[HANASHIR:7968] Re: Sorry for the repeated question...

[Judah Cohen <jcohen...>]

"Playing for Time" (produced around 1981, I believe) is based on the memoir
of the same name by Fania Fenelon, a former member of the Auschwitz-Birkenau
women's orchestra.  I haven't seen the movie, but the book mentions scenes
similar to the once Noah was interested in seeing.  Interestingly, Arthur
Miller wrote the script adaptation for the television movie; and in a bit of
inspired humor, the tall Redgrave portrayed little 4' 11" Fenelon.   It's
also worth mentioning that Fenelon was critized by other members of the
women's orchestra for being a little too self-serving in her memoir.

Around the same time, 60 Minutes did a segment on Fenelon and her story,
ending with what was to me an amazing recording:  a radio broadcast of
Fenelon plunking out "America"/"God Save the Queen" on a beat-up piano at
the camp where she was liberated.  It's been a long while since I've seen
the segment, so I may be getting a couple details off there; but I know it's
available from CBS News if you're willing to pay enough for it.

If you want, there's also an interesting two-panel discussion of the
Auschwitz Orchestra in Maus II:  "And Here My Troubles Began."  Simply Art
asking his father: "Wasn't there an orchestra?"  And the father saying "No,
there wasn't."  But it's the pictures that make the exchange really
effective.

There's also a recent book on one of the most fascinating figures in the
women's orchestra, Alma Rosé.  I haven't read the book yet, but I'm looking
forward to it soon: "Alma Rosé:  From Vienna to Auschwitz" by Richard Newman
and Karen Kirtley.

Other written sources you might want to check include Szymon Laks, "Music
from Another World" (I think), and a recent memoir from Anita
Lasker-Wallfisch, the cellist in the women's orchestra.

Hope this helps!
Judah.
(Who took a course on Music and Fascism

From: Robbi Sherwin <sherwin (at) earthlink(dot)net>
Reply-To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2001 18:27:43 -0600
To: <hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org>
Subject: [HANASHIR:7967] Re: Sorry for the repeated question...


Noah - a movie that features a scene like this was a made for TV film called
"Playing for Time."  It starred Vanessa Redgrave and was very controversial
casting at the time because she was a big and outspoken supporter of the
PLO.  It is on video, so I'll bet you can find it on the web.  It is based
on the true story of a woman named Fania (?), who saved her friends by
getting them in the orchestra.

Robbi Sherwin
Austin, TX

on 1/18/01 5:07 PM, NBudin (at) aol(dot)com at NBudin (at) aol(dot)com wrote:

HI all -- 

A couple of months ago I got lots of suggestions on this about Holocaust
related music. I know that Peter and Ellen keep folders of list replies on
specific topics. Perhaps Peter or Ellen could email privately (since I've
lost their email address!) and send me some stuff from their Holocaust music
folder. Anybody else with any new ideas about music or videos relating to
the 
Holocaust, not necessarily music *from* the holocaust, feel free to email me
as well. I'm still looking for a scene from a movie in which Jews in camps
were made to play classical music for visitors or while others marched to
their deaths. Does anyone know if anything like this exists? Thanks in
advance. 

Noah Budin 
Singer/songwriter 
Cleveland, OH 
NBudin (at) aol(dot)com