Concert of works of Mottel Brom

Mottel Brom (1919-97) was born in Lucerne, Switzerland. He studied at the Conservatoire and the University of Zurich. He became a music educator and teacher and was director of the College for Art Therapy "Middeloo" in the Netherlands. In 1984 Mottel and his wife Golda immigrated to Israel.

In Jerusalem Mottel Brom initiated the carillon concerts at the YMCA (this is the home of the only carillon in the Middle East). In addition to being a choirmaster and conductor, Mottel Brom composed classical and synagogue music.

On 27.7.1999 a concert was given in memory of Mottel Brom at the Jerusalem YMCA concert hall. A recording was made of the excellent artists (e.g. the international renowned Mira Zakai ) performing some of Mottel Brom's finest works. This recording is available on compact disk and can be obtained through writing via the SophonZine editor to the Brom family. You can listen to track 3 and 4 of this CD-ROM by clicking the files here below (Windows media 7.1 files).

The compact disk contains:

1. Five Light Piano Pieces ---- Corrie Bruinzeel, piano.

2. Nine Songs on Poems of Primo Levi ---- William Weisel, baritone and Allan Sternfield, piano.

3. Fantasy for Clarinet and Piano ---- Ingrid Slangen, clarinet and Corrie Bruinzeel, piano.

4. Thirteen Songs on Poems of Masha Kaleko ---- Mira Zakai, alto and Allan Sternfield, piano.

5. Suite for Piano ---- Allan Sternfield, piano.

Examples:

A song composed on a poem of Primo Levi:

Primo Levi was born in Turin (Italy) in 1919 and trained as a chemist. Arrested as a member of the anti-fascist resistance during the war, he was deported to Auschwitz. In his autobiographical works he struggles with these terrible experiences. In 1987 he died a tragic death.

 

Sunset at Fossoli

 

I know what it means not to return

Through the barbed wire

I saw the sun go down and die,

I felt the words of the old poet

Tear at my flesh:

'Suns can go down and return

For us, when the brief light is spent,

There is an unending night to be slept.'

 

A song composed on a poem of Mascha Kaleko:

Mascha Kaleko was born in a Jewish family in 1907 in Galacia. In the 20's she was involved in the bohemia of literature in Berlin. She had her first break through in 1933 with "Das lyrischen Stenogramheft" She traveled much and moved to Israel in 1966. Not being able to cope with the Hebrew language she started moving around again and died in 1975 in Zurich.

 

Goodbye -- After a Famous Pattern

 

Parting means dying. And goodbye is death.

Even before you leave you have left me.

Already there is mourning for you in all the streets.

And the "last day" tastes of charity.

 

Waiting means withering. Nothings returns

As it once was. Who can fathom this?

You will meet me, but not find me anymore.

That's how it will be. I know this play.

 

The curtain fell, as ordered by the play.

At home four strange walls await me.

Your step dies away. And so the end begins.

Parting means dying. And goodbye is death.

 

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