Set against the grim backdrop of Nazi Germany, this work tells the riveting tale of two Jewish musicians who strove to perform under unimaginable circumstances and fell in love. In 1936, Gunther Goldschmidt and Rosemarie Gumpert - along with countless other Jews - were banned from all German orchestras except those organised by the Jewish Kulturbund. Created under the auspices of Goebbels' "Ministry of Information and Propaganda" to show the outside world how well Jews were treated under the Third Reich, the Kulturbund backfired on the Nazis, becoming a haven for Jewish artists and offering much-needed spiritual enrichment for a besieged people. Simply told by their son, Martin Goldsmith, here is a poignant account of how a flautist and a violinist overcame impossible odds to remain together.

Table of Contents

Prelude. Alex and Gunther. Julian and Rosemarie. 1933. The Kubu. The Mask. Pathetique. La Vie Boheme. Kurt Singer. A Protest in Paris. Chocolate and Canaries. Two Newspapers. The March. Vaterland und Vaterhaus. "One Slap after the Other". Prinzenstrasse. Sempre Libera. New World--and Old. Appointment in Quito. Eine Kleine Curfew Music. The Resurrection Symphony. The Inextinguishable Symphony. "Crying Like Dogs." "It Will Be on Your Conscience". Coda. Acknowledgments. Bibliography. Index.

Author Biography

MARTIN GOLDSMITH is senior commentator for National Public Radio. From 1989 to 1999, he was host of Performance Today, NPR's daily classical music program. Prior to that he served for a dozen years at NPR member station WETA-FM in Washington, D.C., as producer, announcer, music director, and program director.