Henri Akoka
Henri (or Henry) Akoka (23 June 1912 – 22 November 1976) was an Algerian Jewish
Biography
Akoka was born on 23 June 1912 in
He graduated from the
Akoka's release from the camp was arranged by Karl-Albert Brüll, a guard who provided false papers for Messiaen. However, he was removed from the transport truck "because of his Jewish looks". He later escaped in April 1941 by jumping off from the top of a moving train "with his clarinet under his arm".[6] He returned to the Orchestre National de la Radio, which was operating out of the Free Zone of Marseilles.[7]
After gaining his freedom, Akoka had a successful orchestral career, serving as the assistant principal clarinet for the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. His colleagues nicknamed him "the Kreisler of the clarinet".[8]
Akoka died on 22 November 1976 of cancer.[9]
References
- ^ a b Rischin 2006, p. 11.
- ^ Rischin 2006, pp. 12–13.
- ^ Rischin 2006, p. 15.
- ^ Rischin 2006, p. 2.
- ^ Rischin 2006, pp. v, 96.
- ^ Haven, Cynthia (5 November 2008). "100th birthday of Messiaen celebrated with a concert series". Stanford News.
- ^ Rischin 2006, p. 85.
- ^ Brown 2020, p. 179.
- ^ Rischin 2006, p. 96.
Bibliography
- Brown, Kellie D (2020). The sound of hope: music as solace, resistance and salvation during the Holocaust and World War II. McFarland. OCLC 1134074119.
- Rischin, Rebecca (2006). For the end of time: the story of the Messiaen quartet. Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801472978.