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Raphael Silberstein
Secondary character and classical pianist from the 1897 German novel Der kraft-Mayr. Ein humoristischer musikanten-roman (The forceful[?] Mayr. A humoristic musician novel) by Ernst von Wolzogen (1855-1934).
The novel is set in Berlin in 1879. Silberstein is a huge fan of self-important local composer Peter Gais for whom he plays.
Behind him sat Raphael Silberstein, touching from motives of pure reverence only the uttermost corner of his tipped-up chair and looking over the shoulder of the mighty genius at the manuscript to turn the leaves for him. He was taller than Peter Gais by fully two heads, very lank and slender; he had a pitch-black shock of hair kept closely cropped and an unsightly black beard under the large, unmistakable nose of his race. Had it not been for this altogether too obtrusive nose, one might almost have called Raphael Silberstein a handsome young man for he had the smooth round forehead of a madonna, heavy black eyebrows, the large deepset eyes of an enthusiast, and a pale but clear complexion. In the expression of his face and in the awkward attitudes of his abnormally long limbs there was a certain something that was childlike and touching which, however, by reason of the nose was constantly in danger of becoming ridiculous.
Real composer Franz Liszt (1811-1886) makes an appearance in the novel.
