Emanuel Feuermann came from a family where great musical gifts manifested themselves early. His father was a self-taught violinist and cellist. Emanuel's elder brother, Zigmund, quickly showed himself to be a prodigy on the violin. Their father, clearly hoping lightning would strike again, presented Emanuel with a violin. But he boy insisted on holding it upright, like a cello, so the father bought him a small training cello.
The family moved to Vienna so Zigmund could continue his violin studies and launch a concert career. When Emanuel was nine years old he received lessons...