-->
  • Most Respected Classical Music Platform
  • #classicalForever
BREAKING
Kennedy Center President Deborah F. Rutter to Step Down
TOP

"The Lost Music of Auschwitz" Documentary Released

The film features performances of music written at Auschwitz, reconstructed by composer and researcher Leo Geyer

 

Windfall Films has produced a new documentary for Sky Arts, to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

Titled The Lost Music of Auschwitz, the film follows composer and researcher Leo Geyer's work in restoring and re-composing previously unheard fragments of music that were held in the Auschwitz archive.

There were at least six orchestras in Auschwitz, comprised of prisoners from the camp. Prior to Geyer's research, little was known about what music they might have played since many of the surviving manuscripts are either faded or damaged. Geyer has restored many of these works by filling in the missing gaps, using contextual clues and his own musical intuition.

The documentary includes performances of these works by his ensemble Constella Music, as well as interviews with Holocaust survivors including Anita Lasker-Wallfisch — the sole remaining person familiar with the orchestras in Auschwitz.

While audiences may expect the works to express the terrors of life in the camp, Geyer found that many of these pieces were "incredibly jolly and very happy," since they were often written for contexts such as SS parties. Yet Geyer also traces small acts of resistance by the players, such as the incorporation of forbidden tunes into performances.

"I wasn’t expecting to discover anything other than a greater understanding of the Holocaust, particularly as I’m not Jewish, Polish, Romani, or indeed descended from any other group or person who perished in Auschwitz," Geyer said of his initial impetus to complete the research. "But I did know something about the orchestras of Auschwitz, as most classical musicians do."

"After many years of research, I'm pleased to be able to share this music with the public to commemorate 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz," he added. "The Holocaust should never be forgotten. Through this music, I hope to bring everyone together to remember not only those whose lives were saved due to their musical talents but also all those who suffered and perished during the Holocaust."

"This is a powerful and important film, and we are so proud to bring such a remarkable story to the screen through Sky Arts," said Dan Kendall, Executive Producer at Windfall Films.

You can view the trailer for the documentary below.

 

PC: Sky

upcoming events

february 2025

07febAll Day17International "Franz Schubert and Modern Music” Chamber Music Competition(All Day) Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Graz, Leonhardstraße 15, A-8010 GrazEvent Type :competitions Event TagsInternational "Franz Schubert and Modern Music” Piano Trio Competition

14febAll Day22Jascha Heifetz International Violin Competition(All Day) Lithuanian National Philharmonic Hall, Aušros Vartų g. 5 Vilnius, LithuaniaEvent Type :competitions Event TagsInternational Jascha Heifetz Competition for Violinists

16febAll DayChicago National Chamber Music Competition(All Day: sunday) Ravinia’s Bennett Gordon Hall, 201 St Johns Ave, Highland Park, IL 60035, United StatesEvent Type :competitions Event Tagschamber music,competition

march 2025

15marAll DayMusic Teachers National Association (MTNA) National Conference(All Day: saturday) Hilton Minneapolis, 1001 Marquette Ave. Event Type :conferences & tradeshows Event Tagschamber music,Chamber Music America,Conferences,Music Teachers National Association National Conference

18marAll DayJohansen International String Competition(All Day: tuesday) Calvary Baptist Church, 755 8th Street, NW, Washington, DCEvent Type :competitions

19marAll DayAmerican String Teachers Association (ASTA) National Conference(All Day: wednesday) HYATT REGENCY ATLANTA, 265 Peachtree St Event Type :conferences & tradeshows Event TagsAmerican String Teachers Association,American String Teachers Association National Conference,ASTA,conference

CONTACT US
x

Get ALL our latest conveniently by EMAIL

Our newsletter is trusted by over 100,000+ industry professionals around the world

We deliver news straight to your inbox and will never share your data.
You'll never miss a beat!

click left click right