Gideon Klein
composer
Gideon Klein (1919-1945) was a pianist, composer, writer and educator. In his short life he combined a dizzying array of skills, experiences, musical styles and activity. He arranged Hebrew folk melodies, wrote quarter-tone compositions, served as repetiteur for the infamous production of the Verdi Requiem in Terezín, and was a formidable presence in the musical life of that place.
Michael Flach, who was in Terezín with Klein, created a poetic impression of his presence in this excerpt from "A Concert in the Old School Loft (played by Gideon Klein)"
“And yesterday that man cut all the veins
He opened all the organ pipes
He bribed all birds to make them sing
To make them sing
Even though the verger's hard fingers harshly sleep on top of us”