Bridget and Will are loving, compatible, completely devoted to each other-- and strictly friends. For three decades they have nurtured the Forsyth Trio, a chamber group they created as students with their Juilliard classmate Gavin Glantz. Gavin is now one of the classical music world's reigning stars, while Bridget and Will embrace the smaller venues that accompany modest success. Then Bridget's boyfriend, Sterling, breaks up with her over email....

From Vikram Seth, international best-selling author, comes a passionate tale of two gifted musicians. Violinist Michael Holme and the Maggiore Quartet are tackling a piece by Beethoven. For Michael, the music resurrects memories of his days as a student in Vienna, where he developed an intense love for Julia McNicholl, a mesmerizing beauty and gifted pianist. After years apart, they share a chance encounter, and Julia agrees to accompany the quartet...