"Music and Massacre: A look at the Babi Yar massacre in Dmitiri Shostak" by Austin Teas
 

Document Type

Other

Publication Date

2024

Abstract

The “Holocaust by Bullets” is often times the term used to talk about the mass killings of the Jews in Ukraine1 during World War 2. Called the “Holocaust by Bullets” by historians because of the way the Nazi’s perpetrated the killings; pulling and dragging the Jews from each village to the edge of the village, and then shooting them point blank. With this pre Aushcwitz, Triblinka, Buckenwald concentration camp way of execution, an estimated 1.5 million Jews were killed in Ukraine. Combined with this, Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich used many Jewish themes in his music, such as the 4th movement of his 2 Piano Trio. He was always interested in the way that Jewish music had “the ability to build a jolly melody on sad intonations.”(Mahler Foundation With this came the birth of Symphony No. 13, and one of the most important pieces of music that isn’t widely played. While the Symphony as a whole is important, the first movement entitled “Babi Yar” is particularly thought provoking due to its context about the massacres that took place there.

Publisher

South Dakota State University

Rights

Copyright © 2024 Austin Teas

Share

COinS