"Pour l'amour d' un stradivarius", about the story of Amoyal's stolen violin, 

published by Editions Robert Laffont.

ISBN 978-2-221-09473-0

with his best friend, Artur Rubinstein. When the train was stopped by revolutionary soldiers, Kochanski had the idea to play revolutionary melodies on his violin - which saved his life. When I acquired the "Kochankski" several decades later, everyone thought I was crazy, as it was at the time way beyond my means. But for me, it was an unbelievable dream come true; a privilege to be able to express myself through these four strings and some wood, miraculously put together by a genius."

Amoyal led a charmed existence... from his studies with Heifetz, an ideal career - until the dream was interrupted when the Kochanski was stolen from him in Italy. "It was like something from a horror movie. The person who stole the violin had heard it was one of the most famous and valuable violins of Stradivarius, and thought he could re-sell it. He was also involved in drug dealing and was assassinated a couple of months later, but not before he had time to sell the violin to an antique dealer, who also thought he could re-sell it. But after a few attempts he realized that nobody was prepared to buy such a valuable and well-known instrument. The only possible buyer was... me!"

he transactions were agonizingly long, but with the help of a specialized lawyer in Rome known for his skill in negotiating difficult cases with gangsters and kidnappers, and the Italian carabinieri, the horror story turned at last into a fairy tale when the violin was returned to Amoyal. "It came back absolutely intact, and now my love for it is even greater."