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The Piano Player of Budapest

A True Story of Holocaust Survival, Music and Hope

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About this listen

 One man, his piano and their miraculous survival.

'Extraordinary' Baroness Julia Neuberger
'Powerful and gruelling ... an almost unimaginable story of horror and survival' Mail on Sunday
'Stunning. A beautiful blend of action, poetry, thought-provoking comment and music ... just brilliant' James Ainscough OBE
'A gripping narrative of suffering, loss and survival, with music at its heart' Fiona Maddocks

All future, freedom and success lay ahead of young pianist Stephen de Bastion in 1930s Hungary. Life whirled headily around cocktails, romance, applause and the buzz of Budapest late into the night. Then, 1939. Stephen's world disintegrates and this becomes a story of his brutal descent, of his time in labour camps, of Mauthausen and Gunskirchen and the unimaginable horrors he endured during the Holocaust as a man of Jewish descent. Yet, this is also a tale of extraordinary escape ... and the piano, waiting for him.

The same piano that Roxanne de Bastion, his granddaughter, inherits when her father dies. It has been in the family over one hundred years but it is only when, deep in grief, she discovers a cassette recording of Stephen, that the astonishing history of the piano, the man and her family begins to unravel. Weaving together his original recordings, unpublished memoirs, letters and documents, Roxanne sings out her grandfather's story of music and hope, lost and found. Luminous and profoundly moving, this book captures the great spirit of one man in the face of darkness and the hope that echoes down through generations.©2024 Roxanne de Bastion (P)2024 Hachette Audio UK Adventurers, Explorers & Survival Entertainment & Celebrities Music Piano Inspiring Heartfelt Survival
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Roxanne de Bastion says she felt an immense pressure to “get this story right”. Well, she did. The language is sparing but carries such a power. The story of the Holocaust has been told many times but elements of this story still brought up short. What happened - the horror and brutality - can never be told enough.

So powerful

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A really good book and wonderfully read by the author. I hope she is employed to read other books as her voice is enchanting.

Wonderful voice

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Expertly written and beautifully spoken. This felt like a Time Machine into a time not so long ago we would do well to remember. The humanity and will to survive despite nightmares of the 20th century are potent.

Excellent telling of a story that needs to be heard

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A compelling read through good times and bad. I love the way the author identifies with her grandfather.

Deeply Moving

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