Old Polish tango: Jak drogie są wspomnienia, Warsaw 1936

Janusz Popławski, Ork. „Odeon" pod dyr. Jerzego Gerta - Jak drogie są wspomnienia (A. Scher / E.Schlechter) (z filmu „Jadzia"), Odeon 1936
----------------------------------
Janusz POPŁAWSKI -- operetta tenor; one of most popular Polish prewar singers, he was also a very prolific refrainist for Polish „Odeon".
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------­-------------

Alfred (Fred) SCHER -- born 1900 in Złoczów/by Lwów, died 1968 in New York; one of the most talented composers in inter-war Poland, all of his songs were immediately recorded by „Syrena Electro", „Odeon" or „Columbia" becoming „the schlagers" (the immortal tango „Jak gdyby nigdy nic", or the valse-boston „Szkoda" and „Ty i ja" - for one of the last Polish pre-war movies „Amerykańska awantura"). He also wrote soundtracks for the music-comedies („Każdemu wolno kochać", „Książątko"). In 1937 he went to Paris, where he got a job at „Lido" as a pianist. In 1939 he took a part in the defence of France, then he was wounded and interned in the nazi-camp near Koenigsberg. Released - due to his family's efforts - he was sent back to France and to the South, where he recovered in Auch -- writing numerous patriotic songs. He earned his living as a pianist in Marseille, and soon after the war was ended in 1947 he got a prestigeous position as a director of the French Broadcast. Accused for "being a communist" (he sympathised with the French Communist Party) in 1954 he emigrated to USA. Having unsuccessfully tried to establish connections with the emigree Jewish composers' and film makers' circles in Hollywood he ended up in New York, where he was wounded by the street manic, who hit him with a knife. Disabled to write, he died in oblivion in NYC, in 1968.
-----------------------------------

Emanuel SCHLECHTER -- (born 1906 in Lwow, died 1943 in Lwow), poet and author of texts of dozens of interwar Polish hits. He studied the law in Lwow, to become one of the most prolific authors of song texts („schlagworts"). He always very strongly emphasised his Jewish identity. He also sung, and recorded a couple of sides as a peformer, with piano accompaniament. Just before onset of WW II he wrote a few anti-nazi songs for the premiere show of Warsaw cabaret „Ali-Aaba", planned for September 1939. Ofcourse, due to onset of WWII the premiere never came true, and the author ot the anti-Adolf songs was immediately searched for by the nazis. Captured in Lwow, he ended up in the Ghetto. For a while and as much as he was able to, he tried to arrange the „Ghetto artistic life". Finally - he, his wife and their few years old son -- become the victims of the Lwow ghetto annihilation in 1943.
--------------------------------------

Jadwiga SMOSARSKA -- the brightest star among prewar Polish film actresses. „Jadzia"- and her role as a tennis champion - made one of the most charming Polish prewar movie comedies.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Przedwojenna
• Polska
• międzywojenna
• Warszawa
• stare
• piosenki
• przeboje
• filmowe
• Scher
• Schlechter
• Jewish
• culture
• Poland

[dzheger]

Another lovely tango with a fine orchestration and the gleaming voice of Poplawski. Thanks also for the info and the photos. Again, the story of one who got away and one who did't.

[barbcard]

Both lively and lovely. What an ironically sad fate to be wounded by a crazy street person in NY.

[cydag1]

Alfred was my grandfather. He recovered from the attack, but lost some of the use of one hand, which of course, affected his piano playing. He never really made it in the U.S., but it was a series of strokes in the mid-60s that took his spirit and ultimately his life. Cigarettes and chronic bronchitis from his time as a prisoner of war were, no doubt, the causes. He was passionate to a fault. I adored him and still miss him.

[wojt89d]

wspaniałe!

[IWONAiwonakuc]

Jesienne Róże

Jesienne róże, róże smutne herbaciane

Jesienne róże są jak usta twe kochane

Drzewa w purpurze ostatni dają nam schron

A serca biją jak dzwon, na jeden ton.

Jesienne róże szepczą cicho o rozstaniu

Jesienne róże mówią nam o pożegnaniu

I w liści chmurze idziemy przez parku głusz

Jesienne róże więdną już.

[IWONAiwonakuc]

Tak niedawno był maj, byliśmy tak szczęśliwi Uśmiechnięci i tkliwi, któż te dni znów ożywi. Chłodną rękę swą daj, spójrz mi w oczy i powiedz Czy mnie kochasz ja wiem, to jest złudą i snem. Jesienne róże... Ty nie kochasz mnie już tak jak dawniej to było Całą w uczuć swych siłą to się wczoraj skończyło Dzisiaj więdnie wśród róż nasza miłość gorąca Zanim zwiędnie jak kwiat pozwól odejść mi w świat Jesienne róże szepczą cicho o rozstaniu

[voitek11]

@DanteGamma bol'shoie Wam spasibo za tioplyie slova...

[DanteGamma]

КАКАЯ СЛАДКАЯ НОСТАЛЬГИЯ. СПАСИБО ЗА ПРЕКРАСНОЕ ТАНГО НА ВАШЕМ ПРЕКРАСНОМ ИЗЯЩНОМ ПОЛЬСКОМ ЯЗЫКЕ...

[dumowska]

ja mam płytę Odeon janusza Popławskiego na ktorej jest pod pseudonimem Marian Olszewski , myślalem że on tylko na Muzie pod pseudonimem nagrywał, ale na odeonie jest z tow. ork. Gloria"

[saBINka1889]

Jezeli wpiszecie w przeglądarce "Jak cudne są wspomnienia" znajdziecie moją wrzutkę z fragmentem filmu Jadzia, gdzie tą właśnie piosenkę śpiewa Żabczyński. Zapraszam!

[kspm01]

Popławski as refined as ever, great!

[genia106]

Yes... What a great idea! I shall hang it in my private salon in the Principessa. I will be like Countess Olenska in "Age of Innocence"