Music and Silence
{{short description|Historical novel by Rose Tremain}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox novel
| caption = First edition ({{abbreviation|publ.|published by}} Chatto & Windus)
| author = Rose Tremain
| genre = Historical fiction
| image = MusicAndSilence.jpg
| audio_read_by = Michael Praed, Clare Wille, and Alison Dowling
| isbn = 978-0-701-17152-0
| pub_date = 1999
}}
Music and Silence is a historical novel written by English author Rose Tremain.{{Cite web |date=2000-03-15 |title=Music and Silence |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/rose-tremain/music-and-silence/ |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=Kirkus Reviews |archive-date=18 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518054359/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/rose-tremain/music-and-silence/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2000-04-03 |title=Music & Silence by Rose Tremain |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780374199890 |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=Publishers Weekly |archive-date=6 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241006164252/https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780374199890 |url-status=live }} The audiobook, released in 2009, is narrated by Michael Praed, Clare Wille, and Alison Dowling.{{Cite web |date=2009-08-31 |title=Music & Silence by Rose Tremain |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9789626349755 |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=Publishers Weekly |archive-date=6 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241006164254/https://www.publishersweekly.com/9789626349755 |url-status=live }}
Music and Silence is set in and around the court of Christian IV of Denmark in the years 1629 and 1630. The main historical event depicted is the end of Christian's second marriage, to Kirsten Munk, and the start of his third, to Vibeke Kruse. There are also numerous sub-plots and parallel stories, the main one being the love affair between two fictional characters, an English lutenist Peter Claire and Emilia Tilsen, a Danish servant of Kirsten's. In addition there are several references to Danish history and flashbacks to Christian's childhood and subsequent development.
Reception
Music and Silence was generally well-received among British press.{{cite news |date=16 Oct 1999 |title=Books of the moment: What the papers said |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph/151614067/ |access-date=19 July 2024 |work=The Daily Telegraph |page=72 |archive-date=6 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241006164149/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph/151614067/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news |date=2 Oct 1999 |title=Books of the moment: What the papers said |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph/151614071/ |access-date=19 July 2024 |work=The Daily Telegraph |page=68 |archive-date=6 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241006164254/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph/151614071/ |url-status=live }} The Guardian gave the novel an average rating of 8.6 out of 10 based on reviews from multiple British newspapers.{{cite news |date=10 Sep 1999 |title=The Review of Reviews |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian/152398269/ |access-date=19 July 2024 |work=The Guardian |page=96 |archive-date=6 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241006164150/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian/152398269/ |url-status=live }}
The book won the 1999 Whitbread Award for Novel.