Carlo Sigmund Taube
Encyclopedia
Carlo Sigmund Taube was a pianist
, composer
, conductor
, and victim of the Holocaust.
with Ferruccio Busoni
and earned a living by performing in cafes in Vienna
, Brno
and Prague
. Taube, his wife Erika and their child were deported from Prague to the Terezín (Theresienstadt) ghetto
on December 10, 1941. In April 1942, he conducted the first orchestra performance in the Terezín
Magdeburg caserne, premiering his own Terezín Symphony. Taube gave a number of solo concerts and conducted the Terezín band and orchestra. He also performed in the café. Carlo and Erika Taube and their child were deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau about October 1, 1944, where they all died.
in addition to the Terezín Symphony. These include:
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, and victim of the Holocaust.
Life
Carlo Taube was born in the Austro-Hungarian province of Galicia. He studied music in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
with Ferruccio Busoni
Ferruccio Busoni
Ferruccio Busoni was an Italian composer, pianist, editor, writer, piano and composition teacher, and conductor.-Biography:...
and earned a living by performing in cafes in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
and Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. Taube, his wife Erika and their child were deported from Prague to the Terezín (Theresienstadt) ghetto
Ghetto
A ghetto is a section of a city predominantly occupied by a group who live there, especially because of social, economic, or legal issues.The term was originally used in Venice to describe the area where Jews were compelled to live. The term now refers to an overcrowded urban area often associated...
on December 10, 1941. In April 1942, he conducted the first orchestra performance in the Terezín
Terezín
Terezín is the name of a former military fortress and adjacent walled garrison town in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic.-Early history:...
Magdeburg caserne, premiering his own Terezín Symphony. Taube gave a number of solo concerts and conducted the Terezín band and orchestra. He also performed in the café. Carlo and Erika Taube and their child were deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau about October 1, 1944, where they all died.
Works
Taube composed several pieces in TerezínTerezín
Terezín is the name of a former military fortress and adjacent walled garrison town in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic.-Early history:...
in addition to the Terezín Symphony. These include:
- a Ghetto Lullaby (part of a Ghetto Suite for Alto and Orchestra),
- Poem, Caprice and Meditation, three short pieces for solo violin,
- Ein Jüdisches Kind (A Jewish Child), a lullaby for soprano and piano (the only work by Taube to survive World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
).
Sources
- Makarova, Elena, S. Makarov, V. Kuperman. University Over the Abyss. 2nd Ed. Verba Publishers, Jerusalem, 2004.
- Karas, Joža. Music in Terezín, 1941-1945. 1st Ed. Beaufort Books Publishers, New York, 1985.
- Kuna, Milan. Hudba na hranici života (Engl: Music on the Boundary of Life). 1st Ed. Naše vojsko/Český svaz protifašistických bojovníků, Praha, 1990.