Never Again!

The music was quiet in my room ... I listened Concerto thick ''Auschwitz'' and watched a photo essay about the winter 2011, the trip of Yezrovskaya group to Auschwitz.

The composer warned: - "You'll cry!"

I didn't have tears. The combination of musical and graphic series has acted so strongly that the feeling of participation in the tragic events taking place in Auschwitz was complete and tangible. Anxiety, fear, hope of salvation, fear and hopelessness again - the gamut of feelings that I experienced in just 25 minutes is indescribable. Tragically scary finale ...And one, beaten, but such an acute thought - "This should not happen again!"

The composer and photo artist are young and gifted people. Anton Lubchenko in 2009, when he wrote the Concert dedicated to the Holocaust Victims, was just 24. Slightly more - to the photographer Rostislav Denisov, widely known under the pseudonym Ross The. What can they say to the world, boys who have no life experience? It turns out they can. And they can not just, but lively and talented. It is as if they do not speak with us, but Jewish souls, innocently destroyed in the kilns of Auschwitz.

The Holocaust is a terrible tragedy of the Jewish people. The tragedy that broke into all European Jewish families without exception. In my too ...

In 2010, my dear friend, an Israeli woman, Klara Gubar-Neykova, visited Poland and went tragically with the difficult route Auschwitz-Treblinka-Majdanek.

Clara shared her feelings and impressions of her trip to Poland:

It was very interesting and morally difficult. I traveled to Poland like the mother of a soldier who gave up his young life for the sake of others. I was with the commanders of the Israel Defense Forces in 2010. Poland I really liked and reminded the country of the exodus, Ukraine. Warsaw, Krakow - there is something to see.

And here in the midst of this beauty is our grief. Yes, this is our common grief. In the past, our grandmothers, grandfathers, and some of our parents lived there. More than six million Jews died in the Holocaust. Of the hundreds of thousands of Jews who lived in Poland, only 2–3 thousand remain there today. These numbers are not exact, but in today’s Poland – this is so much. Those who are lucky live in Israel, America, Russia... But not in Poland. A guide from Yad Vashem, Riki, traveled with us, she told us so many interesting things and with what soul!

Treblinka - what a beautiful and terrible place, just hell. Goosebumps ran down, tears rolling from my eyes. Yes, we heard a lot about it, read, watched. But it is not that! Not that you stand there and feel, worry.

Majdanek - he is now in the middle of the city of Lublin. I could not go to the barracks, where there are one and a half million pairs of shoes - and these are all exterminated people, mostly Jews, but there are also Poles, Russians, Roma and people of other nationalities.

Auschwitz-Birkenau. An unimaginable number of suitcases with our Jewish names, and children's shoes ... It is not possible to look and in our thoughts one thing: “It’s good that I live in Israel. This is my country. There is our Army - this is our reliable protection. ”

Five days from 5 in the morning until eleven in the evening I was with the officers of our army on this not easy trip to the sadly memorable places for each of us. Everywhere there were funeral ceremonies and with what soul it all happened!

“If not Me, then who will defend my Motherland?” - this is what my son said when he left to serve in the Israeli army. And he gave his life protecting our children in the Gaza Strip from terrorists fifteen years ago... IDF officers know exactly why we need to protect our land and I give them a big bow!

In January, 2011 was followed by a group of Russian-speaking American Jews, young activists. EZRA—USA . Auschwitz was visited by a young talented photo artist, Russian-speaking reporter Ross Dan. And Ross, of course, presented his photo essay about 3's of 6's largest death camps.

Photos posted in this article are kindly provided. Photographer Rostislav Denisov. Fully the report is posted here - http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1807160504563&set=a.1807157064477.2106941.1406451943

Interview with American photographer Rostislav Denisov.

— Rostislavhow and when did you get to Auschwitz?

I participated in the leadership program of EZRA-USA, which included visiting Poland in the winter of 2011.

— What feelings and emotions did you experience during that trip?

Different emotions are experienced by a person entering this huge death camp, created with the goal of eliminating thousands of people every day. The first thing that amazes is the size of the camp. He is huge and boundless. Every detail, every detail in the construction of the concentration camp was thought out so as to put the extermination process on an industrial basis.

Most of us were speechless, going to this historic place, where thousands of fascist prisoners suffered and suffered in the throes ...

— What were you thinking while you were there?

I thought about what these unfortunate people felt when they were brought here at the beginning of the war. About the agony that they had to endure in these incredible conditions. It’s hard to imagine how 300 calories could survive a day, sleeping in an ice-covered hut in the middle of winter in a thin striped robe ...

What they were doing? What did they feel? What thoughts were in the heads of the Auschwitz prisoners during the incredible trials and humiliations that fell to their lot? It will remain a secret to us ...

We will never be able to accurately answer these questions, but most importantly - We must not let this happen again.

Interview with Russian composer and conductor Anton Lubchenko.

- Hello, Anton! We know you recently, you continue to give and surprise me with your musical masterpieces. Tell me how the idea of ​​creating Concerto thick «Auschwitz"?

Thank you for the word “masterpieces”. In fact, these writings are simply a shorthand of my feelings and they do not necessarily have to be masterpieces. But if they bring joy, then in the end this is their purpose. Regarding the creation of Concerto grosso “Aushwitz”...

I remember very well the period when I received this offer. All of this was shrouded for me in some such way ... I don’t know how to even say it ... in some way it could be a semi-mystic halo.

It was December 2009 of the year, Moscow then celebrated Hanukkah. I just ran to the conservatory past the Manege Square, where the Menorah was impressive enough. It was such a cozy warm snow. I remember I had a feeling - I don’t know where it came from then - as if these large flakes of snow, like frozen tears of forgiveness, fell from heaven to cover and warm the tender blessed land of my city with my tenderness ... And imagine, in the midst of this my state and mulled wine blissful moods, when thoughts of comfort and goodness, perfection of the world, love for everything that surrounds you are - suddenly the bell rings.

Memorial complex "Poklonnaya Gora" plans in May 2010 a series of events dedicated to the 65 anniversary of the Great Victory, and whether I agree to write an essay in any form, in memory of the Jews - prisoners who died in Nazi concentration camps. The organizers of the event turned out to be familiar with my First String Quartet “Drobitsky Yar”, which was written back in 2001, during my studies at the Kharkov Special Music School and was performed outdoors at the Memorial in Drobitsky Yar near Kharkov.

Note Author. “Drobitsky Yar”: Memorial to the victims of Nazism - more than 20 thousand civilians, mainly Jews from the ghetto in the area of ​​the Kharkov tractor plant, as well as wounded Red Army soldiers and mentally disabled people who were executed en masse in 1941-1942 in Drobitsky Yar. The memorial complex is located on 9 hectares in the eastern part of Kharkov and includes the Menorah, the Alley of Memory, the 20-meter monument-tablet and the mourning hall with the Chalice of Grief.

Well, you can imagine what it meant for me to receive such an order in Hanukkah ?! After all, where is December, and where is May! I could have received this call a week later! I did not hesitate to say “YES!”, Then he paused and only after asked - “well, well, what do you mean and what do you need?” In general, I took it as an appointment from above. And immediately got to work. Rather, he came to Peter and sat down to work. I must say that it is written well in Moscow, there is more inspiration there - but it works better in St. Petersburg. Gray rain and monotonously rocking water in the canals is the most suitable background for quiet work.

— How did you work on this concert, what did you feel, what did you think about?

I came to the form of the composition almost immediately - it was quite obvious that this was not a form of any cantata or oratorio. I did not want to write something pompous or too pathetic.

The scale of the anti-Semitic crimes of fascism is so monstrously all-encompassing that it did not want to blow it into all the pipes. There was a need for invariably a chamber statement, for strict and minimal paints. It’s like sitting in the kitchen with you (and with you, and here with you, and with you too, and you ... well, you understand what I mean? It means with you ...), in our opinion and say, weep everything that has become painful.

Therefore, I took as a basis the model of the old baroque concert of gross, which was written for chamber orchestras and a group (from two to four) solo instruments. As solo instruments, I chose the clarinet (who, if not he, is the most Jewish instrument in a symphony orchestra!), Viola (who, if not viola or a violin, can express the Jewish soul with greater expression?) And a piano (what other instrument is capable of such gradations - from fine lyrics to sharp blows and pushes, expressing rudeness and aggression!). And, of course, I tried to get out of these tools to the full - gradually, not immediately, slowly, but systematically increasing the degree of tension and temperature of the narration, squeezing out the tools - energy, from myself - tears, and from the listeners - I hope that emotional returns.

In general, for a composer it is a more difficult task to achieve tension with a small orchestra. This is much easier if you have 25 pipes and 68 trombones. Then what and how not to write - everything will be pathetic.
In general, this essay spilled out of my soul as if by itself. I worked like a binge and I wrote the score in less than a week.

— Who participated in the implementation of this idea? Who helped and supported you?

Since the project initially involved the use of visuals consisting of photographs, video materials and computer graphics, it was necessary to make a studio audio recording.

We performed it at the Leningrad Recording Studio “Melody”, where great musicians were recording, such as Emil Gilels, Mikhail Vaiman, Evgeny Mravinsky ... but can you read all of them! In this recording, I conducted the legendary orchestra of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic. D. Shostakovich, artistic director - maestro Yuri Temirkanov. This is one of the best symphonic groups in Russia, I have worked with him repeatedly. Every time I enjoy working with these wonderful musicians.

Absolutely fantastic I had a composition of soloists. You know, creativity for me is very personal, if you want - an intimate thing. Especially when it comes to my own writings. And therefore for me it is very important that my friends and people close to me take part in my projects as much as possible, especially since they are all great professionals.

For example, the brilliant clarinet virtuoso Sergey Christofis, soloist of the Mariinsky Theater Orchestra, who has been working under Valery Gergiev for many years, performed in the solo part of the clarinet. With Seryozha, I have been tied together for more than one year of acquaintance and work, since from the first conservatory course I was spinning in the circles of the Mariinsky Theater, attracted by the titanic, truly gigantic personality of Valery Abisalovich Gergiev.

I owe a lot, one might say, all the best things in my creative life, to this man and this theater: friends, creative acquaintances, experience - and most importantly - the concept of what art is and a genuine, real, proud attitude towards our high profession of a musician... Many of the guys I met during that “incubator” period for me at the Mariinsky Theater are now my permanent creative partners and almost not a single significant concert, or performance, or premiere, or tour for me is complete without the participation of these people . One of these musicians is Seryozha Christofis. Where have we been with him! I recognize his gentle sound with an absolutely bewitching and seemingly incredible pianissimo from a thousand.

Remarkably played the part on alto Vladimir Tkachenko. He and I have been playing with 14 for years, since my past life, when I was a pianist in my first specialty. (Two years ago I announced that I was leaving the stage as a pianist, and since then I haven’t sat down on the piano in principle. The exception was the concert last April, but I had a completely wild situation: at the last moment the soloist couldn’t come to my piano concert and the 19 concert of Mozart, I had to play myself.)

She played the solo piano Regina Chernichko in an unusually subtle and with a wide variety of sound palettes. You can talk a lot about her passionate artistic talent of a brilliant pianist, and a lot has already been said. She has great sound, great technique. But the main thing is the tremendous energy with which she steps on the stage and with which she irradiates the audience sitting in the hall and those who are with her on the stage. This feeling is very important for the conductor, when the soloist is giving back and supporting, when you literally feel this energy exchange with your shoulder blades. Then there is real creativity, in which the transfer of melody, sound, and dynamics to each other takes on special significance. Regina, of course, is one of those rare artists with whom you sometimes forget about the score and turn into a listener when you are on stage. I was fortunate enough to listen to wonderful, even great musicians quite a lot. But not everyone has such qualities of instant penetration into music, as she is from pianists, isn’t Denis Matsuev, who once learned Prokofiev’s concert in one and a half days (well, the man forgot that he had to play it the day after tomorrow!). By the way, I once had a chance to play Beethoven’s concert with Denis for the first two days in a row, and the Rachmaninov concert with Regina the next day. So I know what I'm saying: they are excellent, inimitable and very individual, bright artists!

And if we talk about the performance of Concerto grosso “Aushwitz”, it turned out to be so sincere and heartfelt that my musicians and I know each other well and understand without words. When I wrote this - of course I counted on reading them, trying to write so that everyone could show all their brightest sides of the talent. They, in turn, without words, instantly understood what I had in mind. It is very important to have your own team.

— The premiere of the Concert was supposed to take place in May 2010. The economic crisis hit culture and art the hardest. Can you and I hope that the Premiere will still take place? Who does it depend on?

Well, how to say, from whom ... From many factors. In the end, everything happens exactly when the time is right for it. Officially, the rights to this work belong to the producer center “Cinemaophonic” in Russia, thanks to these people the recording of this music became possible. And I do not think that they, on their part, would object to the premiere, if it suddenly became possible. But you are right, indeed, the crisis has hurt the country's budget, and even not so much on the budget, but in relation to people and investors to the projects invested. Now it seems that the country has successfully overcome the crisis, but now many people are very wary of spending money on culture, especially because it is not known what will happen tomorrow. And in Russia, as before, orchestras, musicians, rental of halls, a properly conducted organization of the event remains a pleasure not from cheap ones.

You know, I am convinced that the moment will come when the correct time will come for the premiere of the work. It will come, and can be as mystical as the order itself came. After all, if this work was destined to be born, the joint work of musicians was born, if this recording was made, then this is all for a reason! So this was necessary! And this means that someday this work will once again bring us all together, but already in the hall, and on 20, with a little minutes, we will plunge into dark, but into such important for our memory, pages of a history that has not yet cooled down, remember all those tortured, burned and massacre Jews in Auschwitz, Birkenau, Auschwitz, Babiy Yar, Minsk, in the cellars of Lubyanka ...

And if this music can have a little impact on people so that this will not happen again, if this music will contribute even a little to redrawing human consciousness to a new level, where people will not divide and judge each other by nationality, religion, color, geographic and tell me the social situation, how can there be greater happiness for the composer?