Albert Einstein: 1879-1955

Einstein's mother introduced him to the violin at the age of six in an attempt to counteract his academic failures. Einstein eventually became an accomplished amateur violinist, taking particular pleasure in performing Mozart and discussing the parallels between music and mathematics. His son, Hans Albert, recalled that "whenever he felt that he had come to the end of the road or into a difficult situation in his work, he would take refuge in music, and that would usually resolve all the difficulties."

• Person of the Century: Albert Einstein