First Violin Audiobook By Richard Tomlinson cover art

First Violin

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First Violin

By: Richard Tomlinson
Narrated by: Riles August Holiday
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About this listen

The year is 1938 and Austria has been annexed by Nazi Germany.

Klaus Lehner plays first violin for the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and when the concertmaster is amongst other Jews expelled from Philharmonic, he sees the opportunity for a position he covets He is bitterly disappointed when he is passed over.

In the wake of his disappointment, Klaus’s lover Eva, a virtuoso cellist, urges him to become a soloist. To determine whether he is merely brilliant or can truly move an audience she tasks him with mastering difficult pieces by Bach and Paganini, and with fathering her baby – both of which he does.

Meanwhile, at home, Klaus’s wife Helga gives birth to their firstborn.

When Eva’s Nazi husband finds out about the love affair, he has Klaus arrested and sent to a Mauthausen subcamp to supervise Ukrainian laborers. Amidst the suffering, Klaus composes a tone poem, Silence Interrupted, translating his nightmares into sound.

After the camp is liberated, Klaus returns to a war-torn Vienna devastated by American bombers and occupied by the Soviet army. He makes a living busking in front of the Soviet Vienna City Kommandatura. Klaus faces a choice between the two women he left behind.

©2024 Richard Tomlinson (P)2024 Richard Tomlinson 20th Century Historical Fiction Jewish World Literature Marriage War
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In 1938 war-torn Austria, Klaus Lehner, the first violinist for the Vienna Philharmonic, faces a life far from his expectations. Sent to a Mauthausen subcamp to supervise Ukrainian laborers, he finally finds musical success by composing a tone poem.

The author, Richard Tomlinson, blends history and fiction beautifully rendering this tale. His writing style fully immerses the listener, through well-developed and rich details. The well-developed, and flawed characters feel relatable. The dialogue feels authentic and keeps the listener fully immersed in the narrative.

The narrator, Riles August Holiday, provides a compelling performance. His clear speech and precise emotional projection, subtle intonations, and well-timed pauses amplify the immersive experience. He slips into each character smoothly and flawlessly.

This is a very well-researched book with relatable characters. It is a captivating narrative and well-written.

There were no issues with the quality or production of this audiobook.

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