 and was buried at Graceland Cemetery. 🪦Some more information about Myrtle Reed can be found on this link at Find a Grave.
✧⋆˚₊˚⋆✧Excerpts of note:
Opening lines: ༒
Believable dialogue:༒
Ah! The Cremona! ༒
Amusing description of a hair bun: ༒
True statemenet: ༒
Women, take note! ༒
༒
📕 Published in 1904.
જ⁀➴🔵 The e-book version can be found at Internet Archive.
જ⁀➴🟢The e-book version can be found on Project Gutenberg.
🖋️ About Myrtle Reed: Born in Norwood Park, Illinois September 27, 1874. She passed away at her apartment 5120 N. Kenmore, Chicago (suicide) August 17, 1911 and was buried at Graceland Cemetery. 🪦Some more information about Myrtle Reed can be found on this link at Find a Grave.
✧⋆˚₊˚⋆✧Excerpts of note:
Opening lines: ༒
🔺The fire blazed newly from its embers and set strange shadows to dancing upon the polished floor. Now and then, there was a gleam from some dark mahogany surface and an answering flash from a bit of old silver in the cabinet. April, warm with May’s promise, came in through the open window, laden with the wholesome fragrance of growing things, and yet, because an old lady loved it, there was a fire upon the hearth and no other light in the room.
Believable dialogue:༒
🔻She had on a green dress, and some yellow velvet in her hair. Her eyes are purple.” “Violet, you mean, dear. Did you notice that?” “Of course—don’t I notice everything? Come, mother; I’ll race you to the top of the hill.”
Ah! The Cremona! ༒
🔺The fire was out, but Iris had left two lighted candles on a table in the hall. “A fine violin,” he said; “by far the finest I have ever heard.” “Yes,” she returned, “a Cremona—that is, I think it must be, from its tone.”
Amusing description of a hair bun: ༒
🔻“I wonder,” he mused, “where in the dickens ‘mine brudder’ is!” The face of the woman before him was still flushed and the movement of the needles betrayed her excitement. He noted that she wore no wedding ring and surmised that she was a little older than his mother. Her features were hard, and her thin, straight hair was brushed tightly back and fastened in a little knot at the back of her head. It was not unlike a door knob, and he began to wonder what would happen if he should turn it.
True statemenet: ༒
🔺“A gentlewoman,” Aunt Peace had said, “will always be independent of her servants, and there are certain things no gentlewoman will trust her servants to do.”
Women, take note! ༒
🔻Aunt Peace observed. “Since Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden, women have been home-makers and men have been home-builders. All the work in the world is directly and immediately undertaken for the maintenance and betterment of the home. A woman who has no love for it is unsexed. God probably knew how He wanted it—✧⋆˚₊˚⋆✧More excerpts of note:
༒
🔺 The fire blazed newly from its embers and set strange shadows to dancing upon the polished floor. Now and then, there was a gleam from some dark mahogany surface and an answering flash from a bit of old silver in the cabinet. April, warm with May’s promise, came in through the open window, laden with the wholesome fragrance of growing things, and yet, because an old lady loved it, there was a fire upon the hearth and no other light in the room.༒
🔻 Lynn went up the hill with a long, swinging stride. The morning was in his heart and it seemed good to be alive.
July 31, 2022
I bought this book and the cover was so gorgeous I had to read it right away!!! It was so so good!😭😭😭🥹🥰 Think unrequited love, a secret lover, old fashioned romance reminiscent of lavender, roses, and violets, deep sorrow, joy and rainbows after a storm, a deeper love and appreciation of life, good wholesome sweet wise characters and a thrilling storyline!!! Highly highly recommend!!! I bought this originally because of the author who also wrote arsenic & old lace which was later made into a movie with Cary grant. I have yet to read the book but enjoyed the movie and loving books even more I had to try the author! I am so glad I did and want all of her books in my library!😭🥹🥹🥹
July 9, 2022
“ Here!” He cried brokenly. “ Son of mine heart!” “Play!”
This is a spellbinding read in its prose-like style that may move one’s heart as the Cremona in the novel. It is the perfect book for a lazy afternoon in the midsummer or perhaps when it rains in autumn.
This is a spellbinding read in its prose-like style that may move one’s heart as the Cremona in the novel. It is the perfect book for a lazy afternoon in the midsummer or perhaps when it rains in autumn.
December 27, 2023
Melodramatic and overly poetic for my tastes, but sweet.
March 26, 2024
Lots of flowery verbage, a midline depth of story, but overall it was sweet.
January 19, 2025
myrtle reed ur so amazing
February 26, 2023
A Classic book my our girl Myrtle. Sweet, beautiful, and comforting. She includes a few of her unexpected (but totally expected) twists.
June 27, 2022
Totally awesome
November 8, 2015
An Old Fashioned Love Story
If you enjoy stories from yesteryear this one is for you. It has some twists and turns and true love triumphs in the end.
If you enjoy stories from yesteryear this one is for you. It has some twists and turns and true love triumphs in the end.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews