Composer. A talented musician of the World War II era, he wrote music of a distinctively Jewish character in the face of Nazi persecution. Schul was born in Chemnitz, Germany. He studied briefly with Paul Hindemith in Berlin before the rise of Hitler drove his family to Prague in 1933. While continuing his education at the city's German Music Academy, he catalogued old synagogue songs for the Alt-neu-Shul and this had a decisive impact on his development. In November 1941 he was deported to the new concentration camp at Theresienstadt (Terezin), where he took part in its legendary music scene as much as his health and the horrible conditions would allow. Composer Viktor Ullmann, a fellow inmate, considered Schul a genius and was probably influenced by the Hebraic themes and style of his music. Virtually all his surviving works were written at Theresienstadt, including the "Two Chassidic Dances", the string quartets "Zaddik" and "In the Shadow of Your Wings", the "Cantata Judaica" and "O Jerusalem" for chorus (all 1942), the Duo for Violin and Viola (his best known piece, 1943), a Piano Sonata (incomplete, 1943), and several songs. Schul died of tuberculosis at 28, leaving much promise unfufilled.
Composer. A talented musician of the World War II era, he wrote music of a distinctively Jewish character in the face of Nazi persecution. Schul was born in Chemnitz, Germany. He studied briefly with Paul Hindemith in Berlin before the rise of Hitler drove his family to Prague in 1933. While continuing his education at the city's German Music Academy, he catalogued old synagogue songs for the Alt-neu-Shul and this had a decisive impact on his development. In November 1941 he was deported to the new concentration camp at Theresienstadt (Terezin), where he took part in its legendary music scene as much as his health and the horrible conditions would allow. Composer Viktor Ullmann, a fellow inmate, considered Schul a genius and was probably influenced by the Hebraic themes and style of his music. Virtually all his surviving works were written at Theresienstadt, including the "Two Chassidic Dances", the string quartets "Zaddik" and "In the Shadow of Your Wings", the "Cantata Judaica" and "O Jerusalem" for chorus (all 1942), the Duo for Violin and Viola (his best known piece, 1943), a Piano Sonata (incomplete, 1943), and several songs. Schul died of tuberculosis at 28, leaving much promise unfufilled.
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
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