Rosa Hubermann was sitting on the edge of the bed with her husband's accordion tied to her chest. Her fingers hovered above the keys. She did not move. She didn't ever appear to be breathing.

Markus Zusak
About This Quote

Rosa Hubermann died when she was 80 years old. She was an accordion player in Paris in the late 1800s. The story goes that she was sitting on the edge of her bed, playing her beloved accordion one final time, when she collapsed and died. It's a beautiful image that shows how powerful music is as a source of inspiration for people.

The literal meaning refers to the power of music to inspire us to play despite physical weakness and pain. But the deeper meaning is something this photo captures: music is a source of joy and beauty, even if we can't play it ourselves.

Source: The Book Thief

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