Photo: Anonymous Unknown author · Public domain · credits
Tier 3 · vertical & regional
Hans Krása
Person · male · Czechoslovakia · Prague · born 1899 · died 1944 · recording since 1993
Czech composer (1899-1944)
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Also known as 汉斯·克拉萨
Timeline
8 events▣ Album 5◦ Birth 1† Death 1★ Debut release 1
1890s
1940s
1990s
· Debut release
Debut release: Krása: Brundibár / Domažlický: Czech Songs
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
2000s
Biography
English biography539 words · 4 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1357020855
Biography
Hans Krása (30 November 1899 – 17 October 1944) was a Czech composer. He was killed during the Holocaust at Auschwitz-Birkenau. He helped to organize cultural life in Theresienstadt concentration camp.
Life
Hans Krása was born in Prague to the German Anna (Steiner) and Karl Krása, a Czech lawyer. Both were Jewish. He studied both the piano and violin as a child and went on to study composition at the German Music Academy in Prague. After graduating, he went on to become a répétiteur at the Neues Deutsches Theater, where he met the composer and conductor Alexander von Zemlinsky, who had a major influence on Krása's career.
In 1927 he followed Zemlinsky to Berlin, where he was introduced to Albert Roussel. Krása, whose primary influences were Mahler, Schoenberg and Zemlinsky, also felt an affinity with French music, especially the group of composers known as Les Six and made a number of trips to France to study under Roussel while he lived in Berlin. Krása eventually returned, homesick, to Prague to resume his old job as a répétiteur at the Neues Deutsches Theater. His debut as a composer came with his Four Orchestral Songs, Op. 1, based on the Galgenlieder (Gallows Songs) of Christian Morgenstern. The work was first performed under Zemlinsky's direction in Prague in May 1921 and was widely acclaimed. There followed a string quartet, a set of five songs for voice and piano and his Symphonie für kleines Orchester, which was performed in Zürich, Paris and Boston. His major achievement, however, was the opera Verlobung im Traum (Betrothal in a Dream) after the novel Uncle's Dream by Dostoyevsky. This work was first performed at the Neues Deutsches Theater in Prague in 1933 under Georg Szell and was awarded the Czechoslovak State Prize.
Brundibár, a children's opera based on a play by Aristophanes, was the last work Krása completed before he was arrested by the Nazis on 10 August 1942. Krása was sent to the Theresienstadt ghetto where he reworked Brundibár with the available cast “and scattered salt of staging”, who then performed it 55 times in the camp, with excerpts featured in the propaganda film made for the Red Cross in 1944. While he was interned in the ghetto, Krása was at his most productive, producing a number of chamber works including Tans, Theme with Variations, and Pascaglia and Fugue, although, due to the circumstances, some of these have not survived. He also contributed to the musical culture of Theresienstadt as a pianist, accompanist, and conductor.
Death
Along with fellow composers Viktor Ullmann, Pavel Haas and Gideon Klein, Krása was taken to Auschwitz. He was murdered on 17 October 1944.
Recordings
His Three Songs after poems by Arthur Rimbaud, Čtyřverší, Vzrušení and Přátelé, sung by Christian Gerhaher, appear on the CD Terezín - Theresienstadt initiated by Anne Sofie von Otter, Deutsche Grammophon, 2007.
His String Quartet appears on Pavel Haas and Hans Krása: String Quartets, performed by the Hawthorne String Quartet as part of the Decca series, Entartete Musik, label: Decca 440 853–2. As part of the same series his opera Verlobung im Traum (Betrothal in a Dream) and Symphonie appeared in recordings by the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin conducted by Lothar Zagrosek and Vladimir Ashkenazy respectively, label: Decca 455 587–2.
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 22 | 83.8th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 5 | 78.9th |
| Studio albums | 5 | 84.6th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 8 | 84.1th |
| Recording span (years) | -49 | 6.6th |
| Genres | 4 | 84.7th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (5 release groups · 5 studio albums)
Albums · 5
Krása: Brundibár / Domažlický: Czech Songs
1993 · studio album
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Tracklist · 23 tracks · 42:13
1Brundibár: Act I: Scene 12:082Brundibár: Act I: Scene 20:583Brundibár: Act I: Scene 30:434Brundibár: Act I: Scene 41:315Brundibár: Act I: Scene 50:436Brundibár: Act I: Scene 61:437Brundibár: Act I: Scene 72:398Brundibár: Act I: Scene 86:109Brundibár: Act II: Scene 11:1010Brundibár: Act II: Scene 21:4111Brundibár: Act II: Scene 30:4512Brundibár: Act II: Scene 40:3813Brundibár: Act II: Scene 51:2414Brundibár: Act II: Scene 65:4015Brundibár: Act II: Scene 71:4416České písně pro dětský sbor s průvodem smyčcového kvarteta, op. 17: I. Čekala jsem, nespala jsem2:0117České písně pro dětský sbor s průvodem smyčcového kvarteta, op. 17: II. Což se mně, má milá2:2618České písně pro dětský sbor s průvodem smyčcového kvarteta, op. 17: III. Ani vy to sobě1:0819České písně pro dětský sbor s průvodem smyčcového kvarteta, op. 17: IV. Co je ti, co je ti1:2520České písně pro dětský sbor s průvodem smyčcového kvarteta, op. 17: V. Horo, horo, vysoká jsi1:2821České písně pro dětský sbor s průvodem smyčcového kvarteta, op. 17: VI. Nejsi, nejsi1:0322České písně pro dětský sbor s průvodem smyčcového kvarteta, op. 17: VII. Nestůjte, mládenci1:5023České písně pro dětský sbor s průvodem smyčcového kvarteta, op. 17: VIII. Černá vlna na bílém beránku1:15The Terezín Music Anthology, Volume 3
1996 · studio album
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Tracklist · 30 tracks · 1:02:09
1Je to smích nebo pláč? My vime2:332Thema mit Variationen: Thema: Sehr Ruhig1:103Thema mit Variationen: Variation 1. Allegretto0:374Thema mit Variationen: Variation 2. Allegro0:465Thema mit Variationen: Variation 3. Sehr Ruhig1:116Thema mit Variationen: Variation 4. Bewegt1:137Thema mit Variationen: Variation 5. Quasi Fantasia (Sehr Ruhiger)1:458Thema mit Variationen: Variation 6. Finale (Bewegt)2:489Tři písně: Čtveřší1:3310Tři písně: Vzušení1:5011Tři písně: Přátelé1:3012Tanec6:2513Passacaglia and Fugue: Sehr Ruhig5:3514Passacaglia and Fugue: Allegro molto2:4315Overture for Small Orchestra6:0016Brundibár: Act One, Scene I: Allegro energico - Poco tranquillo2:0417Brundibár: Act One, Scene II: Marcia giocoso0:4418Brundibár: Act One, Scene III: Allegro0:2819Brundibár: Act One, Scene IV: Allegro - Allegretto1:2520Brundibár: Act One, Scene V: Moderato0:4021Brundibár: Act One, Scene VI: Valse1:2722Brundibár: Act One, Scene VII: Allegretto2:0423Brundibár: Act One, Scene VIII: Finale: Allegro vivace5:5524Brundibár: Serenade: Moderato (instrumental)1:0425Brundibár: Act Two, Scene I: Lento1:1126Brundibár: Act Two, Scene II: Presto0:3527Brundibár: Act Two, Scene III: Vivacissimo1:0028Brundibár: Act Two, Scene IV: March of the School Children0:5329Brundibár: Act Two, Scene V: Allegretto3:2430Brundibár: Act Two, Scene VI: Finale: Allegro moderato a la marcia1:361997 · studio album
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Tracklist · 8 tracks · 59:11
1String Quartet, op. 2: I. Moderato5:302String Quartet, op. 2: II. Prestissimo - Molto calmo - Volgare6:063String Quartet, op. 2: III. Molto lento e tranquillo8:324Theme with Variations, for String Quartet: Thema (Sehr ruhig) - Variation I (Allegro) - Variation II (Allegro) - Variation III (Sehr ruhig) - Variation IV (Bewegt) - Variation V. Quasi fantasia (Sehr ruhig) - Variation VI. Finale (Bewegt)10:045Chamber Music, for Harpsichord and 7 Instruments: I. Movement I8:236Chamber Music, for Harpsichord and 7 Instruments: II. Movement II6:117Tanec for String Trio: Presto - Etwas ruhiger - Tempo primo5:408Passacaglia and Fugue, for String Trio: Sehr ruhig - Quasi recitativo - Più animato a tempo - Fuga (Allegro molto) - Bewegter - Noch bewegter8:45Verlobung im Traum / Symphonie
1998 · studio album
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Tracklist · 30 tracks · 1:59:18
Disc 11Verlobung im Traum: Prolog4:132Verlobung im Traum: Erster Akt: Ouvertüre2:293Verlobung im Traum: Erster Akt, 1. Bild: Viele Grüße schickt Euch Fedja (Barbara)1:414Verlobung im Traum: Erster Akt, 1. Bild: Bin ich es wirklich (Sina)4:255Verlobung im Traum: Erster Akt, 2. Bild: Aha, Besuch im Hause (Marja Alexandrowna)1:406Verlobung im Traum: Erster Akt, 2. Bild: Ja, so noblen Besuch bringe nur ich (Paul)3:227Verlobung im Traum: Erster Akt, 2. Bild: Wann endlich werde ich Sie sprechen (Paul)2:208Verlobung im Traum: Erster Akt, 2. Bild: Ganz unverändert, mon cher prince (Marja Alexandrowna)6:089Verlobung im Traum: Erster Akt, 2. Bild: Sina, ich muß mit dir sprechen (Marja Alexandrowna)6:4410Verlobung im Traum: Erster Akt, 3. Bild: Zwischenspiel2:2611Verlobung im Traum: Erster Akt, 3. Bild: Drei Gedecke! und drei Bestecke! (Nastassja)2:1412Verlobung im Traum: Erster Akt, 3. Bild: Charmant, charmant! Ein Essen, wie bei Hof! (Der Fürst)2:2213Verlobung im Traum: Erster Akt, 3. Bild: Casta dive (Sina)4:4814Verlobung im Traum: Erster Akt, 3. Bild: Welche Niedertracht (Paul)2:4515Verlobung im Traum: Erster Akt, 3. Bild: Laß sehn, was ich erbeutet habe! (Paul)3:4116Verlobung im Traum: Erster Akt, 3. Bild: Man will da Geheimnis bewahren (Nastassja)5:06Disc 21Verlobung im Traum: Zweiter Akt: Ouvertüre4:052Verlobung im Traum: Zweiter Akt, 1. Bild: Nastassja hat zu der geheimen Feier (Paul)4:293Verlobung im Traum: Zweiter Akt, 1. Bild: Mir träumt’, ich war beim Padischah (Der Fürst)6:564Verlobung im Traum: Zweiter Akt, 2. Bild: Ein Wetter, ein Graus! (Frauenchor)2:025Verlobung im Traum: Zweiter Akt, 2. Bild: Sie hier? (Marja Alexandrowna)2:246Verlobung im Traum: Zweiter Akt, 2. Bild: Was ist denn los, meine Damen? (Der Fürst)5:327Verlobung im Traum: Zweiter Akt, 2. Bild: Genug! Meine Damen (Marja Alexandrowna)3:258Verlobung im Traum: Zweiter Akt, 2. Bild: Genug! Nicht länger kann ich es ertragen (Sina)7:429Verlobung im Traum: Zweiter Akt, 2. Bild: Ich selbst, mein liebes Kind (Der Fürst)5:1910Verlobung im Traum: Zweiter Akt, 2. Bild: Mir ist so leicht, als könnt’ ich schweben (Sina)2:3711Verlobung im Traum: Zweiter Akt: Epilog2:1212Symphonie: I. Pastorale7:0313Symphonie: II. Marsch4:4514Symphonie: III. Die Läusesucherinnen4:23Krasa: Brundibar / Laitman: I Never Saw Another Butterfly
2007 · studio album
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Tracklist · 23 tracks · 53:36
1Brundibar (Bumble‐bee) [Sung in English], Act I Scene 1: Down our street a little band [Windows, Pepicek, Aninku]1:522Brundibar (Bumble‐bee) [Sung in English], Act I Scene 2: My ice‐cream’s so cold It burns! [Ice‐Cream Seller]0:573Brundibar (Bumble‐bee) [Sung in English], Act I Scene 3: Gather round the ice‐cream seller [Windows, Baker, Milkman]0:584Brundibar (Bumble‐bee) [Sung in English], Act I Scene 4: Hey milkman ring your bell [Windows, Pepicek, Aninku, Milkman]1:245Brundibar (Bumble‐bee) [Sung in English], Act I Scene 5: Everything in life costs money [Policeman, Aninku, Pepicek]0:466Brundibar (Bumble‐bee) [Sung in English], Act I Scene 6: Look at the people [Aninku, Pepicek, Policeman]1:347Brundibar (Bumble‐bee) [Sung in English], Act I Scene 7: When the winter wind came blowing [Aninku, Pepicek, Milkman, Ice‐Cream Seller, Baker, Brundibar, Policeman]3:598Brundibar (Bumble‐bee) [Sung in English], Act I Scene 8: Little Children, how I hate ’em [Brundibar, Aninku, Pepicek, Sparrow, Cat, Dog]6:339Brundibar (Bumble‐bee) [Sung in English]: Serenade1:1010Brundibar (Bumble‐bee) [Sung in English], Act II Scene 1: One of my tricks [Sparrow, Cat, Dog, Pepicek, Aninku]1:4511Brundibar (Bumble‐bee) [Sung in English], Act II Scene 2: Rooster crows cock‐a‐doo [Aninku, Pepicek, Dog, Cat, Sparrow]0:3412Brundibar (Bumble‐bee) [Sung in English], Act II Scene 3: Marty flings the curtains wide [Windows]0:2713Brundibar (Bumble‐bee) [Sung in English], Act II Scene 4, “the March of the Schoolchildren”: Children Stop [Dog, Cat, Sparrow, Schoolchildren]1:4914Brundibar (Bumble‐bee) [Sung in English], Act II Scene 5: Morning, people, here’s a bargain [Brundibar, Dog, Cat, Aninku, Pepicek, Sparrow]1:2915Brundibar (Bumble‐bee) [Sung in English], Act II Scene 6: In the basement, down below [Aninku, Pepicek, Schoolchildren, Milkman, Brundibar]3:3116Brundibar (Bumble‐bee) [Sung in English], Act II Scene 7: Trombone and kettle drum! [All]2:3817Overture for Small Orchestra5:3218I Never Saw Another Butterfly: No. 1, The Butterfly5:1319I Never Saw Another Butterfly: No. 2, Yes, That’s the Way Things Are1:4920I Never Saw Another Butterfly: No. 3, Birdsong3:2421I Never Saw Another Butterfly: No. 4, The Garden2:2322I Never Saw Another Butterfly: No. 5, Man Proposes, God Disposes0:4623I Never Saw Another Butterfly: No. 6, The Old House3:03
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put Hans Krása head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 22 | 83.8th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 5 | 78.9th |
| Studio albums | 5 | 84.6th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 8 | 84.1th |
| Recording span (years) | -49 | 6.6th |
| Genres | 4 | 84.7th |
Awards & honours
Where this record comes from
portrait—Wikimedia Commons · Public domain · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hans_Kr%C3%A1sa_%281899-1944%29.jpgaliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/c166761e-97d3-4a13-b207-e86d319d2008discography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/c166761e-97d3-4a13-b207-e86d319d2008core—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q695501genre—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q695501seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Kr%C3%A1sabiography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Kr%C3%A1sa
Why this artist is in the database
- List of composers by name
Tier rule: curated genre/region list
Image: Anonymous Unknown author · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Wikidata: Q695501 · MusicBrainz: c166761e-97d3-4a13-b207-e86d319d2008
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