Szymon Laks

Following the Grammy nominated Volume 2 featuring the music of Fitelberg, the Canadian ARC Ensemble presents Volume 3 in its "Music in Exile" series, dedicated to the music of Szymon Laks. Born in Warsaw in 1901, Laks studied in Paris before being deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau. He soon joined and conducted the Auschwitz orchestra (his auditioning with a 'Jewish' work - Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto - went unnoticed). Although the trauma of his imprisonment left him alienated and reclusive, few of his works refer specifically to the Holocaust.

This new release from DUX presents a collection of recordings commemorating Jewish composers active mainly before World War II. Their music represents various stylistic trends of their era and was inspired by numerous ideas. The Hebrew Melody for violin and piano, Op. 33 by Joseph Achron (1886-1943) resulted from his fascination with the religious music of Ashkenazi Jews, while the Sonata for violin and piano by Joachim Mendelson (1887-1943), the recording of which is also the Polish recording premiere, reveals neoclassical interests of its author, which is also the case of the Sonata for cello and piano by Szymon Laks (1901-1983).The Capriccio by Jozef Koffler (1896-1944) is an avant-garde composition through and through, using the dodecaphonic technique combined with a neoclassical form.