Szpilman started playing for Polish Radio in 1935 as their house pianist. In 1939, on September 23, Szpilman was in the middle of broadcasting when German fire was opened on the studio and he was forced to stop playing. This was the last live music broadcast that was heard until the war's end. When Szpilman resumed his job at Polish Radio in 1945, he did so by carrying on where he left off six years before: poignantly, he opened the first transmission by once again playing Chopin's "Nocturne in C-sharp "Minor" (Lento con gran espressione)".