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At the beginning of the 20th century, Europe is living in peace and prosperity. The “Belle Époque” is an outgrowth of previous important historical events and developments. The networks that are created and which evolve funnel both people and their products, tangible and intangible. It is within this multi-layered world that sound recording and sound reproduction is invented. Early record labels send mobile crews literally all over the world to record local musicians. The range of the repertoire is endless. Cosmopolitanism in large urban centers favors polystylisms and polymorphisms. Colonialism, revolutions, conflicts, refugee flows; the theater, cinema, radio, photography, orchestras’ tours, but also circulations in all kinds of commercial channels in a world that evolves dynamically and anisotropically, form a complex network of “centers” and “peripheries” in alternating roles setting musical idioms in motion, both literally and figuratively. The networks in which the Greek-speaking musics participate, constantly conversing with their co-tenants, are magnificent. Discography has already provided important tools in understanding the relationships that developed between “national” repertoires. The result of this ongoing research is “Cosmopolitanism in Greek Historical Discography”.
In any case, the circulation of musics is already a reality before the 20th century with theatrical and musical performances tours, but also with the networks of music publishing houses. Discography was not only embedded in this context, but played a key role in its transformation. In various cases, often due to the great international success of the songs, the network that is finally formed is extremely complex.
It should also be noted that the inextricable relation between music and performing arts is more than vital. The theater (and later the cinema as well) traffics music on its own terms and plays a key role in diffusing it to places that are often far away. It also builds a special network that communicates with discography. Some of the songs written for the plays are often the tip of the spear as regards their popularity.
The song "Kai pefteis kai sikonesai" is a rare - if not unique - case in Greek-speaking discography: the Viennese operetta coexists with the French vaudeville and meets the Athenian revue in a recording made in New York, in 1923, by Goulielmos Mozaras (or Mozaris) with a guitar.
The song of this recording is composed by the adaptation of two foreign songs.
The first (up to 0':45'') is an adaptation with Greek lyrics of the Buffo-Duett Franzi - Lothar "Lehn' deine Wang' an Meine Wang", also known as "Piccolo! Piccolo!", from the second act of three-act Austrian operetta "Ein Walzertraum" ("A Waltz Dream"), set to music by Oscar Straus (Vienna, Austro-Hungarian Empire, March 6, 1870 - Bad Ischl, Austria, January 11, 1954).
The German libretto by Leopold Jacobson (June 30, 1873 or 1878, Czernowitz, Austro-Hungarian Empire, present-day Chernivtsi, Ukraine - February 23, 1943, Theresienstadt Ghetto, present-day Terezín, Czech Republic) and Felix Dörmann (Vienna, Austro-Hungarian Empire, May 29, 1870 - Vienna, 26 October 1928) is based on Hans Müller-Einigen's novella "Nux, der Prinzgemahl", which is included in his book "Buch der Abenteuer" published in 1905 by Fleischel, in Berlin.
The German musical score, for voice and piano, was published in 1907 by L. Doblinger, in Leipzig.
The operetta premiered on March 2, 1907 at the Carltheatre in Vienna. It was a great success and was staged, adapted in several languages, in several cities around the world. For example:
It was presented at the Király Színház in Budapest, under the title "Varázskeringő", on November 26, 1907.
It premiered in the USA at the Chestnut Street Opera House in Philadelphia, on January 6, 1908, and on the 27th of the same month it was presented at the Broadway Theater in New York, completing 111 performances (see here), under the title "A Waltz Dream".
About two months later, on March 7, 1908, it was staged, under the same title, at the Hicks Theater in London (see here).
In France, it was presented under the title "Rêve de valse" on March 3, 1910, at the Théâtre Apollo in Paris.
The operetta was the basis for three motion pictures, two European and one American:
- On December 4, 1918, the Hungarian film "Varázskeringő" begins its screenings
- About seven years later, on December 18, 1925, the German film "Ein Walzertraum", premieres in Berlin movie theaters
- In May 1931, the American film "The Smiling Lieutenant", directed by the German Ernst Lubitsch, would premiere in New York.
The duet "Piccolo! Piccolo!", either in song or in orchestral form, has been recorded several times in historical discography (for performances in Europe see here). For example:
- "Piccolo! Piccolo! tsin, tsin, tsin!", Mizzi Jezel - Richard Waldemar, Carltheatre in Vienna, March 1907 (Odeon Vx 2351 - X 63001 & X 51693). The 1908 tonbild (early synchronized sound film) "Ein Walzertraum: Piccolo", by the German company Deutsche Bioscope GmbH (Berlin), with Dora Kepplinger (?) and Richard Waldemar, was based on this recording.
- "Piccolo - Duett aus Walzertraum", Vally Paak - Richard Waldemar, Vienna, June 1907 (Gramophone 10901u - 2-44208)
- "Piccolo, piccolo, tsin, tsin, tsin", Favorite-Orchester, Berlin, 1907 (Favorite 147-t - 1-13137)
- "Piccolo", Elise Stevenson - Frank C. Stanley, probably Camden, New Jersey, February 11, 1908 (Victor B-5067 -5390 & 16066)
- "A Waltz Dream: Piccolo, piccolo", Charles Capper (whistling), London, 1908 (Gramophone 7848e - 9382)
The operetta, under the title "Oneirodes vals", was presented in Greece during the summer season of 1909 by Giannis Papaioannou’s troupe Elliniki Opereta (Hellenic Operetta) at the Neon Theatro [Neon Theater]. For other Greek performances see here.
In the same period, in the summer of 1909, the Viennese operetta was performed in Athens by two more troupes: one that presented the work at the Arniotis Theater in Italian, and a third version by a Viennese troupe that was staged on June 13-26, 1909 in Faliro (Mamalis, 2019: 68).
The Greek musical score with excerpts from the operetta, among them the duet of the present recording (see here and here on page 14), was published in 1907, in Athens, by Michail Gaitanos.
In Greek historical discography, the duet was recorded in Smyrna (Izmir), in June 1910, by Ioannis Kokkinis and Stella Kokkini (Gramophone 1626y - 3-14136)
The second song, starting at approximately 0':48'', comes, according to the musical score under the title "Asma Lon Tennis" that was published in Athens, in 1910, by the "Music by Mystakidis-Efstathiadis" publishing house, from the annual revue "Panathinaia 1910". The revue, written by Bampis Anninos - Giorgos Tsokopoulos and set to music by Theofrastos Sakellaridis, premiered on July 12, 1910 at the Nea Skini Theater, with M. Kotopouli, T. Lepeniotis, and others. The song was performed in the play by Chrysoula Myrat.
This is, as stated in the above source, an adaptation with Greek lyrics of the French song "Le p'tit frére á Fernand".
According to the French musical score published in 1907, in Paris, by the A. Bosc publishing house, the song comes from the second act of the three-act French vaudeville "Le Coup de Jarnac", written by Henry de Gorsse (Bagnères-de-Luchon, France , March 19, 1868 - Paris, March 7, 1936) and Maurice de Marsan (Bordeaux, France, 1852 - Paris, April 29, 1929) and set to music by Maxime Lyonel. The play premiered at the Théâtre des Folies-Dramatiques in Paris, on March 22, 1907 (see here and here). The Parisian theater has been captured on a postcard of the time, during the period when the play was performed, as can be seen on the marquee of its facade.
It was adapted by Charles Thony and recorded in Paris, in 1907, by the Bosc Bal Tabarin Orchestra, conducted by Auguste Bosc under the title "Le coup de Jarnac - Polka ("Le p'tit frère à Fernand") for Odeon (X-60448).
About two years later, on May 26, 1909, it was recorded in Camden, New Jersey, by the Victor Orchestra under the title "Bold Stroke" (Victor B-8008 - 16343-A).
Charles Thony's adaptation was published on a musical score in 1908, in Paris, by A. Bosc.
A Greek musical score, under the titled "Radada. Polka. Le p’tit frére á Fernand", was also published in Athens, in 1910, by Zozef Veloudios, in his own adaptation.
Judging from the second song, Mozaras’ (or Mozaris’) discography, the lyrical content, and the adaptation of the first song, it probably comes from a so far unidentified revue.
As Aikaterini Diakoumopoulou states (2009: 408) William Mozaris, the performer in this recording, participated in the revue "Lig' ap' ola" presented by Vrysoula Pantopoulou’s troupe at the Maxine Elliot's Theater, in New York, on March 29, 1933. In New York’s Greek newspaper Ethnikos Kiryx (January 26, 1933, p. 5), from where the above information comes, he is referred to as "the popular serenader and guitarist Mr. William Mozaris".
According to an ad in New York’s Greek newspaper Ethnikos Kiryx (March 29, 1933, p. 5), he also appeared in the operetta "Ta koritsia tis Athinas", which was presented, after postponement, on April 2, 1933, at the Lyric Theater by the troupe of the "Elliniki Mousiki Skini" (Greek Music Stage).
One of the few things we know about William Mozaris concerns his appearances with the Athenian Serenaders every weekend since November 12, 1932, at the Minerva restaurant on West 57th Street in New York (Ethnikos Kiryx, November 12, 1932, p. 5).
In America, where this recording took place, the “national” repertoires live a new, parallel life. This situation is not static and, to a large extent, is molded by discography, which attends to and “tunes” the overlapping relationships that have already developed in the “Old World”. Repertoires communicate with each other once again; a familiar and already dynamic condition in Europe.
Research and text: Leonardos Kounadis and Nikos Ordoulidis
At the beginning of the 20th century, Europe is living in peace and prosperity. The “Belle Époque” is an outgrowth of previous important historical events and developments. The networks that are created and which evolve funnel both people and their products, tangible and intangible. It is within this multi-layered world that sound recording and sound reproduction is invented. Early record labels send mobile crews literally all over the world to record local musicians. The range of the repertoire is endless. Cosmopolitanism in large urban centers favors polystylisms and polymorphisms. Colonialism, revolutions, conflicts, refugee flows; the theater, cinema, radio, photography, orchestras’ tours, but also circulations in all kinds of commercial channels in a world that evolves dynamically and anisotropically, form a complex network of “centers” and “peripheries” in alternating roles setting musical idioms in motion, both literally and figuratively. The networks in which the Greek-speaking musics participate, constantly conversing with their co-tenants, are magnificent. Discography has already provided important tools in understanding the relationships that developed between “national” repertoires. The result of this ongoing research is “Cosmopolitanism in Greek Historical Discography”.
In any case, the circulation of musics is already a reality before the 20th century with theatrical and musical performances tours, but also with the networks of music publishing houses. Discography was not only embedded in this context, but played a key role in its transformation. In various cases, often due to the great international success of the songs, the network that is finally formed is extremely complex.
It should also be noted that the inextricable relation between music and performing arts is more than vital. The theater (and later the cinema as well) traffics music on its own terms and plays a key role in diffusing it to places that are often far away. It also builds a special network that communicates with discography. Some of the songs written for the plays are often the tip of the spear as regards their popularity.
The song "Kai pefteis kai sikonesai" is a rare - if not unique - case in Greek-speaking discography: the Viennese operetta coexists with the French vaudeville and meets the Athenian revue in a recording made in New York, in 1923, by Goulielmos Mozaras (or Mozaris) with a guitar.
The song of this recording is composed by the adaptation of two foreign songs.
The first (up to 0':45'') is an adaptation with Greek lyrics of the Buffo-Duett Franzi - Lothar "Lehn' deine Wang' an Meine Wang", also known as "Piccolo! Piccolo!", from the second act of three-act Austrian operetta "Ein Walzertraum" ("A Waltz Dream"), set to music by Oscar Straus (Vienna, Austro-Hungarian Empire, March 6, 1870 - Bad Ischl, Austria, January 11, 1954).
The German libretto by Leopold Jacobson (June 30, 1873 or 1878, Czernowitz, Austro-Hungarian Empire, present-day Chernivtsi, Ukraine - February 23, 1943, Theresienstadt Ghetto, present-day Terezín, Czech Republic) and Felix Dörmann (Vienna, Austro-Hungarian Empire, May 29, 1870 - Vienna, 26 October 1928) is based on Hans Müller-Einigen's novella "Nux, der Prinzgemahl", which is included in his book "Buch der Abenteuer" published in 1905 by Fleischel, in Berlin.
The German musical score, for voice and piano, was published in 1907 by L. Doblinger, in Leipzig.
The operetta premiered on March 2, 1907 at the Carltheatre in Vienna. It was a great success and was staged, adapted in several languages, in several cities around the world. For example:
It was presented at the Király Színház in Budapest, under the title "Varázskeringő", on November 26, 1907.
It premiered in the USA at the Chestnut Street Opera House in Philadelphia, on January 6, 1908, and on the 27th of the same month it was presented at the Broadway Theater in New York, completing 111 performances (see here), under the title "A Waltz Dream".
About two months later, on March 7, 1908, it was staged, under the same title, at the Hicks Theater in London (see here).
In France, it was presented under the title "Rêve de valse" on March 3, 1910, at the Théâtre Apollo in Paris.
The operetta was the basis for three motion pictures, two European and one American:
- On December 4, 1918, the Hungarian film "Varázskeringő" begins its screenings
- About seven years later, on December 18, 1925, the German film "Ein Walzertraum", premieres in Berlin movie theaters
- In May 1931, the American film "The Smiling Lieutenant", directed by the German Ernst Lubitsch, would premiere in New York.
The duet "Piccolo! Piccolo!", either in song or in orchestral form, has been recorded several times in historical discography (for performances in Europe see here). For example:
- "Piccolo! Piccolo! tsin, tsin, tsin!", Mizzi Jezel - Richard Waldemar, Carltheatre in Vienna, March 1907 (Odeon Vx 2351 - X 63001 & X 51693). The 1908 tonbild (early synchronized sound film) "Ein Walzertraum: Piccolo", by the German company Deutsche Bioscope GmbH (Berlin), with Dora Kepplinger (?) and Richard Waldemar, was based on this recording.
- "Piccolo - Duett aus Walzertraum", Vally Paak - Richard Waldemar, Vienna, June 1907 (Gramophone 10901u - 2-44208)
- "Piccolo, piccolo, tsin, tsin, tsin", Favorite-Orchester, Berlin, 1907 (Favorite 147-t - 1-13137)
- "Piccolo", Elise Stevenson - Frank C. Stanley, probably Camden, New Jersey, February 11, 1908 (Victor B-5067 -5390 & 16066)
- "A Waltz Dream: Piccolo, piccolo", Charles Capper (whistling), London, 1908 (Gramophone 7848e - 9382)
The operetta, under the title "Oneirodes vals", was presented in Greece during the summer season of 1909 by Giannis Papaioannou’s troupe Elliniki Opereta (Hellenic Operetta) at the Neon Theatro [Neon Theater]. For other Greek performances see here.
In the same period, in the summer of 1909, the Viennese operetta was performed in Athens by two more troupes: one that presented the work at the Arniotis Theater in Italian, and a third version by a Viennese troupe that was staged on June 13-26, 1909 in Faliro (Mamalis, 2019: 68).
The Greek musical score with excerpts from the operetta, among them the duet of the present recording (see here and here on page 14), was published in 1907, in Athens, by Michail Gaitanos.
In Greek historical discography, the duet was recorded in Smyrna (Izmir), in June 1910, by Ioannis Kokkinis and Stella Kokkini (Gramophone 1626y - 3-14136)
The second song, starting at approximately 0':48'', comes, according to the musical score under the title "Asma Lon Tennis" that was published in Athens, in 1910, by the "Music by Mystakidis-Efstathiadis" publishing house, from the annual revue "Panathinaia 1910". The revue, written by Bampis Anninos - Giorgos Tsokopoulos and set to music by Theofrastos Sakellaridis, premiered on July 12, 1910 at the Nea Skini Theater, with M. Kotopouli, T. Lepeniotis, and others. The song was performed in the play by Chrysoula Myrat.
This is, as stated in the above source, an adaptation with Greek lyrics of the French song "Le p'tit frére á Fernand".
According to the French musical score published in 1907, in Paris, by the A. Bosc publishing house, the song comes from the second act of the three-act French vaudeville "Le Coup de Jarnac", written by Henry de Gorsse (Bagnères-de-Luchon, France , March 19, 1868 - Paris, March 7, 1936) and Maurice de Marsan (Bordeaux, France, 1852 - Paris, April 29, 1929) and set to music by Maxime Lyonel. The play premiered at the Théâtre des Folies-Dramatiques in Paris, on March 22, 1907 (see here and here). The Parisian theater has been captured on a postcard of the time, during the period when the play was performed, as can be seen on the marquee of its facade.
It was adapted by Charles Thony and recorded in Paris, in 1907, by the Bosc Bal Tabarin Orchestra, conducted by Auguste Bosc under the title "Le coup de Jarnac - Polka ("Le p'tit frère à Fernand") for Odeon (X-60448).
About two years later, on May 26, 1909, it was recorded in Camden, New Jersey, by the Victor Orchestra under the title "Bold Stroke" (Victor B-8008 - 16343-A).
Charles Thony's adaptation was published on a musical score in 1908, in Paris, by A. Bosc.
A Greek musical score, under the titled "Radada. Polka. Le p’tit frére á Fernand", was also published in Athens, in 1910, by Zozef Veloudios, in his own adaptation.
Judging from the second song, Mozaras’ (or Mozaris’) discography, the lyrical content, and the adaptation of the first song, it probably comes from a so far unidentified revue.
As Aikaterini Diakoumopoulou states (2009: 408) William Mozaris, the performer in this recording, participated in the revue "Lig' ap' ola" presented by Vrysoula Pantopoulou’s troupe at the Maxine Elliot's Theater, in New York, on March 29, 1933. In New York’s Greek newspaper Ethnikos Kiryx (January 26, 1933, p. 5), from where the above information comes, he is referred to as "the popular serenader and guitarist Mr. William Mozaris".
According to an ad in New York’s Greek newspaper Ethnikos Kiryx (March 29, 1933, p. 5), he also appeared in the operetta "Ta koritsia tis Athinas", which was presented, after postponement, on April 2, 1933, at the Lyric Theater by the troupe of the "Elliniki Mousiki Skini" (Greek Music Stage).
One of the few things we know about William Mozaris concerns his appearances with the Athenian Serenaders every weekend since November 12, 1932, at the Minerva restaurant on West 57th Street in New York (Ethnikos Kiryx, November 12, 1932, p. 5).
In America, where this recording took place, the “national” repertoires live a new, parallel life. This situation is not static and, to a large extent, is molded by discography, which attends to and “tunes” the overlapping relationships that have already developed in the “Old World”. Repertoires communicate with each other once again; a familiar and already dynamic condition in Europe.
Research and text: Leonardos Kounadis and Nikos Ordoulidis
© 2019 KOUNADIS ARCHIVE
