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In the 1860s, when the American Civil War breaks out with the racist slave trade at stake, North America had already turned into an unprecedented cultural melting pot. In any case, the movement of populations to the “New World” (sometimes forcibly and sometimes voluntarily) and the multinational settlement and colonization was a constant condition that started from the 16th century and defined the history of the continent. In essence, the now post-Civil War presidential confederation of states, the United States of America, is a microcosm of the globe: a “successful Babel”. Naturally, a unique syncretism also dominates in the field of music. The genesis of discography builds a condition that favors conversation and osmosis between the innumerable ethno-cultural groups that make up the population. These processes will lead to the reinterpretation, updating and renewal of old musical trends that arrive in the United States, and, at the same time, to their re-exportation to the “old worlds”, thus setting up a uniquely multi-layered network. Richard Spottswood’s now monumental multi-volume work “Ethnic Music on Records” vividly reflects the extraordinary record production in the USA. This “convergence” of geographical coordinates is often accompanied by another one, the “convergence” of internal cultural “coordinates”. These are the fields of scholar and popular music, which enter into a creative dialogue in a variety of ways, and often introduce in-between and/or new “places”. The contribution of forcibly transported slaves from the African continent to the musical scene of America, and especially their role in the formation of the genres that are now considered as part of the “national music of the USA”, was more than crucial. Folk, country, bluegrass, gospel, blues, soul, jazz, fox trot, rock ‘n roll, charleston, minstrel show, but also symphonic music, waltz, tango, music for the cinema, Italian, Russian, Greek, Hebrew, Spanish-speaking and other idioms are recorded and flood the global record market. In this endless body of recordings, we come across instances where Greek-speaking musicians arrange American songs. This appropriation is twofold: on the one hand are the lyrics, which are now in Greek (often, in fact, they has nothing to do with the original ones), and, on the other hand, the performance practices: different instrumentation, different singing style, often differences in melodic and rhythmic forms and in the harmonies. Greek musicians adapt what they hear to their own condition and aesthetics, based on their own capabilities and needs.
This recording is an orchestral performance of the American song "My Angel" (Angela Mia), set to music by Erno Rapée and lyrics by Lew Pollack.
It was included in the soundtrack of the 1928 American silent film "Street Angel" (watch the film here), both as a title track (in its instrumental version) and as a song (see at 34:20'').
It was first recorded on record on April 21, 1928 in New York by Paul Whiteman's Orchestra with Jack Fulton, Charles Gaylord and Al Rinker singing the chorus’ vocals (Victor BVE-43661 - 21388).
The song was a global hit, has been recorded and arranged many times in historical discography, in various forms, languages and locations. For example:
- "Angela mia", Volpi Leuto, New York, August 20, 1928 (Victor BVE-46919 - 81620)
- "Mein Engel", Teles Longtin, New York, September 1928 (Columbia W109710 - 5263-F)
- "Angela mia", Tito Schipa, Camden, New Jersey, September 10, 1928 (Victor BVE-42936 - 1347)
- "Angela mia", Carlos Mejía, New York, October 12, 1928 (Victor BVE-47563 - 81787)
- "Angela mia (My angel)", Norman Bradshaw, Melbourne, October 1928 (Broadcast BA. 55 - AZ.145X)
- Lilian Davies, London, November 29, 1928 (Gramophone Bb 14671-8 - B2882)
- "Angela mia", Roméo Mousseau, Canada, 1928 (Victor 263555-A)
- "Ângela mia (My Angeline)", Francisco Alves, Rio de Janeiro, 1929 (Parlophone 2156 - 12894-a)
- "Diákszerelem: Angela mia", Sárossy Mihály, Vienna, June 14, 1929 (Gramophone BA 89-2 - 2-272005 AM2136)
- "Angela mia", Tino Folgar, Barcelona, July 12, 1929 (Gramophone BJ 2399-2 - 2-62401 - AA159)
In Greek historical discography, it was recorded by Tetos Dimitriadis, Kostas Kazis, and its instrumental version by the Pathé Orchestra (this recording) was directed by Giorgos Vitalis.
Research and text: Leonardos Kounadis and Nikos Ordoulidis
In the 1860s, when the American Civil War breaks out with the racist slave trade at stake, North America had already turned into an unprecedented cultural melting pot. In any case, the movement of populations to the “New World” (sometimes forcibly and sometimes voluntarily) and the multinational settlement and colonization was a constant condition that started from the 16th century and defined the history of the continent. In essence, the now post-Civil War presidential confederation of states, the United States of America, is a microcosm of the globe: a “successful Babel”. Naturally, a unique syncretism also dominates in the field of music. The genesis of discography builds a condition that favors conversation and osmosis between the innumerable ethno-cultural groups that make up the population. These processes will lead to the reinterpretation, updating and renewal of old musical trends that arrive in the United States, and, at the same time, to their re-exportation to the “old worlds”, thus setting up a uniquely multi-layered network. Richard Spottswood’s now monumental multi-volume work “Ethnic Music on Records” vividly reflects the extraordinary record production in the USA. This “convergence” of geographical coordinates is often accompanied by another one, the “convergence” of internal cultural “coordinates”. These are the fields of scholar and popular music, which enter into a creative dialogue in a variety of ways, and often introduce in-between and/or new “places”. The contribution of forcibly transported slaves from the African continent to the musical scene of America, and especially their role in the formation of the genres that are now considered as part of the “national music of the USA”, was more than crucial. Folk, country, bluegrass, gospel, blues, soul, jazz, fox trot, rock ‘n roll, charleston, minstrel show, but also symphonic music, waltz, tango, music for the cinema, Italian, Russian, Greek, Hebrew, Spanish-speaking and other idioms are recorded and flood the global record market. In this endless body of recordings, we come across instances where Greek-speaking musicians arrange American songs. This appropriation is twofold: on the one hand are the lyrics, which are now in Greek (often, in fact, they has nothing to do with the original ones), and, on the other hand, the performance practices: different instrumentation, different singing style, often differences in melodic and rhythmic forms and in the harmonies. Greek musicians adapt what they hear to their own condition and aesthetics, based on their own capabilities and needs.
This recording is an orchestral performance of the American song "My Angel" (Angela Mia), set to music by Erno Rapée and lyrics by Lew Pollack.
It was included in the soundtrack of the 1928 American silent film "Street Angel" (watch the film here), both as a title track (in its instrumental version) and as a song (see at 34:20'').
It was first recorded on record on April 21, 1928 in New York by Paul Whiteman's Orchestra with Jack Fulton, Charles Gaylord and Al Rinker singing the chorus’ vocals (Victor BVE-43661 - 21388).
The song was a global hit, has been recorded and arranged many times in historical discography, in various forms, languages and locations. For example:
- "Angela mia", Volpi Leuto, New York, August 20, 1928 (Victor BVE-46919 - 81620)
- "Mein Engel", Teles Longtin, New York, September 1928 (Columbia W109710 - 5263-F)
- "Angela mia", Tito Schipa, Camden, New Jersey, September 10, 1928 (Victor BVE-42936 - 1347)
- "Angela mia", Carlos Mejía, New York, October 12, 1928 (Victor BVE-47563 - 81787)
- "Angela mia (My angel)", Norman Bradshaw, Melbourne, October 1928 (Broadcast BA. 55 - AZ.145X)
- Lilian Davies, London, November 29, 1928 (Gramophone Bb 14671-8 - B2882)
- "Angela mia", Roméo Mousseau, Canada, 1928 (Victor 263555-A)
- "Ângela mia (My Angeline)", Francisco Alves, Rio de Janeiro, 1929 (Parlophone 2156 - 12894-a)
- "Diákszerelem: Angela mia", Sárossy Mihály, Vienna, June 14, 1929 (Gramophone BA 89-2 - 2-272005 AM2136)
- "Angela mia", Tino Folgar, Barcelona, July 12, 1929 (Gramophone BJ 2399-2 - 2-62401 - AA159)
In Greek historical discography, it was recorded by Tetos Dimitriadis, Kostas Kazis, and its instrumental version by the Pathé Orchestra (this recording) was directed by Giorgos Vitalis.
Research and text: Leonardos Kounadis and Nikos Ordoulidis
© 2019 KOUNADIS ARCHIVE
