Comedian Harmonists
The Comedian Harmonists were an internationally famous, all-male German close harmony ensemble that performed between 1928 and 1934 as one of the most successful musical groups in Europe before World War II. The group consisted of Harry Frommermann (tenor buffo), Asparuh "Ari" Leschnikoff (first tenor), Erich A. Collin (second tenor), Roman Cycowski (baritone), Robert Biberti (bass), and Erwin Bootz (pianist). The hallmark of the Comedian Harmonists was its members' ability to blend their voices together so that the individual singers could appear and disappear back into the vocal texture. Its repertoire was wide, ranging from the folk and classical songs arranged by Frommermann to appealing and witty popular songs of the day by writers such as Peter Igelhoff, Werner R. Heymann and Paul Abraham. |
Birth and Death Data: Born Founded 1927, Died Ceased 1935
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1930 - 1938
Roles Represented in DAHR: Vocal group, arranger
Notes: German close harmony vocal quintet and pianist formed in 1927 and disbanded around 1934, due to Nazi bias against Jewish members of the group. Three singers left Germany and united with new members to form a successor ensemble, also called Comedian Harmonists or Comedy Harmonists. See "Das Meistersextett" for recordings made by a successor group formed by original members remaining in Germany and new members.
See Also: Meistersextett, Das
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gramophone | 0D489 | 10-in. | 8/14/1931 | Das ist die Liebe der Matrosen | Comedian Harmonists | Male vocal quintet, with piano | Vocal group | |
| Gramophone | 0D490 | 10-in. | 8/14/1931 | Wenn der Wind weht über das Meer | Comedian Harmonists | Male vocal quintet, with piano | Vocal group | |
| Gramophone | 0D1093 | 10-in. | 9/12/1932 | Schlaf wohl, du Himmelsknabe | Comedian Harmonists | Male vocal quintet | Vocal group | |
| Gramophone | 0D1094 | 10-in. | 9/12/1932 | Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht | Comedian Harmonists | Male vocal quintet | Vocal group | |
| Gramophone | 0D1512 | 10-in. | 5/11/1933 | Kleiner Mann, was nun? | Comedian Harmonists | Male vocal quintet. with piano | Vocal group | |
| Gramophone | 0D1513 | 10-in. | 5/11/1933 | Was Dein roter Mund im Frühling sagt | Comedian Harmonists | Male vocal quintet. with piano | Vocal group | |
| Gramophone | 0N1759 | 10-in. | 10/5/1933 | So ein Kuss kommt von allein | Comedian Harmonists | Male vocal quintet, with piano | Vocal group | |
| Gramophone | 0D2060 | 10-in. | 4/19/1934 | Mein Herz ruft immer nur nach Dir | Comedian Harmonists | Male vocal quintet, with piano | Vocal group | |
| Gramophone | 0RA2152 | 10-in. | 6/28/1937 | Wenn Matrosen mal an Land gehen | Comedian Harmonists | Male vocal ensemble, with piano | Vocal group | |
| Gramophone | 0RA2273 | 10-in. | 9/15/1937 | Die Juliska aus Budapest | Comedian Harmonists ; Meistersextett | Male vocal ensemble, with piano | Vocal group | |
| Gramophone | 0RA2929 | 10-in. | 5/12/1938 | Muss i' denn, muss i' denn zum Städtelein hinaus | Comedian Harmonists | Male vocal ensemble | Vocal group | |
| Gramophone | 0RA2930 | 10-in. | 5/12/1938 | Am Brunnen vor dem Tore | Comedian Harmonists | Male vocal ensemble | Vocal group | |
| Gramophone | 0RA2970 | 10-in. | 5/23/1938 | Perpetuum Mobile | Meistersextett | Male vocal ensemble, with piano | Vocal group | |
| Gramophone | 0RA2971 | 10-in. | 5/23/1938 | Ungarischer Tanz no. 5 | Meistersextett | Male vocal ensemble, with piano | Vocal group | |
| Gramophone | 0RA3438 | 10-in. | 1938 | Amapola | Comedian Harmonists | Male vocal ensemble | Vocal group | |
| Gramophone | 0RA-3439 | 10-in. | 12/31/1938 | Donkey serenade | Comedian Harmonists | Male vocal ensemble | Vocal group | |
| Gramophone | BLR6108 | 10-in. | 2/26/1930 | Du armes Girl vom Chor | Comedian Harmonists | Male vocal quintet, with piano | Vocal group | |
| Gramophone | BLR6109 | 10-in. | 2/26/1930 | Bin kein Hauptmann, bin kein grosses Tier | Comedian Harmonists | Male vocal quintet, with piano | Vocal group | |
| Columbia (U.K.) | CL5462 | 10-in. | 9/29/1935 | Sous le ciel d'Afrique | Josephine Baker ; Comedian Harmonists | Female vocal solo, with male vocal ensemble and piano | Vocal group, arranger | |
| Columbia (U.K.) | CL5463 | 10-in. | between 9/26/1935 and 12/2/1935 | Espabilate | Josephine Baker | Female vocal solo, with orchestra, piano, and male vocal ensemble | Vocal group, arranger |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Comedian Harmonists," accessed April 18, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105637.
Comedian Harmonists. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105637.
"Comedian Harmonists." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 18 April 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Comedian Harmonists (Musical group) - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n87813992
Wikidata: Comedian Harmonists - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q708259
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/152531314
MusicBrainz: Comedian Harmonists - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/bd636a8c-00d2-4dc2-b5a8-72658237deb4
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