1960s self-portrait by the irrepressible Curt John Witt
Born in Brooklyn on 15 February 1925 to a German immigrant couple, the long-lived Curt John Witt would grow up in the Bronx. The twin poles of his childhood were the family radio and the local library, his burgeoning imagination captivated by music and the visual arts in equal measure. Glenn Miller’s rendition of “Sunrise Serenade”, as well as Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade were unforgettable discoveries. Recalled his daughter:
“My father lived, breathed and painted Music. He could identify any composer, piece, movement, time period, orchestra, conductor and record label. And he had a beautiful voice.”