Albinoni’s Adagio

At the beginning of the novel the cellist is the very first character introduced. At first, people don’t really understand his way of thinking, and why he acts the way he does. Everyday he will sit outside his window and play his cello. Some days the music will not work to restore his hope. When the hope has not been restored cellist will leave his apartment and play the same song on his cello, where twenty-two people died waiting to buy bread. Rarely will he ever play Albinoni’s Adagio, he will only when after hours of playing, the music does not rejuvenate him. One quote that could become more significant later in the novel is;

“But each time he is forced to resort to the Adagio it becomes harder, and he knows its effect is finite.”

This quote seems interesting because it leaves you wondering what he could possibly be talking about. It may be that after playing it so much, over and over again, the affect of the Adagio will no longer work to restore his hope. Leaving all hope lost. Later in the novel the affect of the song on the city may become more significant.

This is a video of the song the cellist plays in the crater.

 When you hear this being played, it really helps you imagine what the town is going through. The sound of the song is very sad, and desperate. But when you hear it played, it brings along a sense of hope as well.