Also inspiring were the nurturing attitudes between different
musical personalities. One might consider a typical orchestra
or chorus of today and see it as a conflict of egos. While
Terezin surely wasn’t immune from such clashes, a general
sense of camaraderie was established by virtue of the collective
uncertainty regarding the prisoners’ lives. Elder virtuosos
stepped down to let younger ones gain experience, as in the
case of violinists Egon Ledec and Karel Frohlich. Famed bass
Karel Berman took time to lead a young female chorus. Young
composer Gideon Klein urged and convinced
an elder mentor, Pavel Haas, to not
give up writing. Composer and key Freizeitgestaltung
organizer Viktor Ullmann wrote
constructively critical and flattering reviews of a large
percentage of Terezin performances. However, as discussed
in the
Creation of the Camp section, there were often lines drawn
between Czech Jews, German Jews and Jews of other nationalities.
These distinctions were apparent in musical life as well,
with some performers focused on works by famed Czechs, some
on German-language operas, and some on various nationalities’
folk songs. Yet among the large number of disparate musical
groups, these differences were not quite so hostile and overlaps
of personnel and repertoire were common, including shared
opinions on the dismissal of compositions by Richard Wagner,
a vehement anti-Semitic.
A Freizeitgestaltung concert program signed by Hedda Grab-Kernmayer
A dearth of sheet music posed problems, especially early on.
Terezin musicians found several ways to deal with the issue.
Before the Freizeitgestaltung
arranged the legitimate collection of scores from sources
in Prague, contacts were made to help smuggle music and parts
through Terezin’s walls. Many, particularly pianists, came
to the camp with solo pieces memorized, which could then be
taught or written down for the benefit of others. Some with
talent could also attempt to transcribe and reorchestrate
more complicated multi-part pieces. Another natural solution
to the problem was to enlist the assistance of the many composers
interred in the camp. In many ways this was a most beneficial
situation, for the composers had the freedom to write precisely
for the players they intended and expected to perform their
works. Songs, opera characters, and choral works could be
tailored to the strengths of particular voices as equally
as instrumental parts could cater to musicians’ particular
virtuosic skills. Homegrown compositions were also advantageous
as they could compensate for the gaps in available instrumentation,
writing works that were appropriate for the mishmash of instruments
on hand. The primary trouble of these ventures was finding
paper to write on—basically any stray paper on which one could
cram a music staff would suffice. For more details of compositions,
please refer to The Musical Legacy.
 Ticket to a concert featuring the music of Brahms
Concerts were held in a variety of ways in accordance with
the different performers. The Terezin cultural sphere included
soloists, string orchestras, jazz ensembles, choruses, chamber
ensembles, and cabarets. Prior to the Free Time Activities
Administration, musical gatherings were more impromptu. When
the first two labor units arrived to prepare the camp back
in 1941, a few had stowed smaller string instruments along
with their belongings and played them, although unaccompanied,
in the barracks during evenings. Some devoted musicians went
so far as to disassemble larger ones for later assembly once
through the gates.
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