The Schott’s representatives were outnumbered, with four officials opposite the three of them: Goebbels, Raabe, a clerk to take minutes, and one extra backstop whose purpose was not clear to them – perhaps for numbers, perhaps to scrutinise the publishers’ every word. While Willy Strecker made his initial presentation, Ulli took a swig of water from a glass that Goebbels’s secretary had brought, but had to cough when some of it went down the wrong way.

‘So, your artistic view is that this concerto is not actually good enough to perform in its current state?’ Goebbels said, responding to Raabe’s assessment. The assistant scribbled minutes in black ink. Ulli took notes for their side.

‘Schumann’s state of mind when he wrote it was very uncertain,’ Raabe said, glancing to the Streckers. ‘That is why the work was hushed up for such a long time and why the old lesbian in Switzerland is in such a huff over its unearthing. The fact is, her mother had a point. It’s not top-quality Schumann. This matters, gentlemen. Let me explain. The Jew Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto is no longer to be heard in our concert halls, but unfortunately it’s the most popular violin concerto in the country. Something needs to take its place and so, if there is to be a concerto we can be proud of and that will fulfil its purpose here, then elements of it need to be reworked.’

Ulli listened and kept very quiet. So that was the idea? Mendelssohn’s parents had converted to Lutheranism and the composer had been a devout Christian, more so than Brahms and probably more than Schumann himself. Clearly that well-known fact cut no ice with this team.

‘I believe my brother is the right man to nominate an appropriate composer for the job,’ Ludwig said. ‘I understand your projected choice of Breitkopf, Dr Raabe, since they publish the complete Schumann edition. But I would respectfully suggest that Schott’s could add value that nobody else could match. We have an exceptional level of commitment to this work – not least because it is our firm, and not Breitkopf, that has received permission to put it into print, from its original custodian, who deposited it in the library. I believe that that permission is exclusive and cannot be extended to the other company.’

‘I see… We will look into that.’ Raabe made a note.

‘And how would you propose to take the matter forward, given our colleague’s view of the piece?’ Goebbels, his eyes oddly opaque, was said to be irresistible to women. Ulli couldn’t imagine why.