Mikis Theodorakis wrote the “Mauthausen Trilogy,” which is widely considered one of the most beautiful pieces of music about the Holocaust. Credit: Greek Reporter IllustrationMikis Theodorakis, the Greek composer who passed away on Thursday in Athens at 96, is credited for writing the most beautiful music on the Holocaust.
The “Mauthausen Trilogy,” also known as “The Ballad of Mauthausen” is a cycle of four arias with lyrics based on poems written by Greek poet Iakovos Kambanellis, a Mauthausen concentration camp survivor.
The Mauthausen Cycle, one of the best-known compositions inspired by events at the Mauthausen concentration camp, is popular in Israel, and has been used to promote peace and cooperation worldwide.
1.
“Song of songs” in #Hebrew (1973)
🎼 🇬🇷 #MíkisTheodorákis,
🖋️ 🇬🇷 I. Kampanellis,
🎤 🇮🇱 L.Yeini.
Scenes in the video are from the 🎞️ “Night will fall” 👉 2.#HolocaustMemorialDay #HolocaustRemembranceDay #WeRemember #Άουσβιτς #Holocaust #Auschwitzhttps://t.co/VXPhIKtSeQ
— Mikis Theodorakis(*) (@Axios_Esti) January 27, 2021
Kambanellis poem “Song Of Songs”
Beyond the bleak and frozen square,
above the yellow linen star,
no heart will ever beat again
because the beautiful have lost
their way to paradise.
All the whys have lost their reason,
braves the will to fight.
If there is a God in heaven,
where was he, sleeping?
Oh, children of Auschwitz,
oh, children of Dachau,
oh, come tell me what became of love,
oh, come tell me what became of love,
oh, come tell me what became of love.
They journey past the land of no returning
where no one could imagine or endure
and there, love begged of God
to sleep no more.
Above the tortured, blackened valleys,
beyond the northern crimson sea,
no bird could ever sing again
because the bitter moon has wept away
the summer sun.
You can rake away the ashes,
but the deed is done.
If there is a God in heaven,
where was he, sleeping?
Oh, children of Mauthausen,
oh, children of Belsen,
oh, come tell me what became of love,
oh, come tell me what became of love.
If there is a God in heaven,
where was he, sleeping?