''Miserae'' is a symphonic poem by the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

composer

Karl Amadeus Hartmann Karl Amadeus Hartmann (2 August 1905 – 5 December 1963) was a German composer. Sometimes described as the greatest German symphonist of the 20th century, he is now largely overlooked, particularly in English-speaking countries. Life Born in ...

. Composed in 1933–34, it was written in response to the plight of (and dedicated to) those who died in the first

Nazi Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...

internment camps Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simpl ...

. As the title suggests (''miserae'' is

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

for 'wretched' or 'miserable') the work reflects not only Hartmann's

humanist Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential and agency of human beings. It considers human beings the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The meaning of the term "human ...

credentials but his early awareness of what was starting to happen in Germany at the time. The dedication on the autograph manuscript reads

My friends, who had to die a thousand times over, who sleep for all eternity – we shall not forget you.

The work lasts around fourteen minutes. Cast in four brief sections, the two outer sections are quiet, lyrical passages. The two interior sections are quasi-march pastiches, almost parodying

goose-stepping The goose step is a special marching step which is performed during formal military parades and other ceremonies. While marching in parade formation, troops swing their legs in unison off the ground while keeping each leg rigidly straight. The ...

. It was premiered at the 1935 festival of the International Society for New Music in

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

, where it was chosen as the opening work.http://rs6.loc.gov/ammem/collections/moldenhauer/2428130.pdf The conductor was Hartmann's mentor and champion Hermann Scherchen. Until 1950, Hartmann used several titles for ''Miserae'', including 'Symphonische Dichtung', Symphony No. 1 and ''Symphonie Miserae'', until he withdrew it. Before then, it had rarely been performed owing to Hartmann's ambivalent attitude towards the relevance of his pre-

war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...

works. What had been an earlier Cantata for alto and orchestra ultimately became his First Symphony in 1955.

References

{{Portal bar, Classical music, Music 1934 compositions Compositions by Karl Amadeus Hartmann Symphonic poems