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Composers persecuted in WWII

During the Second World War, many composers were persecuted by the Nazi’s, because they either had a Jewish background or refused to comply with Nazi rules. Their music was banned from all public performance. The Leo Smit Foundation, founded in 1996, is committed to regain this music.

In more than 200 concerts, we’ve brought to life music that was lost and forgotten. With this website, we share with musicians, programmers and music lovers worldwide what we’ve found, starting with music from composers who lived and worked in the Netherlands.

Here you can search for composers, works for various instrumentations or vocal repertoire. Find scores, look at manuscripts and listen to sound samples.

featured composer

Martha Belinfante-Dekker (1900 - 1989)

Martha Dekker, sister of the author Maurits Dekker, led a clandestine existence in hiding in Rotterdam, survived the war and was awarded for her resistance work. She was known for the so-called SD-performances (Singing and Declamation), the Belinfante Method (after the war renamed as the Belinfante-Dekker Method) focusing on a conscious use of breathing (from the diaphragm) and voice. Martha set her own poems to lyrical dramas, tailored to this method. People suffering from asthma … more

new additions

November 7, 2024

Marius Flothuis

Concert voor fluit en orkest op. 19
Introduzione-Tango e Walzer-Coda Rondo Variazioni Composed while in captivity in KLH (Konzentrationslager Herzogenbusch) From the programme notes of its premiere: ‘Het fluitconcert werd in gevangenschap gecomponeerd en de 21e Juni 1944 te Vught voltooid. Het is opgedragen aan Everard van Royen, die zich ten tijde van de compositie eveneens in het concentratiekamp Vught bevond. Er is nauw verband tusschen de drie deelen van het werk: de variaties (derde deel) zijn gebaseerd op de bas van de tango uit het eerste deel; aan het slot keert de tango terug, gecombineerd met de begin-melodie der variaties. In het Rondo (tweede deel) komt een kleine cadens voor, waarin motieven uit het eerste deel optreden. De orkestbezetting bestaat uit strijkers, 3 hoorns, 4 pauken, vibraphoon en celesta. Men zoeke niet naar eenig verband tusschen de “inhoud” van het werk en het feit, dat het in gevangenschap is geschreven. De componist vermijdt elke programmatiek. Wèl kent hij aan de muziek het vermogen tot expressie toe – daarbij meer het voorbeeld van Mozart volgend dan dat van Strawinsky, die in zijn “Chroniques de ma vie” aan de muziek dit vermogen ontzegt – doch voelt zich niet geroepen te trachten in woorden te omschrijven, wat in de muziek is uitgedrukt.’
August 23, 2024

Ignace Lilien

Symphonie no. 4
1. Allegro ma non troppo-Maestoso 2. Andante (Molto tranquillo) 3. Scherzo 4. Finale (Fuga a 9 voci a 3 soggetti) + piano reduction (piano 4 hands)
May 1, 2024

Wilhelm Rettich

Sinfonische Variationen op. 54
Symphonic variations on a theme by A.Z. Idelsohn I (…) II Variation I III Variation II IV Variation III V Variation IV VI Variation V VII Variation VI VIII Variation VII IX Cadenza e Coda

Der bester Jontef - Hans Krieg

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Yiddish Purim Song Arrangement by Hans Krieg In: Jewish Folk Songs

Support this site

Are you happy with the attention we pay to this almost forgotten music? Consider a donation to help us continue and expand this collection.

U.S.-based donors may support our activities in a tax-efficient way through a contribution to the Leo Smit Fund at the Netherland-America Foundation, Inc. Because the NAF is a public charity, within the meaning of Sections 501 (c)(3) and 509 (a)(1) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, donors may claim the tax benefits allowed by U.S. tax law for their contributions.

Please visit http://thenaf.org/leo-smit-foundation for more information.

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