Anne Frank: A Living Voice
Linda Tutas Haugen
About this work:
Anne Frank: A Living Voice, was commissioned by the San
Francisco Girls Chorus in celebration of its Silver Anniversary. The text
is based on excerpts from The Diary of Anne Frank, taken from the
1952 and 1991 English translations of the book. The first section, It Is
The Silence, was premiered by Chorissima on November 1, 2002, and
the entire composition in seven movements premiered on May 6,
2004.
Anne Frank was between 13 and 15 years old when she wrote her
Diary, while living in a secret upstairs annex over a warehouse in
Amsterdam with her family, the Van Pels family, and Fritz Pfeffer.
Despite all the fears and frustrations she experienced in over two years
of hiding from the Nazis, Anne learned how to survive, to find beauty in
small things, and to hold on to her ideals.
Composer Linda Tutas Haugen writes, “My goals for this composition
are to honor the life of Anne Frank, and to gain a deeper
understanding of what she, her family, and friends experienced during
the Holocaust.”
The text excerpts are chronologically arranged, and span more than
two years. They portray a psychological progression from fear and
despair to strength and hope. The first three movements explore the
grim reality of the war and her situation. Anne’s feelings of
helplessness are expressed when she discovers that one of her best
friends, Hanneli Goslar, has been captured and deported.
In the next three movements, she finds meaning and purpose in
nature, her writing, and her first love with Peter Van Pels. In the final
movement, she recognizes the chaos and destruction of society and
ideals, and faces the likelihood that she and her family will not survive.
Amazingly, she is able to look beyond the present and herself, to a
time when she believes that peace will return. The hope that one day
she would be able to realize her ideals and dreams, gives her strength
and courage.
Through her words, Anne Frank portrays the triumph of the human
spirit in the midst of suffering and cruelty. Otto Frank, Anne’s father
and only annex survivor, states: “I hope that Anne’s book will have an
effect on the rest of your life so that insofar as it is possible in your
circumstances, you will work for unity and peace.” The composer adds:
“It is my hope that Anne Frank: A Living Voice, sung by these young
women, will also be an inspiration to this end.”
The Diary has been published in 67 languages, and over 31 million
copies have been sold.
Version: Treble Choir and String Quartet (Piano Vocal version available)
Year composed: 2004
Duration: 00:28:00
Ensemble type: Chorus, with or without Solo Voices:Chorus with Chamber Ensemble
Instrumentation: 2 Violin, 1 Viola, 1 Cello, 2 Soprano, 2 Alto