Tvorba Pavla Haase v terezínském ghettu (1941–1944)

Czech composer Pavel Haas (1899–1944) spent his last years in Theresienstadt. He was sent there after the German occupation of the Czech lands in December of 1941. In the first few months, Haas had great difficulty coping with his internment. Long periods of inactivity were punctuated by periods of feverish work, which served to place him among the most active of Theresienstadt composers. Evidence shows that from the second half of 1942 until the fall of 1944, Haas composed seven works, of which three are still extant. It is generally true that not only in Haas's case does the idea of place enter a work and determine its character. The hectic race against time not only determined the scope and instrumentation of his works, but place also figures prominently in the music's expressivity as well as its fragmentary and unfinished nature. Musical works composed during emotionally charged moments are filled with symbols and allusions of various forms, which express a desire to tell the story of the place. An important aspect of musical activities is also the fact that more than at any other time or place, composers were writing their pieces with specific performers in mind. These performers usually commissioned the works and in many cases were also those who protected the music from destruction.