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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 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”.
There was no previous management model in the early period of discography. Each company creates their own networks, something that will allow them to take a dynamic lead in the market. New specialties and professions are created and new data emerge, or the need to update older data, with the most serious being intellectual property. The latter, until then, concerned mostly printed commercial music scores and the publishers’ rights. New small companies are constantly springing up, trying to claim a share of the market, which, sooner or later, takes on global dimensions. They are often bought by larger companies, along with their already recorded repertoires and their existing agreements with agents, producers and musicians. Sooner or later, most of the smaller labels are under the control of a few growing companies. Over the years, and as the recording market becomes more complex, factories-branches are built on all continents. These offices are taken over by local actors who gradually draw up their own policies: they know their markets better. The ever-evolving recording industry proves to be centripetal: the decisions that are taken follow the policies centrally dictated by the managements of the companies and their subsidiaries. This entire environment, this entire layered landscape, becomes even more complex in America. There, “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. The circulation of musicians 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 also plays a key role in its transformation. This time, the network is adjusted in a programmatic manner, under new terms and via new paths.
It should also be noted that, in various cases, often due to the great international success of the songs, the resulting network is extremely complex and contains recordings in countless places, languages and aesthetical frameworks. Finally, we have time and time again stumbled upon songs whose creators were born in a different place, worked in another, and, in the end, met in a third location and created a new work, often inspired by something pre-existing. Undoubtedly, cases of this type demonstrate the complexity regarding the issues of ownership of works, but also the problem of applying national signs to musical creations. One such case is the song "Zigkolo".
This recording is an arrangement with Greek lyrics of the song "Schöner Gigolo, armer Gigolo" composed by the Italian composer Leonello Casucci to German lyrics by Julius Brammer.
The song was first recorded in Berlin on August 22, 1929 by Kurt Mühlhardt and the Tanz-Orchester Dajos Béla, and was released by the label Odeon (Be 8438 - O 11088b).
The song soon became a worldwide hit and was recorded and covered countless times in various forms, languages and locations in discography. For example:
- Tanz-Orchester Dajos Béla - Alfred Strauss, Berlin, October 24, 1929 (Odeon Be 8437-2 - O-11086b), in German
- "Gigolo", Jean Moscopol, Vienna, November 9, 1929 (Gramophone BW 2912-2 - 70-735= AM2485), in Romanian
- "Te szep Gigolo", Mariá Basilides, Budapest, November 18, 1929 (Gramophone BV 771 - AM2509), in Hungarian
- "Smutný Gigolo", Zpivá duetto s. dopr. Homocord Jazz-orkestru, Berlin, 1929 (Homocord H-69038 - D 25925), in Czech
- "Gigolo", Daniele Serra, Milan, March 11, 1930 (Gramophone BM 1525-2 - 100-805 R10339 HN266), in Italian
- "C'est mon gigolo", Damia, Paris, August 1930 (Columbia France WL 2299 - DF-133), in French
- "Piękny gigolo", Tadeusz Faliszewski, Warsaw, 1930 (Syrena-Electro 20771 - 3453), in Polish
- "Just a Gigolo", Louis Armstrong & His Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra, Los Angeles, March 9, 1931 (Okeh W404420 - 41486), in English
- "Pobre Gigoló", Trio Argentino, Barcelona, September 25, 1930 (Gramophone BN 920-2 - AF381), in Spanish
- "Lijepi gigolo", Vlaho Poljetak uz pratnju Edison Bell jazz, Zagreb, 1930 (Edison Bell Radio SZ 1093 - SZ 1601), in Croatian
- Apenas um gigolô, Jaime Redondo, Brazil, 1931 (Columbia 380993 - 22018B), in Portuguese
- "Dumme Gigolo", Gustav Winckler - Will Sorensens Orkester, Denmark, 1952 (Tono 4163 - Z 18172-1), in Danish
- "Gigolo", Hermanos Reyes, Mexico, 195?, (Columbia Mex-1835 - 2219-C), in Spanish
Its presence in the Jazz scene is noteworthy, where it was a source of inspiration for musicians such as Django Reinhardt, Thelonius Monk, Erroll Garner and others.
The song, which is still being recorded to this day (see examples here), was also a reference point in the cinema, as, for example, in the German film "Gigolo. Der schöne, arme Tanzleutnant" (1930), in the American film "Just a gigolo" (1931), as well as in the 1977-78 German film of the same name "Schöner Gigolo, armer Gigolo" where actress Marlen Dietrich performs it. It was also used in the credits of the cartoon film Betty Coop (1932) sung by Irene Bordoni.
It was recorded in Greek historical discography by Petros Epitropakis, Kostas Kontopoulos and Antonis Delendas (present recording).
Research and text: Leonardos Kounadis, George Evangelou 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 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”.
There was no previous management model in the early period of discography. Each company creates their own networks, something that will allow them to take a dynamic lead in the market. New specialties and professions are created and new data emerge, or the need to update older data, with the most serious being intellectual property. The latter, until then, concerned mostly printed commercial music scores and the publishers’ rights. New small companies are constantly springing up, trying to claim a share of the market, which, sooner or later, takes on global dimensions. They are often bought by larger companies, along with their already recorded repertoires and their existing agreements with agents, producers and musicians. Sooner or later, most of the smaller labels are under the control of a few growing companies. Over the years, and as the recording market becomes more complex, factories-branches are built on all continents. These offices are taken over by local actors who gradually draw up their own policies: they know their markets better. The ever-evolving recording industry proves to be centripetal: the decisions that are taken follow the policies centrally dictated by the managements of the companies and their subsidiaries. This entire environment, this entire layered landscape, becomes even more complex in America. There, “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. The circulation of musicians 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 also plays a key role in its transformation. This time, the network is adjusted in a programmatic manner, under new terms and via new paths.
It should also be noted that, in various cases, often due to the great international success of the songs, the resulting network is extremely complex and contains recordings in countless places, languages and aesthetical frameworks. Finally, we have time and time again stumbled upon songs whose creators were born in a different place, worked in another, and, in the end, met in a third location and created a new work, often inspired by something pre-existing. Undoubtedly, cases of this type demonstrate the complexity regarding the issues of ownership of works, but also the problem of applying national signs to musical creations. One such case is the song "Zigkolo".
This recording is an arrangement with Greek lyrics of the song "Schöner Gigolo, armer Gigolo" composed by the Italian composer Leonello Casucci to German lyrics by Julius Brammer.
The song was first recorded in Berlin on August 22, 1929 by Kurt Mühlhardt and the Tanz-Orchester Dajos Béla, and was released by the label Odeon (Be 8438 - O 11088b).
The song soon became a worldwide hit and was recorded and covered countless times in various forms, languages and locations in discography. For example:
- Tanz-Orchester Dajos Béla - Alfred Strauss, Berlin, October 24, 1929 (Odeon Be 8437-2 - O-11086b), in German
- "Gigolo", Jean Moscopol, Vienna, November 9, 1929 (Gramophone BW 2912-2 - 70-735= AM2485), in Romanian
- "Te szep Gigolo", Mariá Basilides, Budapest, November 18, 1929 (Gramophone BV 771 - AM2509), in Hungarian
- "Smutný Gigolo", Zpivá duetto s. dopr. Homocord Jazz-orkestru, Berlin, 1929 (Homocord H-69038 - D 25925), in Czech
- "Gigolo", Daniele Serra, Milan, March 11, 1930 (Gramophone BM 1525-2 - 100-805 R10339 HN266), in Italian
- "C'est mon gigolo", Damia, Paris, August 1930 (Columbia France WL 2299 - DF-133), in French
- "Piękny gigolo", Tadeusz Faliszewski, Warsaw, 1930 (Syrena-Electro 20771 - 3453), in Polish
- "Just a Gigolo", Louis Armstrong & His Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra, Los Angeles, March 9, 1931 (Okeh W404420 - 41486), in English
- "Pobre Gigoló", Trio Argentino, Barcelona, September 25, 1930 (Gramophone BN 920-2 - AF381), in Spanish
- "Lijepi gigolo", Vlaho Poljetak uz pratnju Edison Bell jazz, Zagreb, 1930 (Edison Bell Radio SZ 1093 - SZ 1601), in Croatian
- Apenas um gigolô, Jaime Redondo, Brazil, 1931 (Columbia 380993 - 22018B), in Portuguese
- "Dumme Gigolo", Gustav Winckler - Will Sorensens Orkester, Denmark, 1952 (Tono 4163 - Z 18172-1), in Danish
- "Gigolo", Hermanos Reyes, Mexico, 195?, (Columbia Mex-1835 - 2219-C), in Spanish
Its presence in the Jazz scene is noteworthy, where it was a source of inspiration for musicians such as Django Reinhardt, Thelonius Monk, Erroll Garner and others.
The song, which is still being recorded to this day (see examples here), was also a reference point in the cinema, as, for example, in the German film "Gigolo. Der schöne, arme Tanzleutnant" (1930), in the American film "Just a gigolo" (1931), as well as in the 1977-78 German film of the same name "Schöner Gigolo, armer Gigolo" where actress Marlen Dietrich performs it. It was also used in the credits of the cartoon film Betty Coop (1932) sung by Irene Bordoni.
It was recorded in Greek historical discography by Petros Epitropakis, Kostas Kontopoulos and Antonis Delendas (present recording).
Research and text: Leonardos Kounadis, George Evangelou and Nikos Ordoulidis
© 2019 KOUNADIS ARCHIVE
