Homage to SZYMON LAKS 1901-1983 “Since I was for a long time a member of the orchestra at Auschwitz II and during a certain period its conductor, I regard it as my obligation to relate and some way to commemorate this strange chapter in the history of music, a chapter that will probably not be written by any professional historian of this branch of art ...” From Szymon Laks ‘Music of Another World’ (1948) Trans. Chester A. Kisiel. Reprinted by kind permission of A. Laks Jacqueline Cole piano Sunday 16 January 2005 at 5 pm In Commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz Birkenau Szymon Laks writes: Programme “[It is difficult] to write about music in Auschwitz-Birkenau without referring to the SZYMON LAKS (1901-1983) background against which this music is played ... one could also say: about music in a distorting mirror. ... For a while, a ‘Czech camp’ that had come from Sonata Brève (Paris 1946) Theresienstadt (Terezin) had existed near us. The modus vivendi of these Czech UK Première Jews was enviable ... In short, a paradise against the background of the nearby hell, but there was something ominous about it. Then one fine day the terrible news. PAVEL HAAS (1899-1944) The impression it made on us proved that we had still not become completely Suite Opus 13 (Brno 1935) insensitive. It began very innocently. Praeludium Con molto espressione Our music stands, which had long since become rotted from continual exposure Danza to the elements, could barely stand up straight and were hardly fit for use. The Pastorale carpenters had promised us to fix some of them and put together a few new Postludium ones, but somehow they seemed in no hurry to do so. … After a few days a messenger came with instructions for us to report immediately to the commander VIKTOR ULLMANN (1898-1944) with a few musicians but without instruments. We went there, highly intrigued. Sonata No. 7 (Theresienstadt 1944) ‘A mes enfants Max, Jean, Felice’ After the regulation “Attention! At ease!” the commander pointed to twelve black Allegro music stands in the corner and told us to take them, explaining: “I heard that you Alla Marcia, ben misurato need music stands. Take these. I organised them especially for your orchestra”. Adagio, ma con moto We recognised those stands. They came from the Czech camp, which we had Scherzo – Allegretto grazioso once had the opportunity of visiting on official business. Last night the four Variationen und Fuge über ein hebräisches Volkslied thousand Czechs, whom we had envied for their carefree prosperity, had been turned into ashes. That was the price of those music stands. Along with the Interval stands we also inherited from the Czechs a few violins, a trumpet and a priceless violoncello, whose lack I had painfully felt. Not only would it enrich the sound of our orchestra, but it would give me the opportunity of forming a string quartet, OLIVIER MESSIAEN (1908-1992) writing from memory a few works of the great masters and also composing my Première communion de la Vierge own work for this classical group.” Regard du silence from ‘Vingt Regards sur L’Enfant-Jésus’ (Paris 1944) From Szymon Laks, ‘Music of Another World’ (1948), Trans. Chester A. Kisiel. Reprinted by kind permission of André Laks. SIEGMUND SCHUL (1916 -1944) Fugue (Prague 1941) SZYMON LAKS Hommage à Chopin – Ballade (Paris 1949) UK Première Would patrons please ensure that mobile phones are switched off. Left: Szymon Laks. Right: A macabre photo of the prisoner Franz Nierychlo from Silesia, Please also ensure that watch alarms and any other electrical devices kapo of the kitchen, conducting the Auschwitz 1 Orchestra on a Sunday afternoon in 1941. which can become audible are switched off. 2 In Praise of Szymon Laks’ Sonata Brève consists of three minimalist movements in a baroque style with clear affinity to Johann Sebastian A Letter to the Polish Institute, November 1984 Bach. Written and dedicated to the celebrated French harpsichordist Marcelle de Lacour, a pupil of Wanda “I have known Szymon Laks since he arrived in Paris in 1926. Both of us Landowska, Laks completed this work in 1946. I am full of being of Polish origin, we both also chose France as the framework for our admiration for this composer who was able to summon up musical activities. We were separated by war for a lengthy and sorrowful the inspiration for this beautiful sonata and I am honoured period of time. I had the good fortune of leaving the country with my family to be performing the UK Premiere of this composition. on the last boat before the bombing of Pearl Harbour. Szymon Laks was deported to a concentration camp where he was only able to save his life Hommage à Chopin – Ballade is quite a different kind because the Nazis enjoyed music … In the last few years of his life his literary of piece altogether. Composed in Paris in 1949 for the works took a place of growing importance. centenary of Fryderyk Chopin’s death, Laks won the Chopin Prize for this work in 1950. In his books he returns, in various forms to those ideas, which were beyond In one continuous improvisational movement, this Homage musical composition, the three most central interests of his life: musicological to Chopin sets out with an introductory ‘berceuse’ and like problems, linguistic problems and finally political problems, especially those a burning mirror, sets out before us the pure piano concerning Jews all over the world and in the Middle East.” landscape of quintessentially Polish musical characters, Aleksander Tansman, trans. © Krysta Close. Printed by kind permission of André Laks. before ending dramatically in the key of F sharp minor. Hommage to Szymon Laks The French harpsichordist Marcelle de Lacour My ‘ Homage to Szymon Laks’ is not an (1896-1997) attempt to erect a memorial to him in the performed the world premiére of Lak’s context of Auschwitz-Birkenau, but rather Sonata Breve on to offer a celebratory musical tribute, 30 May 1949. which, it is hoped, will inspire a greater awareness and interest in his artistic life and works. His compositional output is beautiful, abundant and still waiting to be discovered. After his ‘liberation’ and political exile to Paris in May 1945, Szymon Laks continued his artistic life on a solitary path as writer and composer. He died in Paris in December 1983. Left to Right: Szymon Laks with his Szymon Laks had stood alone, and as an outsider – a free man despite friends, the pianist the legacy of his journey through the abyss. His voice and his writings, and author Zygmunt Dygat (left) and the polemical as they are, remain as relevant now as they were immediately composer and pianist after his liberation, uncomfortable and challenging as his political perception Aleksander Tansman, has the justification to be. When are we going to listen? Paris 1972. 3 “And the blood screams for the peoples’ soul ... Suite Opus 13 was written by Haas for his friend the outstanding pianist Bernard Kaff, who also was sent to redeem and be redeemed ” from Pavel Haas’ setting of Al Sefod Theresienstadt before being killed alongside Haas in Pavel Haas (1899-1944) Auschwitz. The composition had its première at the musical evening of the Club of Moravian Composers on 10 February 1936 in Vienna and met with well-deserved success. The One of the greatest losses suffered by Czech odd movements with their grotesque and expressionistic music during World War II was the death of the quirkiness and references to popular dance forms of the remarkable composer and genius Pavel Haas. 1930s, work very well for the piano and complement the With the exception of his short stay in intense, dreamy and impressionistic colours of Con molto Saarbrücken and the last three years spent in espressione and Pastorale. The work is lent special charm Theresienstadt (Terezin) concentration camp by the polymetric rhythmic components so typical of Haas, (2 December 1941–16 October 1944), all his life and Praeludium is one such example which, with the bell-like is linked with Brno and its Janác˘ ek tradition. sonorities reminiscent of Haas’s love of the St. Wenceslas Haas received his musical training first from Chorale contrasted with the staccato cross rhythms, has an Janác˘ek’s disciples Jan Kunc and Vilém Petrz˘elka animating and prismatic effect. The crowning achievement and completed it at the school for master composers directly under Leos˘ is the sardonic and jazzy Danza whose precipitous driving Janác˘ ek (1920-1922). His breadth of musical language as evidenced from energy accelerates in the dance rhythm of the Latin the richness and diversity of his surviving work, imbued as his style is with American ‘rumba’ to a dramatic climax. the influence of the outstanding musical personality of Janác˘ ek, reveal contemporary classical and jazz components which Haas’ very keen intellect In the final movement of the Suite – Postludium – which never failed to transform into an original whole. His Chamber music finishes with a generous sweep of hazy dissonant sonorities compositions from the period of occupation and imprisonment show the underscored with ‘stride piano’ writing, Haas presents an degree of his intense resistance towards those people who were trampling allusion to a particular popular jazz hit of the decade, The law and human dignity. Lady is a Tramp. This tune appears later in Ullmann’s operatic masterpiece Der Kaiser von Atlantis as the first seven notes Pavel Haas entered the active life of Theresienstadt as a composer. Beside of the Harlequin motif written in Theresienstadt Camp during Viktor Ullmann, Haas shared the same fate as Hans Krása, Karel Reiner, 1943-1944.