This chapter presents a background to the Rosen family. Friedrich Ballhorn-Rosen remained true to his own political views and convictions, neither bowing before the throne of princes nor to modern reforms. In the matter of political judgement Georg Rosen followed his own experience and convictions, just as his father had done, even when this ran contrary to received opinion. In Leipzig the Ignaz Moscheles family lived in a house surrounded by rambling gardens, ‘Gerhard’s Garten’. Moscheles was one of the first generation of teachers at the Leipzig Conservatorium and the fame of his name attracted many pupils, both from Germany and abroad. Madame Charlotte and Moscheles had four children, all born and then christened in London. It was probably for social reasons that the Moscheles’, rather like Heine and Mendelssohn, took the religious sidestep. The four Moscheles children grew up in a household in which music was the determining element.