The Holocaust Suite

Rick McKee (Tulsa, Oklahoma). Back of CD Case: Kristallnacht - Kristallnacht was the night then the intense persecution of the Jews began. Nazi soldiers broke windows of Jewish shops along with many synagogues. What They Left Behind - This depicts the sadness the Jews felt when leaving behind loved ones and all their prized possessions. The Little Smuggler - The only way the Jews could survive in the ghettos was by receiving smuggled food. Most of the smugglers were children. This selection depicts the story of those children who risked their lives to help other survive. You will hear in the music when the child see the Nazis and when they attempt to shoot him. The presto section portrays the Nazis chasing the child until his final breath. Liberation - This movement begins with the subtle sound of the Russians marching into the concentration camps to free the Jews. As the music grows to its grand crescendo, a chime of the piano marks the very second the Jews become free citizens. The next section is very reflective of the memories of the camps, and now, the days to come. The Star Shines On - Even though the Jewish community suffered devastating losses during the Holocaust, their faith stayed strong. The "star" that "shines on" is referring to the Star of David - the emblem of the Jewish faith.