The Lost Music of Auschwitz

In the depths of Auschwitz, amid unimaginable cruelty, music echoed through the camp. Orchestras made up of prisoners were forced to entertain Nazi officers and accompany the grim march of captives to and from their labour. Yet, as Leo Geyer, composer and Artistic Director of Constella, discovered during his first visit to Auschwitz in 2015, these musicians resisted in the only way they could: by weaving secret melodies into their performances — melodies their fellow prisoners would recognise as brazen acts of rebellion with hidden musical messages, secret performances of forbidden music, and original compositions wracked with grief and sorrow that were unlikely to have ever been performed. Now, 80 years after the liberation of Auschwitz, it’s time to let these melodies resonate once more.

 

This programme, as featured on Sky’s The Lost Music of Auschwitz — released to commemorate the 80th anniversary of liberation — revives the haunting legacy of those hidden notes. Shaped by Geyer’s meticulous research in the Auschwitz-Birkenau archives, the ensemble will not only perform these long-forgotten works but also offer audiences a deeper understanding of the music itself, as Geyer also shares the powerful stories behind each composition.

 

This inspiring 60-minute concert is an emotional and empowering tribute to the resilience, creativity, and enduring strength of the human spirit, in the face of humanity's darkest hour.