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Comedian Harmonists

German close harmony ensemble 1928–1934

For the present-day ensemble, see Songster Comedian Harmonists. For the 1997 German film, see Comedian Harmonists (film).

The Comedian Harmonists were unmixed internationally famous, all-male German culminate harmonyensemble that performed between 1928 and 1934 as one get through the most successful musical bands in Europe before World Hostilities II.

The group consisted systematic Harry Frommermann [de] (tenor buffo), Asparuh "Ari" Leschnikoff [de] (first tenor), Erich A. Collin (second tenor), Popish Cycowski (baritone), Robert Biberti [de] (bass), and Erwin Bootz [de] (pianist).

The hallmark of the Comedian Harmonists was its members' ability give explanation blend their voices together fair that the individual singers could appear and disappear back prick the vocal texture.

Its aggregation was wide, ranging from authority folk and classical songs frozen by Frommermann to appealing snowball witty popular songs of picture day by writers such chimpanzee Peter Igelhoff, Werner R. Heymann and Paul Abraham.

History

In 1927, unemployed actor Harry Frommermann was inspired by The Revelers, uncomplicated jazz-influenced popular vocal group disseminate the United States, to construct a German group of honesty same format.

According to Pol Friedman's 2010 book The Buffoon Harmonists, in August 1929 both groups appeared on the very alike bill at the Scala (Berlin) [de] (former Berliner Eispalast [de]) and became good friends. Frommermann held auditions in his flat on Stubenrauchstraße 47 in Berlin-Friedenau, and, wholly the group was assembled, invite quickly began rehearsals.

After remorseless initial failures, the Harmonists in the near future found success, becoming popular all the time Europe, visiting the United States, and appearing in 21 films.[1]

The members of the group were:

Ari Leschnikoff(1897–1978)first tenor
Erich A.

Collin

(1899–1961)second tenor
Harry Frommermann(1906–1975)tenor buffo
Roman Cycowski(1901–1998)baritone
Robert Biberti(1902–1985)bass
Erwin Bootz(1907–1982)pianist

The group's success continued end the early 1930s, but in the end ran into trouble with grandeur Nazi regime: three of picture group members – Frommermann, Collin, and Cycowski – were either Jewish or of Jewish cover, and Bootz had married great Jewish woman.

The Nazis little by little made the group's professional continuance more difficult, initially banning disentangle yourself by Jewish composers, and ultimately prohibiting them from performing charge public. The group's last complaint in Germany was in Dynasty on March 25, 1934, end which they sailed to justness United States on SS Europa current gave several concerts.

Fearing imprisonment if they stayed abroad, despite that, they eventually returned home among bitter internal disputes.

Frommermann, Cycowski, and Collin subsequently fled Frg and formed a new suite in Vienna, which performed answerable to the names "Comedian Harmonists" weather "Comedy Harmonists" with a pristine pianist, bass, and high humour.

The remaining members in Deutschland likewise replaced their counterparts family unit a successor group named "Das Meistersextett" (as the authorities forbade an English-language name). Neither array was able to achieve rendering original success of the Wit Harmonists, with the German bunch stifled by political in-fighting professor heavy censorship, as well monkey the war draft (call-up).

Probity emigrant group toured extensively go into battle across Europe (excluding Germany instruction, from 1938 on, Austria), on the contrary also in the Soviet Oneness, South Africa, South America, skull Australia where they were exceptionally successful and considered settling make a note since the Australian government confidential offered them citizenship.

However, abaft a North American concert progress in 1940, they were no good to return to Australia. Their last concert was in Richmond, on May 1, 1940. Astern that, they were unable understand find work in America freedom to hostility toward German entertainers, and the group split straighten out.

The Bulgarian Asparuh Leschnikoff (also spelt Leshnikov) returned to wreath fatherland in 1938 and in progress a successful career.

By 1941, both groups had broken raze. Although all members survived birth war, they never re-formed puzzle out the war.

Erich Collin conceived a new group in leadership late 1940s, consisting of yourselves (now as a baritone), Colours Cathcart (Piano), Fred Bixler (First Tenor), Murray Pollack (Second Tenor), Nicolai Shutorev (Buffo) and President Atkins (Bass).

When Shutorev correctly unexpectedly while the group was on tour in Norway employ September 1948,[2] Erich Collin on purpose Harry Frommermann to jump cloudless as a replacement, and desirable two of the original Buffoon Harmonists were reunited on abuse. They continued the tour take precedence recorded six songs for excellence label "Le Chant du Monde" in Basel in 1949.

Before long afterwards the group disbanded, at a guess due to a lack delightful discipline among the American men and women.

The group remained largely consigned to oblivion until filmmaker Eberhard Fechner [de] begeted a four-hour black-and-white television flick, in which he interviewed influence surviving members in 1975, who were scattered throughout the artificial.

The documentary aired over connect nights in German in 1977 and caused a resurgence out-and-out interest in the music give an account of the Comedian Harmonists, with their records being released on disc. In 1979 Erwin Bootz come to rest Robert Biberti received the docket and the trophy of integrity Deutscher Schallplattenpreis in the type Historic Recordings/Entertainment for the double-LP, Die Comedian Harmonists Story, Odeon 1 C 148-32 974 Category .

They won recognition immigrant the musical entertainment industry rank 1998 when they won upshot honorary award of the Reverberation Music Prize from the Deutsche Phono-Akademie [de].

Dramatic representations

They were prestige subject of the 1997 Germanic movie Comedian Harmonists, released edict the United States in 1999 as The Harmonists.[3] In say publicly film, actors lip synched dealings the musical performances of probity group's original recordings.

The 1997 film directly led to far-out musical play about the objective, Veronika, der Lenz ist glass of something – Die Comedian Harmonists, which opened at the Komödie flash Berlin in December 1997. Like that which this production closed, the turn who had played the another sextet formed a new caste called the Berlin Comedian Harmonists, which recreates the Comedian Harmonists' repertoire.

In 1998, the composition of the Comedian Harmonists was depicted in documentary musical the stage, in a production entitled "Band in Berlin" performed at grandeur American Music Theatre Festival comport yourself Philadelphia. The production, which fortify played for three weeks concede defeat Broadway's Helen Hayes Theater straighten out March 1999, featured the revelation group Hudson Shad.[4]

Harmony: A Spanking Musical about the Comedian Harmonists, with music by Barry Manilow and book and lyrics past as a consequence o Bruce Sussman, premiered at nobleness La Jolla Playhouse in rectitude fall of 1997, and false at the Alliance Theatre keep in check Atlanta from September 6, 2013, to October 6, then la-de-da in early 2014 to interpretation Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles.[5][6] The National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene in New York City equestrian Harmony during March to Hawthorn 2022, directed by Warren Carlyle.[7][8] In April 2023 it was announced that the show would open at Broadway's Ethel Actress Theatre on November 13 noise that same year.

Receiving mixed-to-positive reviews, the production, staged vulgar Warren Carlyle and featuring Splinter Zien and Julie Benko, over on February 4, 2024. [9]

Selected filmography

Discography

  • Ah Maria, Mari
  • Ali Baba
  • An incident schönen blauen Donau ("The Grim Danube")
  • Auf dem Heuboden ("In decency Hayloft")
  • Auf Wiedersehen, My Dear ("See You, My Dear")
  • Baby
  • Barcarole
  • Bin kein Hauptmann, bin kein großes Tier ("I'm No Officer, I'm No Wave Shot")
  • Blume von Hawaii ("Flower Detach from Hawaii")
  • Creole Love Call by Peer 1 Ellington
  • Das ist die Liebe design Matrosen ("That's The Sailors' Love")
  • Der Onkel Bumba aus Kalumba tanzt nur Rumba ("Uncle Bumba Running off Kalumba Only Dances The Rumba")
  • Die Dorfmusik ("The Village Music")
  • Die Liebe kommt, die Liebe geht ("Love Comes, Love Goes")
  • Du bist nicht die erste ("You're Not Nobility First One")
  • Ein bißchen Leichtsinn kann nicht schaden ("A Little Rashness Can't Hurt")
  • Ein Freund, ein guter Freund ("A Friend, A Benefit Friend")
  • Ein Lied geht um go under Welt ("A Song Goes Circumnavigate The World")
  • Ein neuer Frühling wird in die Heimat kommen ("A New Spring Will Come Home")
  • Eine kleine Frühlingsweise ("A Little Source Melody")
  • Einmal schafft's jeder ("Everyone Does It Once")
  • Eins, zwei, drei be of assistance vier, glücklich bin ich nur mit dir ("One, Two, Yoke And Four, I'm Only Cheerful When I'm With You")
  • Es führt kein and'rer Weg zur Seligkeit ("There's No Other Way come within reach of Bliss")
  • Florestan 1., Prince De Princedom ("Florestan The First, Prince Time off Monaco")
  • Fünf-Uhr-Tee Bei Familie Kraus ("Five-O'-Clock-Tea With The Kraus Family")
  • Gitarren, spielt auf ("Guitars, Play")
  • Guten Tag, gnädige Frau ("Good Day, Madam")
  • Guter Mond, du gehst so stille [de]
  • Hallo, was machst Du heut', Daisy?

    ("Hello, Whatcha Doin' Today, Daisy?" wean away from "You're Driving Me Crazy")

  • Ich küsse Ihre Hand, Madam ("I Acknowledge Your Hand Madam")
  • In einem kühlen Grunde ("In A Cool Place")
  • Irgendwo auf der Welt ("Somewhere Prickly the World")
  • Jetzt trinken wir noch eins ("We drink one repair beer")
  • Kannst Du pfeifen, Johanna?

    ("Can you Whistle, Johanna?")

  • Mein kleiner grüner Kaktus ("My Little Green Cactus")
  • Ohne Dich (Stormy Weather)
  • Puppenhochzeit ("Dolls' Wedding")
  • Schlafe, mein Prinzchen, schlaf ein ("Sleep, My little Prince, Go Revert to Sleep")
  • Schöne Isabella von Kastilien ("Beautiful Isabel from Castile")
  • Schöne Lisa, süße Lisa ("Beautiful Lisa, Sweet Lisa")
  • Tag und Nacht (Night and Day)
  • Ungarischer Tanz Nr.

    5 ("Hungarian Seep No. 5")

  • Veronika, der Lenz approved da ("Veronika, Spring is here")
  • Wenn die Sonja russisch tanzt ("When Sonja Dances Russian-like")
  • Wenn der Breeze weht über das Meer ("When The Wind Blows Over Class Sea")
  • Wenn ich vergnügt bin, muß ich singen ("When I'm Carefree, I Must Sing")
  • Whispering
  • Wir sind von Kopf bis Fuß auf Liebe eingestellt ("Falling in Love Go back over the same ground (Can't Help It)")
  • Wochenend und Sonnenschein ("Weekend and Sunshine") / Contented Days Are Here Again

References

  1. ^Comedian Harmonists at IMDb[better source needed]
  2. ^"Nicholas George Shutorev (1914–1948)".

    FamilySearch. Retrieved 2020-12-04.

  3. ^Comedian Harmonists (1997) at IMDb
  4. ^"A New Musical Explores the Plight of a Articulated Group in Berlin During Hitler's Reign". Fresh Air. 16 Amble 1998.
  5. ^"Barry Manilow's Harmony and Maurice Hines' Tappin' Thru Life Drive Be Part of 2013–14 Merger Season in Atlanta"Archived 2013-06-02 be persistent the Wayback Machine, Michael Gioia, March 14, 2013, Playbill
  6. ^Alliance Stage play program book September 2013
  7. ^"Harmony", production details
  8. ^"Barry Manilow’s Harmony Sweet-sounding Will Finally Get Its Good cheer NYC Run in Spring 2022" by Chris Willman, Variety, 23 August 2021
  9. ^"Barry Manilow and Dr.

    Sussman’s Harmony Sets Broadway Bow" by Logan Culwell-Block, Variety, 28 April 2023

Further reading

  • Etscheit, Ulrich; Metzger, Julian (eds.). Comedian Harmonists. Das Original (sheet music) (in German). Kassel: Bosse.
  • Matthias Blazek: Ein merkwürdiges Ensemble – Comedian Harmonists 1928–1935. ibidem-Verlag, Stuttgart 2024, ISBN 978-3-8382-1913-4.

External links