A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever

A beautiful story comes to us today from the Cincinnati Enquirer about a rare klezmer violin. This violin- with an inlaid, mother of pearl star of David-is one of the few of its kind that survived the Holocaust and one of 16 restored by Tel Aviv violin master Amnon Weinstein. These instruments will will be heard for the first time in the United States and for one of the first times since the war in a program to commemorate 70 years since Kristallnacht in Ohio. As a Museum, we are obviously very aware of the power an object has to convey all too human stories. The things we keep, especially those we intend to survive ourselves, give us a glimpse into the life of the owner: his or her values, traditions, culture, and personality. To quote a great film: we are just passing through history, but this is history.

This moving story made me think of the Museum's upcoming classical music series Music in Exile. These concerts and lectures explore the works and context of composers who fled Germany during the 1930s and those who stayed behind, resisted the Third Reich and became "internal exiles." As with the klezmer violins, many of the performances at the Museum will be the first of these works in modern times. To be able to bring back these incredible works and to remember those who suffered and struggled to create art in a time of such sorrow is truly an honor. The series will begin this Sunday, November 9 at 2:30 p.m. and continues until Thursday, November 13. For more information on the series, the performers, and tickets, click the link above.