Step back in time with a collection of tunes from one of the most dynamic decades of the 20th century. This collection is not just a set of tunes; it's a portal to an age of jazz clubs, speakeasies, and a generation dancing towards modernity.
8.
Kullak - Grandmother Tells a Ghost-Story (Grossmutter erzahlt ei...
If you've ever been told a ghost story by someone close to you, you'll recognise the creeping feeling of fascination and dread as you listen. This piece captures that atmosphere really well. The composer Theodor Kullak was also known as a great teacher.
The Brazilian tango "Gaúcho" is Chiquinha Gonzaga's most recorded song. It was a song from the burlesque operetta "Zizinha Maxixe" of 1895. The piece is subtitled "Dança do Corta-jaca," literally meaning "cut the jackfruit." It is a Brazilian traditional dance, characterized by energetic individual spins, gymnastic moves, and percussive footwork. The song caused a minor scandal when the First Lady of Brazil, Nair de Teffé, performed it on guitar in public in 1914.
"Over There" is a 1917 song written by George M. Cohan that was popular with the United States military and public during both world wars. It is a patriotic song designed to galvanize American young men to enlist and fight the "Hun." The song is best remembered for a line in its chorus: "The Yanks are coming."
'O surdato 'nnammurato ("The Soldier in Love") was written by Enrico Cannio in 1915 with lyrics by Aniello Califano. The song describes the sadness of a soldier who is fighting at the front during World War I and who pines for his beloved. Originally Cannio's sheet music was published with piano accompaniment, but in recordings, on 78rpm, then LP, Neapolitan standards such as "O surdato" have usually been orchestrated to suit each tenor. The song is used as the anthem of S.S.C. Napoli.
'O surdato 'nnammurato ("The Soldier in Love") was written by Enrico Cannio in 1915 with lyrics by Aniello Califano. The song describes the sadness of a soldier who is fighting at the front during World War I and who pines for his beloved. Originally Cannio's sheet music was published with piano accompaniment, but in recordings, on 78rpm, then LP, Neapolitan standards such as "O surdato" have usually been orchestrated to suit each tenor. The song is used as the anthem of S.S.C. Napoli.
Walter Donaldson's 'Yes Sir, That's My Baby,' with lyrics by Gus Kahn, is a classic song from 1925. It may have been inspired by a child's toy, the composer translating the sounds made by a friend's daughter's mechanical pig into music. There were a number of successful recordings of it made in 1925, with the song being widely covered through the century and beyond.
CHORUS LYRICS: Yes, Sir, That's my Baby, No, Sir, Don't mean "Maybe" Yes, Sir, That's my Baby now. Yes ma'am, we've decided, No ma'am, we won't hide it, Yes, ma'am, you're invited now. By the way, By the way, When we reach the preacher I'll say, Yes Sir, That's my Baby, No, Sir, don't mean "maybe", Yes Sir, That's my Baby now.
If you're looking for a spook-tacular dance that seems to depict a whole host of creatures of the night, this piece is it. Engelmann himself is not so well known today, but he was a hugely prolific composer of educational music. Let's hope his lessons weren't as scary as this!
