Theme and Variations, opus 2: Recent Episodes
Michelle M. Welch on Podiobooks.com
What if music could open visions of the future? What if a mysterious melody drove an entire world mad? What if the greatest composer in history had alien inspiration?
Theme and Variations is a podcast anthology of speculative fiction with music as a theme. The second volume of the anthology, Opus 2, has six new audio episodes by authors of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Some of the episodes feature original music.
Is it possible to find happiness when the world is coming to an end? And what should you pack for lunch? “The Cat At The End Of The World” is a story of sorrow, folly, rescue, owls, pussycats, eagles, and pretty tea sets.
"In Order to Conserve," by Cat Rambo: A cautionary fable all too applicable nowadays. // "This Corruption," by Brian Dolton: A jaded rock singer devotes his music to death – until he actually meets death. [Explicit language] // "Machine Hymns to the Dreaming God," by Jack Mangan: Inside a plague-ravaged industrial complex, the machines churn on, generating their cacophonous music to awaken the dreaming god.
When Wolfgang and Constanze Mozart see a fireball land in the nearby forest, they discover something that changes their lives forever. Music excerpts from Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A (K.622) performed by the author.
As society disintegrates in a post-plague world, one woman must choose between her beliefs and her daughter’s health. This story is a prequel to Post-Apocalyptic Guitar in G Major, which appeared in the first volume of Theme and Variations. Additional music and words written and performed by Caroline Rhodes with viola accompaniment by Lucina Horner.
A music professor’s blog documents mankind’s enslavement to an unearthly song in this tale of the Cthulhu mythos.
Jazz star Bobby Ball sees the future when he plays his sax. The music of his dying idol, Omar, throws open the door to tomorrow. But Bobby doesn’t like what he sees. A faded torch singer will die unless Bobby plays an impossible song. One that reveals the secrets of a terrible crime. One that will force him to solo in a race against time and the fight of his life. This story originally appeared in 2008 in PS Showcase #3: Mad Scientist Meets Cannibal, from PS Publishing. Music by Doug Longwill.