My Cantata is written as a tribute to all victims of the Nazi Holocaust and is dedicated to the memory of those who perished in the most disastrous event of the 20th century. This tragedy is of such enourmous dimensions, that it is almost impossible to write music on this subject. But on the other hand, I feel a tremendous need to “give voice to the voiceless” (motto of my work), and to remember what had happened in our century. The Holocaust is not only a Jewish issue, but it is a human matter; it is the tragedy of the human race. It is our obligation to carry the remembrance of it into the next century. (…)

Since the Cantata is structured in the form of a gigantic prayer, it is set in a contemplative, sombre, sometimes grave and solemn, or sometimes lyrical mood, with only occasional powerful and dramatic outbursts. The endless repetitions of the words “Not to forget”, sung in the English, Hebrew, Yiddish and Polish languages, are very crucial and characteristic for the mourner’s prayers. In this case, the reiteration of the same phrase becomes a driving force of the work.

Marta Ptaszyńska

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