Jane Austen & Her Playlist: A Visit with Laura Klein

"I do not think I can live without something of a musical society. . . . without music, life would be a blank to me." —Emma

Though these words are spoken by the shallow and pretentious Mrs. Elton, the sentiment is one that Jane Austen herself likely shared. Austen played the pianoforte throughout her life and often incorporated music into her novels. In this episode, we chat with pianist Laura Klein about the music Austen and her family knew and loved and discuss how she used it in her writing to drive plots, reveal character traits, and provide emotional outlets for her heroines.

Laura Klein is a pianist and historical musicologist. Her current research centers on the music contained in the Austen Family Music Books collection. She founded The Jane Austen Playlist in 2019, a historical music project that features the music of the Austen family in digitized notations, companion recordings, and dramatically narrated performances. An active performer and presenter, she gives frequent concerts and lecture recitals online, throughout the United States, and in the United Kingdom, including Jane Austen’s House and Chawton House.

Many thanks to Kim for being a guest on Austen Chat! 

Two Ways to Enjoy Episode 21

• Watch the video version of the episode on our YouTube Channel .
• Listen to the episode on your favorite podcast app or on the Episode 21 webpage.  The audio episode is a slightly abridged version of the video, and a selection of the images discussed in the episode can be found in the show transcript.