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My sister and Isak Gershon had three children. But that happened in Israel where they immigrated during the Mass Aliyah [10] in 1948. Her first child was a girl, but she died when she was one year old. After her she had two boys: Moni Solomon Gershon became a great scientist, aero-engineer. He had a high rank in the Israeli army. Her other son was an electrical engineer. Both of her sons have their own children now. The elder one has two sons and the younger one has a son and two daughters. One of them is already married and has a child. My sister died two years ago in Haifa [today Israel]. Her husband, Isak Gershon, died before her.
Our first piano teacher was Spanish and came to teach us twice a week. My sister was already quite good. What impressed me most from her piano repertory was a minuet by Paderewski [Ignace Jan Paderewski (1860-1941): a famous Polish virtuoso: pianist and composer]. I knew it well and I could even play it on my mouth organ, because during my sister’s lessons I would usually hide behind the door and listen to them. From her vocal repertory I remember most clearly her star number: Juliet’s waltz from the opera ‘Romeo and Juliet’ by Guno [Charles Guno (1818-1893): a French composer]. I also tried it on my mouth organ. When my sister was at school, I would sit at the piano and improvise. Those improvisations must have been strange for the others, because during my first meeting with the Spanish piano teacher when I started showing her what I could do, I don’t know what my mother had told her, she cried out, ‘No! No! No! I forbid you to play such things. You’ll only play what I tell you to!’ That was very rude and repulsive. When she went home I started crying. To my terrified parents I said that I didn’t want to see that teacher again. I made up a story that my fingers were aching and I couldn’t play the piano. After that the teacher taught only my sister and I would once again listen from behind the door. I heard them saying that I was very good at playing.
Our first piano teacher was Spanish and came to teach us twice a week. My sister was already quite good. What impressed me most from her piano repertory was a minuet by Paderewski [Ignace Jan Paderewski (1860-1941): a famous Polish virtuoso: pianist and composer]. I knew it well and I could even play it on my mouth organ, because during my sister’s lessons I would usually hide behind the door and listen to them. From her vocal repertory I remember most clearly her star number: Juliet’s waltz from the opera ‘Romeo and Juliet’ by Guno [Charles Guno (1818-1893): a French composer]. I also tried it on my mouth organ. When my sister was at school, I would sit at the piano and improvise. Those improvisations must have been strange for the others, because during my first meeting with the Spanish piano teacher when I started showing her what I could do, I don’t know what my mother had told her, she cried out, ‘No! No! No! I forbid you to play such things. You’ll only play what I tell you to!’ That was very rude and repulsive. When she went home I started crying. To my terrified parents I said that I didn’t want to see that teacher again. I made up a story that my fingers were aching and I couldn’t play the piano. After that the teacher taught only my sister and I would once again listen from behind the door. I heard them saying that I was very good at playing.
Location
Bulgaria
Interview
Jul Efraim Levi