Alexandre Tansman (1897-1986).
Alexandre Tansman was a twentieth-century musical composer of Jewish origin, born in 1897 in Poland. His early compositions were not well received in Poland as they were deemed to be too daring at the time. This prompted his to move to Paris, France, in 1919 where he later became a French citizen in 1938.
1941- “It has been a difficult past two years for my family and me, as well as my fellow Jews. I have to hide my Jewish features to avoid putting my family at risk. We consider ourselves lucky to have survived this ordeal thanks to our friends who have helped us emigrate to America. As this dangerous period comes to an end, and we begin a new chapter here in California, I look into the future with high hope.”
Tansman’s compositions during and after the war reflect the tragic events at the time. They contained deep emotion and had a more serious tone than his previous works. This emotion is evident in pieces like the Polish Rhapsody (1940) and Symphony No. 6 (1944) written in honor of soldiers defeated by the Nazis at Warsaw in 1939.
Here is a performance of Danza Pomposa by Alexandre Tansman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU_FfWqZiaM
Alexandre Tansman’s boldness in composing is exceptional. He never shied from expressing his emotionality in his works. He always used his experiences, good or bad, to articulate himself through his music, which I find to be quite admirable. He is such a great inspiration.
Learning about music has given me an avenue to explore my creative side and express myself artistically. Previously I struggled with knowing my purpose, but through learning music, I have been able to get a sense of direction in life, and now the possibilities are endless.
References
Anna Granat-Janki (n.d). Polish Music JournalVol. 4 No. 1: Paderewski and Polish Émigrés to America “Tradition and Modernity in the Music of Aleksander Tansman.” Retrieved on 2nd February 2020 from https://polishmusic.usc.edu/research/publications/polish-music-journal/vol4no1/aleksander-tansman/