Weimar Germany: Mitja Nikisch Orch.-Ich steh' im Schnee,1931

Mitja NIKISCH, pianist (b.1899 in Leipzig, d. 1936).
Son of a world-famous conductor of Hungarian origin, Arthur Nikisch (1855-1922), who in turn of XIX/XX c. conducted the Leipzig, and then the Boston Symphony Orchestras. According to his father's will, Mitja played at first the classical music (in 1923 he recorded Chopin's Valse-A minor on a „Duo-Art" roll), and in 1936 he composed his magnum opus, a 36-minute „Piano Concerto", completed shortly before his death, and dedicated to his wife, Barbara.

Nevertheless, his true love was the hot life of Berlin in 1920s. He established his own band and in 1925 he performed at the 'Admiral-Cafe' the way, that one prominent guitarist of the time, Otto Sachsenhauer commented. as "the best dance band performance ever heard in Berlin". In 1930-1931 they played in Lutherstrasse at "Casanova International Casino", advertised in popular magazines as the "schöensten Tanz-Diele des Kontinents" („the most beautiful dance-spot in Europe"). Onset of the Nazi rule ruined Mitja's world. Unfulfilled as composer and being „disappointment for the family" - he commited a suicide in Venice, in 1936. Only a handful of his recordings can be scarcely found today in the auctions. Even no good photo of his face can be found in the archives.

Composer of this crazy winter-holiday foxtrot is the Polish musician Bronislaw Kaper - who is world-known as author of the 1950s Hollywood evergreen „Hi Li, Hi Lo".

Recording: Tanzorchester Mitja Nikisch, Refrainges.: Paul Dorn - Ich steh' im Schnee und wart' auf Dich (Bronislaw Kaper)(I'm Standing In The Snow/ Waiting For You), Electrola 1931

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Weimar
• Berlin
• cabaret
• 1920s
• Goldene
• Zwanzige
• Jahre
• dance
• band
• Jazz
• Age
• 78s
• schellack

[jd03150]

Grzegorz, you upload a lot of great recordings and I often discover new artists through you, Mitja Nikisch being a classic example. However, what you do better than just about anyone on YT is to include notes that illuminate the artists and add so much to our enjoyment and understanding of this period. Please keep doing what you do so well -- and for which I am most deeply grateful here on the banks of the Dniepr.

[240252]

thank you for your greetings! is there already winter on Dniepr river, or not yet? This Nikish's side is a good hot piece of a good old Berlin dance hit to warm us up these days, eh? Thanks once more! :-)

[svizoable]

Sorry, but Mitja can never be a hungarian name, it is obvious it is a slovenian name. How many hugngarians named Mitja do you know?None. Well, i thought so.

[TheVieuxchat]

You speak about Mitja Nikisch's Piano Concerto, dedicated to his wife Barbara.

Do you know the stage name of that woman, who was a Russian and an operette singer ?

[ismailbyr]

Im now LVL 70, and already have about 75 million coins. I've only been trying to play for two weeks. For those who want to know the way in which I got that far have a look at beatcafeworldXcom (replace X with . )

[jd03150]

Grzegorz, sorry I didn't see your response until today, Jan 2, 2010. I haven't been down to the river -- not far from my home in Kyiv - to check, but if we don't have ice buildup already, the -18C forecast for the next two nights should do it. Not to worry, I plan to stay warm at home, listening to the great music posted by you and others.

[elzuzo267]

At about 1:28 and 2:20 the orchestra plays a little bit of the snow music from the third act of La Boheme.

[parlophonman]

Einmalig!!!

[bostonblakie]

I loved both the music and the excellent vintage skiing theme posters. Straight to favorites. Wooden skis and bear trap bindings, those must have been the days.

[Markink]

Your pictures are excellent [as usual !] - matching at best the winterly theme - though, I remember vaguely members of my family and friends [in Berlin] in the 60's to hear them praising an/the orchester "Nikisch" in the 20's ... though, I think, never before I've got the chance to listen to this band - thank you very much for sharing !