The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #115035   Message #2460867
Posted By: Piers Plowman
09-Oct-08 - 04:37 AM
Thread Name: Origins: Tamerlan (German song, 1920s)
Subject: RE: Origins: Tamalan (sp?), German song, 1920s
Gulliver wrote:
"[...] and from Brecht, Tucholski or similar."

ARRGGGHHHH!!! Like Tucholsky a lot, not that keen on Brecht, although I like some of his work.

I have the music in a book of Tucholsky songs. It may still be in print. The music is by Rudolf Nelson. I have a recording of it on a CD of historical recordings of Tucholsky songs --- but only as an instrumental by a "Kunstpfeiffer", i.e., an "artistic whistler". I'd quite like to be a "Kunstpfeiffer", but I'm not sure my neighbours would put up with the practicing. The CD may also still be available.

I'm trying to think of the name of the cabaret performer (and owner !) for whom it was written, but it escapes my mind at the moment. I can look it up when I get home.

There's also a book of music by Friedrich Hollaender for Max Reinhardt's cabaret "Schall und Rauch" ("Noise and Smoke", which means more-or-less the same as "Sound and Fury", i.e., "signifying nothing"), some of which have lyrics by Tucholsky. I'm not sure whether he used his own name for any; Theobald Tiger was one of his several pseudonyms. I highly recommend this book and it may well still be available. I don't know whether Hollaender ("Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuss" == "Falling in Love Again", "See What the Boys in the Backroom Will Have" and many film scores) did the piano arrangements, but some are fairly difficult.

If you or anyone else likes this genre (and not wanting to teach any grandmothers to suck eggs), I'd also like to recommend Erich Kaestner, Claire Waldoff and Otto Reutter. I play and sing a lot of this repertoire, so I'd be glad to Bore for England about it, if required.