BEATRICE AND THE NIGHTINGALE

The captivating confluence of a gifted cello player, the brilliant songs of the nightingale, and the wonders of early radio.

Beatrice Harrison, nicknamed Baba by her musical family, was born in India in 1892, but soon after, they moved to England, where the Harrisons were originally from. While still a toddler, Baba encountered her first cello during a performance by her military father’s regimental band. Newman’s lively and informative text describes her subject’s early years as she insists that “Baba play Tello.” After learning the basics of music on the violin and piano, she finally got her first cello at age 9, and the instrument “sang like a nightingale”—a subtle bit of foreshadowing. Lauded by audiences worldwide, she also performed for injured soldiers during World War I. One night while playing in her garden, she was amazed as a nightingale began to sing along with her cello; here the illustrations take on a glowing, almost magical quality. Beatrice convinced the fledging BBC to make the first recording ever of a wild bird singing while she played. For the next 12 years every spring millions around the world would listen to this enchanting duet. With a nod to Baba’s Edwardian world, the precise ink and watercolor illustrations work seamlessly to extend the vibrant story and to set the scene for Beatrice’s lifelong interest in nature and music.

A charming look into an unusual musical collaboration.