Zeisl had a particular fondness for the subject of night, subtly exploring the boundaries between the concreteness of day and the impalpability of night in his compositions.
Performer Biography
Mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung is a multi-GRAMMY Award-winning recording artist who regularly performs with major orchestras and opera companies worldwide.
Composition History
In 1944/45, Zeisl composed Requiem Ebraico, a deeply religious piece dedicated to his father, who was murdered in Treblinka, and other Holocaust victims, which is considered one of the first musical reactions to the tragedy.
Composer Biography
After fleeing Austria, Zeisl, Americanised as 'Eric', attempted to work in Hollywood but found the film industry's lack of artistic aspiration caused a deep creative crisis.
Historical Context
Zeisl's promising career in Vienna was destroyed by the 'Anschluss' in 1938, leading to the cancellation of his opera premiere and his inclusion on lists of ostracised artists.
Composer Biography
Erich Zeisl, born in 1905 to a Viennese Jewish coffee house family, began improvising on piano and composing songs at an early age.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Zeisl saw himself as a follower of the German song tradition, with late Romanticism forming his frame of reference and tonality always preserved in his works.
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