Grande Valse from Warsaw: Marta Mirska sings "François"

Marta Mirska - François (Walc)(Adam Karasiński /Andrzej Włast), Pronit c. 1957
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Marta MIRSKA (neé Alicja Nowak) (b.1920 in Warsaw, d. 1991) a Polish singer popular in 1940/50s. She had her first performances shortly before outbreak of World War II. In September 1939 she left Warsaw for Vilno, where she continued public performances. After 1945 she made her first recordings for the "Mewa" (also labelling itself as "Melodje") in Poznań. In her repertoire she had many international jazz hits (e.g. Kiss Me Once, Kiss Me Twice; Give Me Five Minutes More; Besame Mucho). This, and her fascinating low voice very much like Léo Marjanes, or some of German film stars of the 1930s (Greta Keller, Hilde Hildebrandt, Zarah Leander) - made her one of most popular female singers in Poland in the first postwar years, before Stalinism was installed in 1948. Nevertheless - due to her great popularity - she continued singing and recording in 1950s. She was the first performer of one of the most popular Polsh tangos after 1945: "Pierwszy siwy włos" (The First Grey Hair). She retired in the mid 1960s.

NOTE: The internationally famous waltz „François" was composed in 1930s by Adam Karasiński, father of the composer and director of one of best dance jazz-orchestras in prewar Warsaw, Zygmunt Karasiński. "François" was sung and recorded in 1935 by the singer and film actress, Tola Mankiewiczówna. The lovely, poetical text was written by Andrzej Włast: it is a nostalgic sigh for the „good old times, for the coiffeurs, exuberant fashions, sophisticated manners, tenderness and charme. The songs first words: „W starych nutach babuni (Among Grandmas Old Sheet Music) as well as the refrains begining verse: „Dawnych wspomnień czar (The Magic of Old Time Memories) have become the popular mots in Polish.

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• Grande
• Valse
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• 1900
• Karasiński
• PRL
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• jazz
• 1950s
• Fifties
• stalinist
• communist
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• 78obr/min

[genia106]

Grzegorz, I love this Grande Valse from Warsaw and you video. I thank you for the last photo of

the HANDSOME and GALANT Aleksander! :-)

ps When you get a chance, check out my first video. :-)

[dzheger]

Lovely tune and charming pictures of the turn-of-the-century when the waltz was a king and the fashion was so extravagant.

[unpeudemode]

Piękne, dziękuję :) Ale dla mnie Francois to zawsze będzie Fogg :)

[kspm01]

Delightful.

[tiarabozen]

Dziękuje

[barbcard]

You're really "going to town" tonight with these many uploads,and I'm happy, as usual, to share the evening with you.