Tlalit Kitzoni Survivor of October 7 from the Kibbutz Kfar Aza speaks of her harrowing experience. Goldstein responds at the piano.
Moderator: Andrea SawatzkiConceived & Produced: Florian von Heintze
Writer: Birgit von Heintze
Jüdische Kulturtage Berlin/Jüdische Gemeinde zu Berlin
Avi Toubiana, Artistic director.
by Imanuel Marcus
The sounds the American pianist William Goldstein delivers express emotions, they tell stories, they are sometimes sad - in keeping with the occasion of the concert - and sometimes they sound hopeful. Their beauty is boundless. These sounds are uplifting and sometimes majestic. Their uniqueness is one of the special aspects of the evening: None of the pieces had ever been played before as they were on Saturday evening at Rykestraße Synagogue - and none will ever be interpreted in the same way again.
When the American William Goldstein was nine years old, he could play pieces or songs he had heard at the drop of a hat. Now, 72 years later, the now 81-year-old multi-talent from the U.S. offers a different specialty, namely spontaneous compositions. Goldstein plays for the moment.
Every seat in Rykestraße synagogue was occupied, additional chairs had to be set up. The audience experienced a more than wonderful concert, but also a sad one. It was an evening of solidarity for Israel and against Jew hatred, an event with a statement, which was initiated by journalist Florian von Heintze and began with a minute of silence. The motto of the evening: "We are with you."
"We have to do something. We have to act and not just talk." This was the thought von Heintze immediately had when he heard about the massacre committed by Palestinian terrorists on October 7. A little later, there was another aspect that concerned him: "As was to be expected, the mood also changed. all of a sudden, Israel was pilloried," explained von Heintze before the concert. "Victims became perpetrators - and the perpetrators were turned into victims." To him, it was "time to set an example."
He knew William Goldstein from a concert in Los Angeles. "I knew that he dreamed of playing his instant compositions in Berlin once in his life." This is how it happened: "Bill agreed immediately." The event was organized in cooperation with Avi Toubiana, the director of the Jewish Culture Days in Berlin.
The evening's host, Andrea Sawatzki, also welcomed the Israeli ambassador Ron Prosor, who thanked the initiator and the organizers: "Unfortunately, I have had to feel time and again in recent months that this solidarity cannot be taken for granted," said the diplomat. "In addition to the openly displayed antisemitism, there is something that is even more shameful and tragic: the silence. It can also be observed in the arts and in the cultural sector in particular - where people are otherwise very quick to position themselves."
"This is the case "when it comes to 'Black Lives Matter' or Ukraine". But these people are "very quiet now". With regard to the Hamas massacre in Israel, there was "not a word of sympathy, not a word of condemnation". Representatives of relevant cultural institutions should ask themselves "on what moral foundation they stand", said the ambassador.
Goldstein began the concert itself with a piece that he dedicated to the hostages still being held in Hamas' terror tunnels - while images of the abductees were projected onto the wall. Grief, despair and the drama of the situation could clearly be heard in the piece he played - but also hope.
Goldstein later played a duet with the Israeli violinist Guy Braunstein, who lives in Berlin. Two of these pieces were also composed spontaneously - while playing. There is only one artist who delivers this kind of improvisation in the field of New Music with a Classical touch, namely William Goldstein.
Some Chopin and Debussy influence could be identified in several compositions, although Goldstein is a Bach fan. In the second half of the concert, dancer Hanna Korostelova appeared on stage. Her performance went well with Goldstein's sounds. She stood in for Alexander Abdukarimov, who was unable to dance due to an injury.
After the break, Tlalit Kitzoni, a survivor of October 7 from the Kibbutz Kfar Aza, spoke about the terrible day.
It was admirable how Tlalit Kitzoni dealt with this experience three and a half months later and spoke openly about it. Alongside her sadness, there also was anger in her voice. She bravely spoke of "the enormous trauma, broken communities, endless grief and broken hearts". Also, she made it clear: "For us, the Hamas attack is not over. We are still living this event. And we will not be able to continue living normally until all the hostages are returned."
Goldstein played a three-note portrait for Tlalit Kitzoni, the central notes of which she had previously selected. Finally, there was a hug on stage: Goldstein - who had come all the way from New York - comforted the survivor from Israel, 106 days after the attack.
30 янв 2024
