Music
how chopin's nocturne saved two people from the nazis
-Shravan h
Let’s set the scene. We see a disheveled, ruined country with its citizens always trembling in fear of the authorities - the same authorities the people never chose to be ruled by. We see a powerful, ruthless Government that abuses its power in every possible way. Oh, and sprinkle in a healthy amount of war crimes and genocide, and we have Poland under Nazi rule during World War II.
In October 1940, Polish pianist WÅ‚adyslaw Szpilman and his family were moved to a Jewish corner (ghetto) of Poland, separated from the rest of the country to be treated especially brutally. This condition only got worse over the years, as he moved from place to place, finding work as a pianist, only to lose it immediately. Fast-forward to 1944 - The Nazis completely destroyed the Jewish ghetto and large parts of Poland, deporting all its inhabitants. Szpilman escaped German capture multiple times and moved to different hideouts constantly. He found a decent hideout in August of that year, and went undiscovered for three months.
In November, however, German Captain Wilm Hosenfeld spotted him hiding from the secret police during a raid. As Hosenfeld approached Szpilman, he began to fear for his life more than ever before. He wanted to run, but he was an incredibly frail man by the time. He stood helplessly, waiting for the Captain to take him to a concentration camp, or worse, kill him. To his surprise, however, Hosenfeld calmly asked him what his profession was. When he replied, saying that he was a pianist, Hosenfeld took him to a nearby room with a piano and asked him to play.
Nervous and weak, he set his hands on the piano and played a romantic classic, Frederic Chopin’s Nocturne No. 20 in C sharp minor on an untuned piano. He was ready for immediate death, but when he stopped, Hosenfeld stayed silent for minutes. After this, he did something that was so unnatural, it would be incredibly difficult to believe it actually happened. Hosenfeld, according to Szpilman himself, said “All the same, you shouldn’t stay here. I’ll take you out of the city, to a village. You’ll be safer there.” After Szpilman admitted that he was Jewish, Hosenfeld discovered a secret attic in Szpilman’s hideout and told him to hide there. Hosenfeld would continue to bring him food and water, as well as to provide him with warmth during the winter.
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It seems as though Szpilman has a rich history with Chopin’s Nocturne. He had played the same piece, in 1939 when a German bombing interrupted the concert and severely injured him. Interestingly, he continued to play Chopin’s Nocturne throughout and after the World War. In fact, he would continue to play this piece at most of his concerts until his retirement in 1986. The very piece that almost got him killed would go on to save his life. Listening to his performances of the piece, one can still feel how resonant, incredibly heartfelt and emotional it still is, just going to show how music can affect a person’s life so deeply.
Szpilman in the 1990's
This exact piece saved another Pole from the wrath of the Nazis - Holocaust survivor Natalia Karp. While not as much is known about this meeting, it is believed that Karp was to be executed in a Nazi concentration camp by Amon Göth. He ordered her to play a piece for him on his birthday, and she chose Chopin’s Nocturne No. 20. Göth was incredibly impressed by her performance, and saved not only her life, but also that of her sister. She went on to become a professional pianist, renowned for her interpretations of Chopin pieces.
While it was well-known that Hosenfeld was skeptical of Nazi beliefs and methods during the War, Amon Göth was the complete opposite. He was an incredible nationalist and committed grave atrocities during his time as a leader of the concentration camp. This case serves as the perfect example of how music can convert a person as terrible as Göth into a sympathetic, understanding human.
It may be difficult to imagine, but the very music we listen to today evolved from pieces like this Nocturne, a composition that would remain one of the most important works Chopin ever wrote. The very music we listen to today could be so influential as to save our very lives. Music has more power than most of us think, even though we may not realize it.
Beethoven:
A life lived for music
-Shinjon Sana
In classical music, there are many famous and renowned musicians and composers. Some are child prodigies like Mozart, and others are famous for their skill at playing instruments like Liszt and Chopin. But none of them are as unique a composer as Beethoven was. He faced unimaginable difficulties and came through them all. Beethoven established the popular concept of an artist who transcends personal tragedy to achieve a goal, and his music often reflected his inner feelings and musings.
His talent for music was present from a young age, he managed to become the pupil of a famous organist. He went to Vienna at the age of 17 to further his studies but returned when his mother died; this was the first of many losses he would face. Soon after, he was invited by Haydn to study in Austria. Haydn was considered a great composer and it took great talent and effort to amaze him. Hadyn was not the only renowned teacher he had, as later on, he did approach Mozart for help; however, Mozart did not find Beethoven worthy of his time and forgot about him. He started becoming deaf at the ripe age of 32, and this was horrifying to him at the time. Still, it is also what sets him apart from all other composers, the ability to compose without actually hearing the sound the instrument produced. Beethoven was always a somewhat temperamental person who was very expressive with his emotions. This was extremely prevalent in his middle period where his wild and deep emotions were expressed in his music, the cause of his moodiness was most likely due to his ill health and numerous complications in life.
Between 1800 and 1802, due to his ongoing problems with deafness and his other struggles in life, Beethoven’s emotions were reflected in his pieces. It was during this time he composed his arguably two best piano sonatas, the Tempest and the Moonlight sonata. These pieces portrayed his internal struggle and conflict. In the Tempest, the majority of the piece is fast-paced, Tempest is a type of storm, and storms are often depicted as unrelenting, after listening to the piece most people can understand how the storm is being portrayed. Other pieces like the Moonlight sonata were calmer and much softer, the atmosphere created by all the three movements of this piece is unmatched. Beethoven was truly a master in setting the mood and creating atmospheres.
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His middle period began around 1803, and this was when his hearing worsened. For a man with his profession, this kind of ailment would render him unable to pursue his passion, and he began slipping into depression. Although there was a massive raging internal war within him, Beethoven rejected suicide, saying that the music he composed was not one that he necessarily heard with his ears. He stated that “all the music I felt was within me”. Even when being forced into a place he did not want to go to, he fought through his mentality and emerged victorious. This period would go on to be named his “heroic period”, and it produced many remarkable pieces including the famed “Eroica” symphony.
His last period was very innovative and largely instrumental in defining the romantic era. By this point he had accepted his deafness, and could only listen through vibrations he felt in his feet through the pedals. His pieces also had an air of intellectual superiority, this made many of his late pieces sound grand, but calm. His music spoke of a higher power understanding, and one could say that he achieved musical enlightenment. His pieces were no longer very emotional and stormy, but more profound.
Beethoven is one of the most unique composers of all time, he went through so much, and in the end, after much struggle possibly achieved what he was hoping for. In his own words, “Music is a higher revelation than philosophy.” This quote can mean many things, but its deepest meaning is something many artists have been saying for years. Music, or any other form of art, is exceptionally profound. Many people turn to philosophy to understand, or answer their questions, but those exact answers could, perhaps, be found in the melody of your favourite song.
Beethoven’s works are primarily based around three periods, with the first is known as the “early period”. This period was when he used to perform widely around Austria, and he transformed the principle of a sonata from a balanced structure to a more dynamic and urgent form. He also began introducing four movements as opposed to the customary three movements, showcasing his rebellious and unpredictable side. This change is one of the many reasons he is accredited as being the bridging gap between the classical and romantic eras. His early work was widely renowned for his piano works, but his string quartets and symphonies were just as popular.