Harris's Requiem by Stanley Middleton tells the story of Thomas Harris, a rising classical composer. When his father, a coal miner, passes away, Thomas decides to compose a requiem in his memory. However, this requiem becomes a subtle critique of the powerful elite.  
Despite facing opposition, Thomas perseveres and eventually sees his work performed. The novel then explores how the critics and the public react to his composition.
Published in 1960, Harris's Requiem is considered a perceptive portrayal of the classical music world of the late 1950s and a sharp picture of middle-class provincial life. Stanley Middleton, the author, was a Booker Prize-winning novelist known for his insightful and undramatic yet highly readable examinations of ordinary lives.