Echoes of Survival: Beauty & Despair focuses on composers who were directly affected by the rise of the Nazi party and the Holocaust, alongside contemporary Israeli composers who have carried forward their legacy.
Featuring composers Władysław Szpilman, Olivier Messiaen, Karel Berman and Jozef Kropiński, who were in concentration camps during the Holocaust alongside Paul Ben-Haim and Alexander Zemlinsky who fled into exile and had their lives upended; Echoes in Survival honors their sacrifice and legacy. Continuing that legacy today, Israeli composer Avner Dorman highlights the vibrant Israeli musical culture that survivors fought to rebuild. Also featured is a commissioned work by Bruce Adolphe, in collaboration with Carolyn Enger, focusing on her own family history as the daughter of a survivor.
Echoes of Survival: Beauty & Despair reminds us that in the darkest moments creativity endures, and brings to light how creating music is an essential aspect of our shared humanity.
Program:
- Why (?) Jacob Daniel Asia
- Five Pieces for Piano, Op. 34 Paul Ben-Haim
- Canzonetta
- 1938-1945 Reminiscences, Suite for Solo Piano Karel Berman
- 24.V.1945 Sám – Sám!
- Four Meditations on the Crisis of Mischling Identity Bruce Adolphe
- Albumblatt “Erinnerungen aus Wien” Alexander Zemlinsky
- Prelude No. 1 Avner Dorman
- Bez titulu Józef Kropiński
- Préludes pour piano Olivier Messiaen
- Prélude No. 1, La colombe
- Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen from Rückert-Lieder Gustav Mahler
- Mazurek – Władysław Szpilman