With an aura of captivating mystery, The Sound Collector tells the story of Ludwig Schmitt von Carlsburg, a Bavarian tenor possessing an extraordinary musical gift. During his childhood, he devoted himself to collecting various sound frequencies. Just when he believed his collection was complete, Ludwig discovered that he was missing a sound, a "unique frequency, the most desired, a perfect, celestial, magical, and eternal sound." From that moment on, the young boy dedicated all his energy to searching for the sound that would complete his collection. During this search, he discovered he could sing the sounds he treasured, and later became the most brilliant tenor in Germany. However, Ludwig became obsessed with this mysterious sound he so desperately sought. The search became his master and his mistress, dominating his will and demanding that he become a merciless lover. Written in the form of notes taken by a Benedictine priest during Ludwig's confession and found years later by another Catholic priest—who introduces the story with intriguing letters—The Sound Collector addresses the human condition and the limitations of being mortal. The work was inspired by the true story of German tenor Ludwig Schnorr Von Carolsfeld (1836-1865), who died under mysterious circumstances just over a month after performing the role of Tristan in the opera Tristan und Isolde on June 10, 1865. While it is not, and does not purport to be, a biography of the real Ludwig, The Sound Collector possesses epic elements of a true love story, set at the height of German Romanticism. A breathtaking thriller.
