Those Who Can’t Play, Listen

Actor Stephen Fry was never much good with a musical instrument in his youth. “At school, one of my greatest regrets was my inability to produce any two notes, in order, that could be said to resemble a tune. One note? Fine, I could produce one note with the best of them, possibly not a very nice note, admittedly, but nevertheless, a note all the same. It was only when I had to produce two or more notes, in succession, in tune, that I had any problems.” Still, Fry’s inability to play music never inhibited his love of the classical form, and his new book on the subject of listening to the stuff is a true labor of love.