Pavel Haas

Full biography Pavel Haas

Pavel Haas (1899-1944) was a Czech Jewish composer who was tragically murdered during the Holocaust. He was born into a wealthy and prominent Jewish family in the Moravian capital of Brno , and showed an early talent for music. He studied composition at the Brno Conservatory and later with Leoš Janáček.

Haas's music was influenced by Janáček's distinctive style, as well as by the folk music of Moravia. He wrote more than 50 works in total, including operas, orchestral pieces, chamber music, and songs. Some of his most famous works include the String Quartet No. 2 "From the Monkey Mountains" and the Symphony No. 2.

In 1941, Haas and his family were among the thousands of Jews sent to the Terezín concentration camp, also known as Theresienstadt. Despite the harsh conditions, Haas continued to write music, including the Symphony No. 3 and the String Quartet No. 3. These works reflect the pain and suffering of the Jewish people, but also the hope and resilience that allowed them to persevere in the face of unimaginable horrors.

Tragically, Haas was deported to Auschwitz in 1944 and murdered in the gas chambers. Despite his untimely death, his music has lived on and continues to be performed and admired around the world. Its haunting melodies and poignant themes serve as a powerful reminder of the atrocities of the Holocaust, and of the strength and beauty of the human spirit.