DESCRIPTION:
Composed by Daniel Buckvich

"Symphony No. 1" was written to depict the fire bombing of Dresden, Germany by Allied forces on February 13-14, 1945. In three waves of attacks, 3,300 tons of incendiary bombs were dropped on the city, creating a firestorm. The more the city burned, the more oxygen was drawn in, and the greater the fires became. It is thought that temperatures reached 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. As people began to flee, their feet burned as the surface of the road melted. Some attempted to save themselves by jumping into reservoirs in the city centre that were intended to assist fire fighters. As these were ten feet deep, smooth sided, and had no ladders, many drowned. Estimates of the number of casualties of this attack vary from as few as 25,000 to as many as 150,000. Due to the large number of refugees that had sought a safe haven in Dresden, we will never know for sure.

Movement I, "Prologue", establishes the mood of impending disaster and presents the thematic material.

Movement II, "Seeds in the Wind", refers to the method of "seeding" a bomb target with jellied gasoline and incendiaries.

Movement III, "Ave Maria", reflects upon the religious and artistic heritage of Dresden and becomes a prayer for the victims.

Movement IV, "Firestorm", employs non-traditional techniques to portray the fire storm, ending with the last sobs of the dying, with a flute solo on low C.