INTERRUPTED
Music from Theresienstadt and other Suppressed Composers of the Holocaust
PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COLORADO COLLEGE MUSIC DEPARTMENT
sponsored by Bob and Lisa Rennick and Colorado College Cultural Attractions Fund
WEDNESDAY MARCH, 4, 2020, 7:30pm
Packard Hall, 5 W Cache La Poudre St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Free and open to the public
Pre-concert lecture with Prof. Ofer Ben-Amots, 6:40 - 7:20pm, discussing Terezin, the composers and their works
Performers:
Susan Grace, Colorado College; Veronika String Quartet;
and Chamber Orchestra of the Springs Musicians Jacob Klock, violin, Gerald Miller, cello, Allison Gioscia, flute, Angie Burtz, oboe
Music from Theresienstadt and other Suppressed Composers of the Holocaust
PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COLORADO COLLEGE MUSIC DEPARTMENT
sponsored by Bob and Lisa Rennick and Colorado College Cultural Attractions Fund
WEDNESDAY MARCH, 4, 2020, 7:30pm
Packard Hall, 5 W Cache La Poudre St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Free and open to the public
Pre-concert lecture with Prof. Ofer Ben-Amots, 6:40 - 7:20pm, discussing Terezin, the composers and their works
Performers:
Susan Grace, Colorado College; Veronika String Quartet;
and Chamber Orchestra of the Springs Musicians Jacob Klock, violin, Gerald Miller, cello, Allison Gioscia, flute, Angie Burtz, oboe
Chamber works for piano, flute, oboe, string quartet, string trio, string duo and piano trio
Erwin Schulhoff, 1894, Czech Republic -- 1942, Wülzburg
Victor Ullmann, 1898, Poland -- 1944, Auschwitz
Leo Smit, 1900, Netherlands - 1943, Sobibor
Gideon Klein, 1919, Czech Republic - 1945, Fürstengrube
Hans Krása, 1899, Czech Republic -1944, Auschwitz
James Simon, 1880, Germany –1944, Auschwitz
Paul Hermann, 1902, Hungary – 1944, Drancy
Pavel Haas, 1899, Czech Republic - 1944, Auschwitz
Dick Kattenburg, 1919, Netherlands - 1944, Auschwitz
Zikmund Schul, 1916, Germany - 1944, Theresienstadt
Erwin Schulhoff, 1894, Czech Republic -- 1942, Wülzburg
Victor Ullmann, 1898, Poland -- 1944, Auschwitz
Leo Smit, 1900, Netherlands - 1943, Sobibor
Gideon Klein, 1919, Czech Republic - 1945, Fürstengrube
Hans Krása, 1899, Czech Republic -1944, Auschwitz
James Simon, 1880, Germany –1944, Auschwitz
Paul Hermann, 1902, Hungary – 1944, Drancy
Pavel Haas, 1899, Czech Republic - 1944, Auschwitz
Dick Kattenburg, 1919, Netherlands - 1944, Auschwitz
Zikmund Schul, 1916, Germany - 1944, Theresienstadt
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PROJECT BACKGROUND
There are assumptions that if something has high artistic merit, it will be known. Our hope is that this project will challenge these assumptions.
Interrupted, A Project of Suppressed Voices of the Holocaust, aims to present works by composers whose lives were ended by the Nazi regime. Music interrupted by the Holocaust has been documented by musicologist to be on equal footing with other 20th century creatives yet for more than 75 years has remained largely unknown and rarely performed. This project is not meant to memorialize but rather give a voice to those who were silenced. The recovery and performance of these composers helps restore their place in music history and repair a major rupture in the soul of 20th century classical music. Of course, restoration is a complicated word in light of such great losses; loss of creativity, loss of future, loss of potential, loss of career and loss of life.
The project uses Recovering Forbidden Voices Conference definition of suppressed music which includes works written in concentration camps, ghettos as well as in exile, along with works and composers classified as degenerate (Entartete) music and prohibited by the Nazis. It includes composers persecuted or forbidden at the time, including those who were banned, isolated, deported and murdered under the Nazi regime. The first part of this project will focus on specific solos, duos, trios and quartets of composers who perished in extermination or work camps and will include both compositions written early in their careers as well as works written while imprisoned at the end of their lives. In many cases, manuscripts and sketches have vanished, and only a few precious works remain.
Performances will be complemented by archival photographs of the composers and their lives with full sensitivity to the ethics of Holocaust representation, as well an in-depth lecture by Ofer Ben- Amots, Department Chair, Colorado College. Our research has leveraged our ongoing relationship with Forbidden Music Regained and the Leo Smit Foundation in the Netherlands, who are dedicated to the discovery and research of suppressed composers and act as an international knowledge broker by providing resources and support.
It is impossible to not see hope from loss and light from darkness in the exceptional works of these composers, who collectively stand as a reminder of the consequences of hatred, discrimination and intolerance.
While this project cannot undo the injustices suffered, we are hoping it can build bridges to a larger musical community working on this research as well as elicit understanding, interest and further programming of these composers and their works.
Music has a powerful ability to speak for itself when given the chance.
Pam Chaddon, 2019
There are assumptions that if something has high artistic merit, it will be known. Our hope is that this project will challenge these assumptions.
Interrupted, A Project of Suppressed Voices of the Holocaust, aims to present works by composers whose lives were ended by the Nazi regime. Music interrupted by the Holocaust has been documented by musicologist to be on equal footing with other 20th century creatives yet for more than 75 years has remained largely unknown and rarely performed. This project is not meant to memorialize but rather give a voice to those who were silenced. The recovery and performance of these composers helps restore their place in music history and repair a major rupture in the soul of 20th century classical music. Of course, restoration is a complicated word in light of such great losses; loss of creativity, loss of future, loss of potential, loss of career and loss of life.
The project uses Recovering Forbidden Voices Conference definition of suppressed music which includes works written in concentration camps, ghettos as well as in exile, along with works and composers classified as degenerate (Entartete) music and prohibited by the Nazis. It includes composers persecuted or forbidden at the time, including those who were banned, isolated, deported and murdered under the Nazi regime. The first part of this project will focus on specific solos, duos, trios and quartets of composers who perished in extermination or work camps and will include both compositions written early in their careers as well as works written while imprisoned at the end of their lives. In many cases, manuscripts and sketches have vanished, and only a few precious works remain.
Performances will be complemented by archival photographs of the composers and their lives with full sensitivity to the ethics of Holocaust representation, as well an in-depth lecture by Ofer Ben- Amots, Department Chair, Colorado College. Our research has leveraged our ongoing relationship with Forbidden Music Regained and the Leo Smit Foundation in the Netherlands, who are dedicated to the discovery and research of suppressed composers and act as an international knowledge broker by providing resources and support.
It is impossible to not see hope from loss and light from darkness in the exceptional works of these composers, who collectively stand as a reminder of the consequences of hatred, discrimination and intolerance.
While this project cannot undo the injustices suffered, we are hoping it can build bridges to a larger musical community working on this research as well as elicit understanding, interest and further programming of these composers and their works.
Music has a powerful ability to speak for itself when given the chance.
Pam Chaddon, 2019
PROGRAM
Victor Ullmann (January 1, 1898, Poland - 1944, Auschwitz) - Movement V, Theme, Variations & Fugue, Sonata No. 7 for Piano (written 1944, one of his last works, composed in Theresienstadt)
Leo Smit (May 14, 1900, Netherlands - 1943, Sobibor) - Sonata for Flute and Piano, (written 1943, his last work)
Hans Krása (November 30, 1899, Czech Republic -1944, Auschwitz) - Tanz (Dance) for String Trio (written 1943 in Theresienstadt)
Gideon Klein (December 6, 1919, Czech Republic - 1945, Fürstengrube) - String Trio, Variations on a Moravian Folk Song (written in 1944 in Theresienstadt, his last work)
Zikmund Schul (January 11, 1916, Germany - 1944, Theresienstadt) Uv’tzeil K’nofecho” ("In the Shadow of Your Wings") for String Quartet (written in 1942 in Theresienstadt, one of his last works)
Intermission
Dick Kattenburg (November 11, 1919, Netherlands - 1944, Auschwitz) - Romanian Melody for Violin, Cello and Piano (written 1941)
Pavel Haas (June 21, 1899, Czech Republic - 1944, Auschwitz) - Suite, Mov III, Moderato for Oboe
and Piano (written 1939)
James Simon (September 29, 1880, Germany –1944, Auschwitz) - Lamento for Cello and Piano (written 1938)
Paul Hermann (March 27, 1902, Hungary – 1944, Drancy) - Grand Duo for Violin and Cello, Mvt II, Andante (written in 1929-30)
Erwin Schulhoff (June 8, 1894, Czech Republic - 1942, Wülzburg) - Five Pieces for String Quartet (1924) - (written 1924)
Victor Ullmann (January 1, 1898, Poland - 1944, Auschwitz) - Movement V, Theme, Variations & Fugue, Sonata No. 7 for Piano (written 1944, one of his last works, composed in Theresienstadt)
Leo Smit (May 14, 1900, Netherlands - 1943, Sobibor) - Sonata for Flute and Piano, (written 1943, his last work)
Hans Krása (November 30, 1899, Czech Republic -1944, Auschwitz) - Tanz (Dance) for String Trio (written 1943 in Theresienstadt)
Gideon Klein (December 6, 1919, Czech Republic - 1945, Fürstengrube) - String Trio, Variations on a Moravian Folk Song (written in 1944 in Theresienstadt, his last work)
Zikmund Schul (January 11, 1916, Germany - 1944, Theresienstadt) Uv’tzeil K’nofecho” ("In the Shadow of Your Wings") for String Quartet (written in 1942 in Theresienstadt, one of his last works)
Intermission
Dick Kattenburg (November 11, 1919, Netherlands - 1944, Auschwitz) - Romanian Melody for Violin, Cello and Piano (written 1941)
Pavel Haas (June 21, 1899, Czech Republic - 1944, Auschwitz) - Suite, Mov III, Moderato for Oboe
and Piano (written 1939)
James Simon (September 29, 1880, Germany –1944, Auschwitz) - Lamento for Cello and Piano (written 1938)
Paul Hermann (March 27, 1902, Hungary – 1944, Drancy) - Grand Duo for Violin and Cello, Mvt II, Andante (written in 1929-30)
Erwin Schulhoff (June 8, 1894, Czech Republic - 1942, Wülzburg) - Five Pieces for String Quartet (1924) - (written 1924)