Erich Zeisl

Erich Zeisl was an Austrian-born composer whose promising Viennese career was interrupted by the Nazi Anschluss. He won an Austrian state prize in 1934 but faced mounting anti-Semitic barriers to publication and performance, he was forced to flee and eventually settled in Hollywood. While working as a film composer for major studios, Zeisl also produced chamber music, concertos, ballets, and art songs that showcased his expressive melodic gift. His masterwork, the Requiem Ebraico (1944-1945), a setting of Psalm 92 dedicated to his murdered father and victims of the Holocaust, has become recognized as one of the first major musical works of Holocaust commemoration and has been performed by major orchestras worldwide. Over the years, his music has seen a significant revival of interest through new recordings and exhibitions, including a major retrospective exhibition at Vienna's Exilarte Center in 2025.