80 Years Ago Today, Einstein–Yes, Him–Had His American Musical Debut

January 17, 2014 Alan Cross 0 Comments

Sure, he could describe the universe in ways no one else had done before, but Einstein also played a mean ~~fiddle~~ violin.

On this day in 1934, Einstein traveled from his home in Princeton, New Jersey, to an address on Fifth Avenue in New York where he participated in a concert performance on second violin in front of 226 people. It was a fundraiser to raise money for Jewish German scientists who were feeling serious heat from Adolph Hitler.

The performance featured a selection of Bach and Mozart. About $6,600 was raised, which, in today’s dollars, is about $115,000.

(Via page A2 of today’s Globe and Mail.)

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

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