Re: WANTED: music of the Holocaust

[yoel <yoel...>]

In Article<4o1d3s$6iq (at) newsbf02(dot)news(dot)aol(dot)com>, <every1here (at) 
aol(dot)com> writes:
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> From: every1here (at) aol(dot)com (Every1here)
> Newsgroups: alt.music.jewish
> Subject: WANTED: music of the Holocaust
> Date: 23 May 1996 06:02:36 -0400
> Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364)
> I am an artist, living in Baltimore, and much of my works deals with how
> the Holocaust,a nd the whole Nazi era has effected my life, fifty years
> after the fact. One thing my work has gotten me doing is collecting music
> from those terrible days. Much inspiration and even relief has been found
> in listening to this music. If anyone has any such music they would be
> interesed in copying for me, or tips on where I can go to, I would greatly
> appreciate it.
>   I have alot of the music put out by the U.S. Holocaust museam in D.C.,
> and am now searching for other things.
> If you can help me in this search, please contact me at
>   Every1here (at) aol(dot)com
>   
> 
> It would mean alot to me. Thank you,
>    Sincerely,
>   William Schaff
>      SAMSA

There is a fair amount of music that was written in Theresienstadt that has 
recently come out both in sheet music and recordings.  We played a quartett on 
Holocaust day written by Viktor Kohn, from a volume called "The Terezin 
Collection published by Excelsior.  The address on the binding is "Theodore 
Presser Company, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvanio 19010".  Interestingly, the Kohn 
quartett is the only one in the book which is really suitable for performance 
on Holocaust day - all the others are light and cheerful.

I have a xerox manuscript of arrangements of Jewish folk tunes, also arranged 
at Terezin, for violin and accordion.  A lot of the music performed in the 
early days of Theresienstadt was scored for accordion, because there was no 
piano.  There was even a performance of the Kreutzer sonata by Beethoven, 
performed by violin and accordion.  I want some day to arrange this and play 
it.

For this and other sources of holocaust music, you can contact David Bloch, a 
musicologist and pianist specializing in Therezienstadt music, who can point 
you to all published pieces from the period. I will e-mail you the address (I 
don't want to broadcast it on the newsgroup because you never know who else is 
reading).

He has also released a number of CDs of music from Therezienstadt.

As far as other Holocaust music, there is a CD called "Partisans of Vilna" 
sung by Adrienne Cooper and published by Flying Fish.  The songs are songs of 
the Jewish resistance.  One of the songs, Shtiller Shtiller, has become a 
staple of Israeli holocaust day ceremonies.  I have arranged it for violin and 
viola, and can send you the arrangement if you like.

The Israeli singing group Rananot has published a tape of Ladino songs, one of 
which, "Siete Dias", was written during the Holocaust about the trip to 
Auschwitz.  We also sang this song on Holocaust day, with a very simple 
accompaniment in two voices.  I can send this to you as well, if you like.  
Rananot is located in Jerusalem.  I don't have their address, their telephone 
is (972) 2-255771.  The tape is called "Zer shal Shirey Am Mipi Yehudei 
Sepharad".

Other music: I have a duet for violin and viola written by Gideon Klein.  
Actually this duet was written before the war.  Klein was a leading artist of 
the period, and incredibly versatile genius, whose work was all but forgotten 
after he died in Auschwitz, after a stay at Theresienstadt.  The duet is full 
of quartertones, and is too hard for me to play.

I know that some original music was performed in Auschwitz and Bergen Belsen, 
and quite a few arrangements were made for the orchestras that played for the 
inmates on their way to the gas chambers.  As far as I know, none of this 
music has survived.  A source for information on this is Fanny Fenelon's book, 
"Playing for Time"  Fenelon was the arranger and singer with the Bergen Belsen 
orchestra.  The book was published in paperback, I don't know if it is still 
out.

I think that's just about everything I know on the subject.