Writing

Alison Bauld’s first novel, Mozart's Sister, was published in Autumn 2005 by Alcina Press. It is available as a paperback from Amazon and an eBook version has also just become available. Her second novel The Lodgers, a black comedy, has just been published in September 2023.

‘For those who want to explore further, A.M. Bauld’s novel Mozart Sister, is a vividly imagined dream about its period, based on the wonderful conceit that Mozart’s body was never buried in Vienna but was brought back to Salzburg.’ Times Literary Supplement.
‘… a compelling tale around the little we do know to create an extraordinary accomplished first novel. ‘ (Classic FM Magazine).
’It is an enchanting tale full of plots and sub-plots, written with fascinating perception and a real feel for history.’ (Pianist Magazine)

Mozart's Sister stemmed from an article she wrote in 1993 for The Independent newspaper on Nannerl Mozart, sister of Wolfgang Amadeus. Her novel explores the life of an overlooked eighteenth century female of considerable musical gifts. It follows her through marriage, children, widowhood and death in conversations with Franz Xaver, Mozart's younger son. Interwoven is a fictional account of what may have happened to Mozart's body - a story with subplots constructed from the few known facts, including a cameo appearance by the music publisher, Vincent Novello and his wife, who brought her monies from her English admirers in the last year of her life. Publication in the UK is by Alcina Press. Australian publication of the book is by Port Campbell Press, (September 2006). 

Reviews of Mozart’s Sister:

‘I loved reading Mozart’s Sister because it carried me far. It’s a living history: it’s history appropriated by an informed, engaged, adoring, perceptive and wildly creative mind that responds to the Mozart’s life and music with a life and music of its own.’  Meredith Oakes, playwright and librettist.

 ‘For those who want to explore further, A.M. Bauld’s new novel, Mozart’s Sister, is a vividly imagined dream about its period, based on the wonderful conceit that Mozart’s body was never buried in Vienna but was brought back to Salzburg.’ Nicholas Kenyon, Times Literary Supplement.

‘Alison Bauld weaves a compelling tale around the little we do know to create an extraordinarily accomplished first novel… She has created a flesh and blood character giving fresh perspectives on the Mozart family’s world by seeing it through Nannerl’s eyes… A veritable tour de force.’ Julian Haylock, Classic FM Magazine

‘A.M. Bauld has created a vivid and convincing portrayal of Nannerl Mozart’s life. She also offers an intriguing new hypothesis about Mozart’s final resting place.’ Judith Hore, The Guardian.

‘It is an enchanting tale full of plots and sub-plots, written with fascinating perception and a real feeling of history.’ Tim Stein, Pianist Magazine

‘Mozart’s Sister is a brilliantly constructed debut novel… A good read, quirkily written, I loved it.’ Judith Monk, Musical Opinion

Nannerl’s diary - blog

A fictional diary in the form of a blog entitled ’Mozart’s Sister - A Diary’  explores ideas and develops characters from the novel, Mozart’s Sister. The blog was broadcast in weekly episodes narrated by the author throughout 2006 on the ABC Radio National's, The Music Show.

A theatrical presentation of this diary, also called Mozart’s Sister, was performed at Australia House, 7th December, 2006 in aid of the Tait Memorial Trust. Its script and music were written by Alison Bauld with the text for the song, 'No More of Love,' sung by the mezzo soprano, Sally Burgess in the role of Nannerl Mozart with Piers Lane and Kathron Sturrock as duo pianists. The song, No More of Love, was published in manuscript form within the novel.

Western Music History – A Student’s Guide – 1996

This is an idiosyncratic and relatively short music history guide, conceived for students who have never studied the subject. It is divided into chapters that cover historical periods, listing composers, musical terms and recommended listening:

Mediaeval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Opera, Impressionism, Twentieth Century – Neoclassic, Expressionist, Serial, Minimalist with a Dictionary of basic musical terms and a bibliography.

A pdf file will be sent by email if requested - please use the contact form and only use this guide with acknowledgement.

Recent writing

A new novel entitled The Lodgers, a modern comic fantasy has just been published in September 2023 and is available as a paperback and eBook on Amazon.

Alison Bauld has completed a third novel, Confessions of a Reluctant Hypocrite, set in 1950’s/1960’s Australia. It is scheduled for publication in 2024. Written as a diary kept by identical twin pianists with the conceit that a diarist attempts to tell the truth while a novelist makes it up. She continues to write and compose across a range of projects and is just completing a song-cycle for female singer and composer.