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 network in which the Greek-speaking urban popular song participates, constantly conversing with its co-tenants, is 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”.

Germany, in its current form, is one of the most newly founded states which emerged after the two great wars that changed the world. It was also, by far, the country with the strongest wave of philhellenism during the Greek revolution. It is no coincidence that the first king of the newly established Kingdom of Greece was the Bavarian prince Otto. The relations that developed between the two regions, from the time of the German Confederation, which replaced the former Holy Roman Empire in 1815, were very close. German-raised Greeks occupied key positions in Athens and played a key role in the policy drawn up by the state, both in cultural matters, and, more specifically, in those regarding music. Personalities such as Georgios Nazos, director of the Athens Conservatoire since 1891, and Manolis Kalomoiris, defined the attitude of the Greek intelligentsia and of the public towards the burning matters of the time, such as the “Music Issue”, the “National School”, ecclesiastical music and urban folk-popular realities. Regarding the latter, it is worth noting some entities that crossed the German borders and influenced other places, including Greece: The German operetta and the German cabaret, with Berlin as a reference point, where countless composers are active, including Oscar Strauss. The famous “Buntes Theater” (or “Überbrettl”), which starts its operation in 1901, following the model of the Chat Noir in Paris, is the epicenter of the city’s creative activity. It was from there that a special kind of music developed and was exported. By 1926, Berlin is home to a jazz community numbering 500 members and providing the environment for the mixing of various elements reaching the city even from America, such as, for example, the foxtrot. 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 is not only embedded in this context, but plays a key role in its transformation.

This recording is an adaptation with Greek lyrics of the Leander - Maud duet "Komm' Liebchen wander' mit deinem Leander" from the second act of the three-act operetta "Katja, die Tänzerin", set to music by the German composer Jean Gilbert, pseudonym of Max Winterfeld (Hamburg, February 11, 1879 - Buenos Aires, December 20, 1942), and libretto by Leopold Jacobson and Rudolf Oesterreicher. Regarding the date and place where the operetta premiered, the sources state that it was in Vienna's Johann Strauß-Theater on January 5, 1922 or 1923 (see here and here), or 1923 (see here), or on August 25, 1922 or at Berlin's Neues Operetten-Theater on February 2, 1923.

The libretto was published in 1922, in Berlin, by the Rondo-Verlag publishing house.

The operetta was a great success and was staged, adapted in several languages, in several cities around the world. For example:

On February 17, 1923, it was staged at the Fővárosi Operettszínház (Budapester Operettentheater). in Budapest, under the title "Marinka a táncosnő".

In England, an adaptation of the operetta under the title "Katja the Dancer", with a libretto by Harry Graham and Frederick Lonsdale and lyrics by Harry Graham, was staged on August 4, 1925 at The Princes Theatre in Bradford, on February 21, 1925 at the Gaiety Theatre in London, and from September 7, 1925, to May 8, 1926, for 512 plays, at the Dalys Theatre in London (see here).

In December 1925, it was successfully staged in Sydney (see here).

The following year, and more specifically on October 18, 1926, it premiered at 44th Street in New York under the title "Katja", delivering 112 performances.

In Greece, the operetta was staged for the first time by the Athinaiki Opereta Georgiou Dramali (Athenian Operetta of georgios Dramalis) under the title "Katia i choreftria", on the summer of 1924, at Dionysia theater, in Athens, translated by Vasilis Argyropoulos and under the musical direction of Stefanos Valtetsiotis.

This song became the hit of the operetta and was recorded several times in historical discography. For example:

- "Komm, Liebchen, wander mit deinem Leander", Marek Weber und sein Orcheste, Berlin, February 15, 1923 (Parlophon P 1457-II - 2-6204)
- "Katja: Komm, Liebchen", Nimbs Orkester (Jens Warny),Copenhagen, March 22, 1923 (Gramophone BE 1010 - X1718 & X1732)
- "Leander", George Olsen and His Music, New York, October 29, 1926 (Victor BVE-36882 - 20289-B)
- "Leander", Howard Lanin Orchestra, New York, October 29, 1926 (Columbia W142888 - 804-D)

The German musical score of the song was published in Berlin by the Rondo Verlag publishing house.

The Greek musical score was published in Athens, in 1924, by the Gaitanos - Konstantinidis - Starr publishing house.

Research and text: Leonardos Kounadis and Nikos Ordoulidis