Only the Violins Remain: Alma and Arnold Rosé

Alma and Arnold Rosé with their violins (date unknown). KHM-Museumsverband, Theatermuseum Wien

Royal Academy of Music, Marylebone Rd, London

The story of a father and daughter – icons of Austrian musical life – whose careers were cut short by the Nazis. Arnold fled to London but Alma was imprisoned in Auschwitz-Birkenau, where she led the Women’s Orchestra and saved the lives of many women prisoners, before perishing in the camp.

Arnold Rosé was the leader of the Vienna State Opera Orchestra and the Rosé Quartet, and an honorary member of the Vienna Philharmonic; Alma had a promising solo career and formed her own female orchestra. In 1938 the Anschluss changed their lives. Today, their violins carry their legacy and can be heard in major concert halls around the world. On display in the exhibition are two violins from the Academy collection by the same makers and of similar age: the ‘Maurin’ Stradivari, 1718 and a Guadagnini, 1755.

A programme of events supports the exhibition and all are free to attend.

A touring exhibition from the House of Austrian History, in partnership with the Royal Academy of Music Museum.

With thanks to the Jewish Museum London for additional display items

Events

Monday 27 April, 6.30pm

Chamber music concert based on programmes by the Rosé Quartet:

Brahms B major Piano Trio (op. 8, revised version – premiered by Arnold Rosé),

Schoenberg op. 11 and 19 for piano, Schoenberg Verklärte Nacht (sextet version – premiered by the Rosé Quartet). Featuring:

Bernstein PianoTrio, Yuchong Wu, XinRu Chen the Echea Quartet, Lucas Levin and Joel Siepmann.

Monday 4 May, 7pm

The Auschwitz Women’s Orchestra – a recreation with music and readings by alumna and Assistant Conductor of the Royal Northern Sinfonia, Karin Hendrickson and Academy musicians.

Thursday 14 May 7pm

An evening with Anita Lasker-Wallfisch – cellist in the Auschwitz Women’s Orchestra – in conversation with her son, musician Raphael Wallfisch.