Paul Abraham & His Orchestra - Good Night,1930

Paul Abraham und sein Orchester - Good Night, Engl. Walzer a.d. Operette "Viktoria und ihr Husar", Parlophon 1930 (Germany)

NOTE: Paul ABRAHAM - Born in Hungary as Pál Ábrahám, Abraham was educated at the Budapest Academy of Music and, upon his graduation in 1916, worked to establish himself as a composer of serious art music. His works were heard at major European music festivals, and he gained a reputation as a choral conductor in the world of Hungarian liturgical music. With the dawn of European sound film in 1929 Abraham began scoring German and Hungarian musical films, beginning with Melodie des Herzens (1929, starring Dita Parlo).

Abraham achieved his first success with Viktoria und ihr Husar (Premiere in February 1930 in Budapest; the German premiere was in July 1930 in Leipzig). The charming nonsense song "Mausie" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mR4dNorb4c4 and other hits („Meine Mama war aus Yokohama, aus Paris ist der Papa see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sWnls4FFJ4 , "Ja, so ein Madel, Ungarisches Madel" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWTxptJHoNw , Pardon, Madame or Good Night ) became greatly popular in Germany and abroad (see British version of Meine Mama war aus Yokohama..." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY_jaxJUGyk ) . The story of a German war widow who discovers her husband alive after she has married a rich American touched a strong responsive chord with the German public. Abraham joined forces with librettist Alfred Grünwald for his next hit show, Die Blume von Hawaii (1931) (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CSmoBNOp74 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10jUYIgFO0o).

Abraham scored his final hit with Ball im Savoy (1932), which was made into an English-language musical in Britain in 1936. All of Abraham's popular operettas were made into films, sometimes starring Abraham's own discovery, teenage singing sensation Marta Eggerth (who later collected a few Hollywood successes). Abraham's greatest independent triumph in the German film industry was Die Privatsekretärin (1931) starring Renate Müller. In 1930-33 he also led a popular dance band on phonograph records, but when Hitler took charge, Abraham's entire catalog was deleted and his published music banned.

Fleeing to Hungary, he left the key to a cabinet containing the manuscripts of some 300 unpublished melodies for safekeeping with his butler, but the butler later made use of the manuscripts, selling dozens of Abrahams tunes to the Nazi composers. In Vienna and Hungary, Abraham and Alfred Grünwald continued to produce operettas, the last being Roxy und ihr Wunderteam (1937), but none matched the success of the earlier productions. Shortly before 1939, Abraham travelled to France and then Cuba.
Abraham's years in Cuba are obscure. However, there is evidence that he worked in the Cuban film industry during this time. After the war Abraham moved to New York, but apparently never worked again. Knocked down by his constant flight and lack of success, he falled mentally sick and continued living in various mental institutions.

In postwar Germany, Abraham's music enjoyed a renewal of popularity. After word reached Germany about his sickness, a Paul Abraham Society was founded in Hamburg; in 1956 the group succeeded in raising the funds to transport him from New York. By this time, Abraham's illness was so advanced that he was unable to compose. Abraham died on the operating table during an experimental procedure intended to restore his abilities.

Category:

Music

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• 1920
• 1930
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• Berlin
• Weimar
• Republic
• dance
• band
• tanz
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• Zwanziger
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[dzheger]

Soft and dreamy music and lovely nocturnal illustrations. Thanks for the interesting information.

[240252]

I did not know that absolutely paralyzing detail about Abraham leaving behind in Germany 300 of his songs in his studio - all of them later appropiated by some talent-lacking usurpers who probably build their prosperous careers upon those hits. Who knows how many songs of Zarah Leander, Ilse Werner or other nazi-Sirenes were actually Paul Abraham's? No surprise, on the emigration that thought, day after day reoccuring into his mind must have finally driven him mad.

[240252]

Hi B., see my answers to D. and to Lana. Isn't it another great subject for a short story?

[tango3721]

Grzegorz - this upload is totally breathtaking - Paul Abraham was a genius - his "Ball in Savoy" was unequal in every sense! It's a shame the end of his life was so tragic!!!

[240252]

Thanks Lana, Abraham is, no doubt, one of my favourite composers of XX century in Europe. And only to think, how many of his wonderful songs he left behind in Berlin when fleeing from Nazi Germany, were assumpted by other composers as their own works?!

[barbcard]

I'm awash with nostalgia for what I never actually knew.

What a glorious life: that woman @ 1:08.

[240252]

Yes, the glorious life of one who wears McCallum's silk hosiery! :-)

[lennibernstein]

How lovely! Good old Pal Abraham - wie shön, dass jemand diese Originalaufnahmen gerettet hat!

[240252]

Hello, my MoonManicSister! This is dedicated to you by your MoonManicBrother!

[genia106]

Grzegorz,

This is sooooooo MOONIFICENT!

Love the music and the MOON frames are BRILLIANT!

Merci.