The Musical Charlatan

This first English translation of a late Baroque German novel makes available one of the most interesting and entertaining works of the seventeenth century. Kuhnau, a noted musician, composer and editor, writes in an unusually realistic style, describing the chequered career of the charlatan Caraffa, who believes that in order to succeed in the musical world in Germany, one must pretend to be an Italian. His tricks and deceptions, which his German colleagues see through with little difficulty, provide memorable comic scenes, and at the same time the book gives an informative picture of every-day life, especially that of the contemporary musical world in particular.