What a great episode and what a great story! It was my first Kiernan story (but Kiernan always was high on my to-read-list), and now I definitely want to read more of her. I also liked it that another one of my favorite weird-writers, Ligotti, was called in mind in the podcast, in connection with obsessed minds (which is why of course Poe is great also).
There is a lot to say about this story, but I'll try to not write a whole book here ;-)
What particularly awed me was the beautiful and balanced writing style of Kiernan: descriptive and evocative, natural and rich, subtle and tense, alluding and one of a kind... My own (Dutch) writing style I think is still too littery and non-fluent, so I tried to analyze Kiernan's style, but couldn't really pinpoint what Kiernan does to make it so good. Maybe anyone on this forum can point some things out?
One note on the Lovecraftian allusions: The Picture in the House (a story about a cannibal) and Dagon were mentioned, but I think The Music of Erich Zann is an important one also - and one of my favorite Lovecraft stories (Actually, I'm writing a sort of guitar-sequel to it for a friend of mine who idolates guitars, which will appear in my short story album).
In the podcast the surprising ending is interpreted as giving up an impossible life, giving up violence (Book of Mormon, ammonites), while the collector has prepared his collections and journals to be found by humanity. The violin, the symbols, the music and the violinist playing her 'sister-violin' was the collector's last 'perfect' act.
Although this all may be true, I read the end as the collector making the ultimate offer to his sea deity: his own, whole life - the offering magnified by the rituals and symbols (his 'private iconography'). (Although, now I think of it - he didn't strangled himself, for example by hanging himself.)
And yes, the Paganini piece - I listened to it after I read the story, but I also wondered about why Kiernan chose this piece - I really couldn't think of anything. As a matter of fact, the dark Gorecki (mentioned in the story by the violinist) maybe was a better choice. But of course there must be a reason she chose it, and I'm really curious about it.
Haha, yes, I'm hoping to get to the next NecronomiCon in Providence and ask her about the music.
I'm ashamed I didn't think of "The Music of Erich Zann," which is one of my favorites as well -- and I've written my own riff on it, too (but not published because, well, it's not that good).
I think you describe Kiernan's writing style quite eloquently. How she pulls it off, I'm not sure either, but it is just dazzling. We're looking forward to covering more of her stories in the future, and I've got one of her novels on this month's ballot for a new podcast that will be out next year. I mean, I'm letting the people decide what I read so I'm not endorsing it, but still ...
Alas, Providence is a bit too far for me (but, if I remember it well, Lovecraft Ezine usually has a recap of the NecronomiCon on their site - I have to check it out). It would be great if you succeed in asking Kiernan about the music in The ammonite Violin!
" and I've written my own riff on it, too (but not published because, well, it's not that good)." That makes me curious! ;-)
And I'm looking forward to that mysterious new podcast...
@brouwpieter Haha, this story is on my list to revise someday, actually, so I'll be keeping it in my pocket for a while. The last time I read it what I thought didn't work about it was that I had tried to cram a full novel into a novella ... so someday!
@G.L. McDorman Sorry, it becomes a bit off topic, but I listened to your tale 'Goodbye to all that' yesterday. What a beautiful and well-written story! I liked the atmosphere, the plot - and the great description of the whiskey (I like whiskey myself) :-)
I put 'The Quality of Mercy' on my birthday wishlist (now hopefully waiting).
Frustratingly, I didn't see this post before making my own about this story. I really like your idea about the collector's suicide being his ultimate sacrifice to the sea. Maybe he felt the need to make the sacrifice "in the moment" of listening to the music, so he didn't have time to hang himself and had to settle for shooting himself instead?
Thanks for the nioce solution to my problematic interpretation! It sounds very plausible - 'enjoying' music while hanging yourself is not a good idea...
On the subject of comparing this story to Lovecraft's "The Music of Eric Zahn", I'm sure there is also a comparison to be made with Howard's "Casonetto's Last Song", but I would need to read it again to think more about it. Maybe reading all three back-to-back would be instructive!