Hanns Eisler (1898 - 1962):
GEGEN DEN KRIEG ~
Against the War

Hanns Eisler was an Austrian composer. His father was Austrian, and Eisler fought in a Hungarian regiment in World War I. Returning to Vienna after Austria's defeat, he studied from 1919 to 1923 under Arnold Schönberg. Eisler was the first of Schönberg's disciples to compose in the twelve-tone or serial technique. Eisler is best known for composing the national anthem of East Germany, for his long artistic association with Bertolt Brecht (1898 - 1956), and for the scores he wrote for films. The Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler" in Berlin is named after him.

Eisler's "Against the War" for mixed choir a cappella (Op. 55) was written in 1936 (first version) for a competition advertised by a private chorus in Switzerland. Arthur Honegger, Ernst Krenek and Paul Sacher were on the jury. Bertolt Brecht had provided the text. In his Danish exile (1933 - 1939) Brecht collected photos taken from newspapers and wrote short poems to comment on them. The use of photos and the way of interpreting them including a description of the photo on the left hand page was for sure outstanding for it's time - and it still is. The poems were published as "Kriegsfibel" (War Primer) in 1955 at "Eulenspiegel Verlag - Verlag für Satire and Humor" (publisher for satire and humour...) - then in East Germany.

The work presents a theme, followed by 24 variations. This video presents the theme and the last 16 variations.

Here you can watch the thrmr and the first 8 variations:
[ Ссылка ]

The national anthem of former East Germany, a nice tune and arrangement one must say:
[ Ссылка ]

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Als der letzte Krieg vorüber war,
gab es Sieger und Besiegte:
Bei den Besiegten das nied’re Volk hungerte.
Bei den Siegern hungerte das nied’re Volk auch.

etc

When the last war was over
there were winners and loosers:
Among the defeated, the low folk starved.
With the winners, the low folk also starved.

etc

Berlin Soloists (2009)
Conducted by Dietrich Knothe

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