I recently reread the novel "Corelli's Mandolin" by Louis de Bernieres. While it was not directly about music, the mandolin was an important aspect of the book and music was central to the themes in the story.

Any suggestions for other good reading which features music as a central character.

BTW - just my personal opinion, but Annie Proulx' "Accordion Crimes" was a little too bleak a view of humanity for my tastes.