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Mikis Theodorakis
Mauthausen Trilogy (Pläne Records, Germany)

'In Memorium of Liberation' is a composition made for four poems by Iacovos Kambanellis, a survivor of the Mauthausen camp. The recording was made live, at a memorial held in Mauthausen in 1995. Composed and performed in Greek, with the lead voice of Maria Farantouri. More recordings are included in this collection, performed in Hebrew and in English between 1995 and 1999. The CD also includes a speech by Simon Wiesenthal, also recorded at the Memorial at Mauthausen in 1995. A powerful piece of neo-classical Jewish music.

"This is the most awesome CD of new classical music that I have heard in a long time... The power of the music amazes... a vital album... A 'must have.'" - Klezmer Shack

Theodrakis writes of this work:
"A good friend of mine, the poet Iacovos Kambanellis, was a prisoner in Mauthausen during World War II. At the beginning of the sixties, he wrote his memories of this time under the title of "Mauthausen". In 1965, he also wrote four poems on the subject and gave me the opportunity to set them to music. I did this with much pleasure, firstly because I liked the poetry of the texts, and secondly because I was myself locked up during the Nazi occupation in Italian and German prisons, but mainly because this composition gives us the chance to remind the younger generation of history, that history that must never be forgotten.

"First and foremost, of course, the Mauthausen Cantata is addressed to all those who suffered under Fascism and fought against it. We must keep the Nazi crimes continually in our minds, because that is the only guarantee and the only way to assure that they are not repeated. And we can see every day that the ghost of Fascist is far from being laid. It seldom shows its real face, but Fascist cultures and mentalities exist all over the world. For us, who had to live through this time of horror, the most important task is to protect our children against this peril."

About the performances:

Hebrew (I - Song of Songs) Translated by Elinoar Moav Veniadis Arranged by Yossi Ben-Nun Recorded Live in Tel Aviv on May 8th, 1995 Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Elinoar Moav Veniadis Conducted by Yossi Ben-Nun Greek The Choir sings in German Arranged by Jannis Zotos Recorded Live at KZ Mauthausen on May 7th, 1995, by Michael Kahl & Alexandros Karozas Nikos Antypas - Drums Christian Boissel - Oboe & Englishhorn Lakis Karnezis - Bouzouki Wolfgang Musick - Double Bass Jens Naumilkat - Cello Rainer Rohloff - Classical Guitar Henning Schmiedt - Grand Piano Gregoris Tzistoudis - Bouzouki Jannis Zotos - Accoustic Guitar Thanassis Zotis - Percussion Youth Choir of Haag (Austria) Choir of the Herbsttage Blindenmarkt (Austria) Kurt Dlouby - Chorus Master Maria Farantouri Conducted by Mikis Theodorakis English Translated by Julie Dennis Arranged by Alexandros Karozas Recorded from August 1995 to July 1999 in Frankfurt/Main by Alexandros Karozas Nadia Weinberg Voice coaching by Asteris Kutulas Thorsten Kamps - Saxophone & Flute Alexandros Karozas - Guitars, Bouzouki & Piano in "Song of Songs" Andreas Lehmann - Clarinette & Piano Willi Wagner - Double Bass Andreas Fatsalidis - Percussion Conducted by Alexandros Karozas Hebrew (II) Translated by Elinoar Moav Veniadis Arranged by Yossi Ben-Nun Recorded & mixed in July 1995 in Tel Aviv by Yossi Ben-Nun Elinoar Moav Veniadis Conducted by Yossi Ben-Nun Speech of Simon Wiesenthal Edited, mixed & mastered by Alexandros Karozas Produced by Alexandros Karozas & Asteris Kutulas Drawings by Simon Wiesenthal