New/Old Music on CD just out..

Austrian Baritone Wolfgang Holzmair just issued a new CD with Songs from Theresienstadt, accompanied on the piano by Russell Ryan. These are songs composed by Jewish prisoners at the garrison town of Terezin in Czechia. Other musicians such as Anne Sofie von Otter have presented this music as well. Holzmair's selection features pieces from the time prior to imprisonment to showcase the talent already present, for instance 5 Lieder (1925) Hans Krasa, who is best known for his children's opera BRUNDIBAR. Holzmair uses his smooth baritone with distinct Viennese tonal shadings, in sensitive ways to express anguish, longing, and even terror. It is a stark reminder of humankind's resilience in the darkest hours and how music lifts the restraints and sets one free, symbolically!
A recording to be added to any one's collection of rare songs from a dark time in history. At the moment no clip is available so I have chosen this from a recital in Dallas, which truly resembles his Viennese tinged musicality .. it is a song of live and death, about a carpenter whose plane evens everyone..until death comes and he has to lay down his plane and leave life!
Readers may remember Holzmair from a recital in Dudley Hall at University of Houston several years back, sponsored by me and the Austrian Club of Houston. At that time his accompanist was Markus Hinterhaeuser who has become involved with Salzburg Music Festival until just recently.