Welcome to The Gift
Marthe Adler becomes a violinist in early twentieth century Germany. The Gift quadrilogy is her story: the history she makes as a pioneering and courageous musician determined to live on her own terms in a prejudiced and tradition-bound culture, and the history she survives through the turbulent birth of the modern world from the ashes of the old. Ultimately The Gift becomes the story of the profound consequences of Marthe’s life for the lives of her daughter and granddaughter as the twentieth century unfolds.
The Gift, Book I
the well-tempered violinist
by barbara t. carlton
Marthe Adler dreams of making history as a great violinist. But in 1905 Germany, tradition and deep-seated prejudice against women musicians stand in her way. To make matters worse, her beloved father’s sudden death shatters her family’s comfortable life, pushing them to the edge of poverty.
But the unique violin Marthe’s father left her is a constant reminder of the profound bond between them, and it gives her the strength to begin healing. When the Köln Conservatory offers her an unexpected scholarship, she seizes her chance to reach for the dream she thought she had lost for good.
Under the rigorous tutelage of Professorin Wolff, and subjected to predatory harassment by a fellow student determined to destroy both her self-worth and her chances of success, Marthe quickly learns she will need more than motivation and talent to rise to the top.
Filled with heart, wit, and music, The Well-Tempered Violinist is an enduring coming-of-age tale about an artist striving for greatness against enormous odds through the risky, difficult, and daring struggle of an artist in the making.
