Detailed discographic and biographic informations by Jerzy Placzkiewicz

1. Tango dla Ciebie - This Tango Is For You
Adam Aston with Orchestra conducted by Henryk Wars
Music: Zygmunt Karasinski, Lyrics: Andrzej Wlast
Recorded 1933, Warsaw; Catalogue No.: Syrena-Electro 9107, Matrix No.: 23782

2. Zagrajcie mi - Play For Me, Boys
Mieczyslaw Fogg with Orchestra "Syrena-Rekord" conducted by Henryk Gold
Music: Jerzy Rosner, Lyrics: Emanuel Schlechter
Recorded 1937, Warsaw; Catalogue No.: Syrena-Electro 9748, Matrix No.: 27524

3. Stara melodia - An Old Melody
Chór Dana; Music: Mieczyslaw Wróblewski, Lyrics: Waclaw Stepien
Recorded 1937, Warsaw; Catalogue No.: Odeon O. 271361 b, Matrix No.: Wo. 2124

4. Mily - Darling
Hanka Ordonówna and Chór Dana, soloists of theatre "Qui Pro Quo"
Music: Wladyslaw Dan, Lyrics: Hanka Ordonówna
Recorded 1929, Warsaw; Catalogue No.: Odeon O 236008 b, Matrix No.: Wo. 649

5. Ja znam Cie tyle lat - I've Known You For So Many Years
Orchestra "Odeon" conducted by Arcadi Flato, Chorus by Stefan Nowita (Witas)
Music: Józef Haftman, Lyrics: Wrzos
Recorded 1933, Warsaw; Catalogue No.: Odeon O. 236460 a, Matrix No.: Wo. 1376

6. Noc ksiezycowa - Moonlight Night
Chór Juranda; Music: Józef Wilner, Lyrics: Izabella
Recorded 1937, Warsaw; Catalogue No.: Syrena-Electro 9781, Matrix No.: 27685

7. Tamara
Adam Aston and Orchestra conducted by Henryk Wars
Music: Zygmunt Lewandowski, Lyrics: Zbigniew Maciejowski
Recorded 1933, Warsaw; Catalogue No.: Syrena-Electro 9112, Matrix N.: 23802

8. Serce matki - Mother's Heart
Chór Eryana; Music: Zygmunt Karasinski & Szymon Kataszek, Lyrics: Szmaragd
Recorded 1933, Warsaw; Catalogue No.: Columbia DM. 1687 b, Matrix No.: WJ. 350

9. Za jedno male slówko - Just For This One Little Word
Orchestra "Odeon" conducted by Wladyslaw Eigera with a Chorus sung by Tadeusz Faliszewski
Music: Józef Haftman, Lyrics: Mar
Recorded 1932, Warsaw; Catalogue No.: Odeon O. 236346 b; Matrix No.: Wo. 1181

10. Najpiekniejsza signorina - The Most Beautiful Signorina
Kazimierz Krukowski with Orchesta "Syrena-Rekord"
Music: Jerzy Petersburski, Lyrics: Emanuel Schlechter
Recorded 1934, Warsaw; Catalogue No.: Syrena-Electro 9338, Matrix No.: 25245

11. Hispano-Juif (Nie igraj seniorito) - Don't Play With Fire, Senorita
Orchestra "Columbia" conducted by Henryk Gold, with Chorus sung by Adam Winski (Adam Aston)
Music: Wladyslaw Dan, Lyrics: Emanuel Schlechter
Recorded 1932, Warsaw; Catalogue No.: Columbia DM. 1615 b, Matrix No.: WJ. 265

12. Znam Cie ze snów - I've Met You In My Dreams
Adam Aston with Orchestra; Music: Artur Gold, Lyrics: Igo Kranowski
Recorded 1934, Warsaw; Catalogue No.: Syrena-Electro 9276, Matrix No.: 24958

13. Tango brazylijskie - Brasilian Tango
Jerzy Czaplicki with Orchestra conducted by Arcadi Flato
Music: Tadeusz Müller, Lyrics: Krzewinski, Brodzinski
Recorded 1933, Warsaw; Catalogue No.: Odeon O. 236393 a, Matrix No.: Wo. 1264

14. Meksykanskie tango - Mexican Tango
Mieczyslaw Fogg with Orchestra conducted by Henryk Wars
Music: Fred Scher, Lyrics: Andrzej Wlast
Recorded 1934, Warsaw; Catalogue No.: Syrena-Electro 9330, Matrix No.: 25219

15. Mala Wloszka z Milano - A Little Italian Lady From Milano
Janusz Poplawski with Orchestra "Columbia"; Music: Zygmunt Karasinski, Lyrics: Rychter
Recorded 1934, Warsaw; Catalogue No.: Columbia DM. 1917 b, Matrix No.: WJ. 614

16. Granada spi - Granada Is Asleep
Orchestra "Odeon" conducted by Jerzy Gert, Chorus sung by Janusz Poplawski
Music: Jerzy Gert & Ryszard Frank, Lyrics: Zbigniew Drabik
Recorded 1938, Warsaw; Catalogue No.: Odeon O. 271540 a, Matrix No.: Wo. 2466

17. Bez sladu - Without a Trace
Chór Dana; Music: Jerzy Petersburski, Lyrics: Waclaw Stepien
Recorded 1937, Warsaw; Catalogue No.: Odeon O. 271361 b, Matrix No.: Wo. 2124

18. Gdy odejdziesz - When You've Gone Away
Wiera Gran accompanied by Stanislaw Ferszko, piano
Music: Stanislaw Ferszko, Lyrics: Józef Lipski
Recorded 1937, Warsaw; Catalogue No.: Syrena-Electro 9795; Matrix No.: 27780

19. Zludzenie - Illusion
Mieczyslaw Fogg with Orchestra "Syrena-Rekord" conducted by Henryk Gold
Music: Fanny Gordon, Lyrics: Andrzej Wlast
Recorded 1937, Warsaw; Catalogue No.: Syrena-Electro 9707, Matrix No.: 27336

20. Gdy radio w pokoiku gra - When Radio Plays In a Little Room
Orchestra "Odeon", Chorus sung by Albert Harris; Music: Tadeusz Górzynski, Lyrics: Józef Lipski
Recorded 1939, Warsaw; Catalogue No.: Odeon N 45049 a, Matrix No.: Wo. 2502

21. Zegnaj - Farewell
Orchestra "Odeon" conducted by Arcadi Flato, Chorus sung by Stefan Nowita (Witas)
Music: Mieczyslaw Mierzejewski, Lyrics: Brodzinski & Krzewinski
Recorded 1933, Warsaw; Catalogue No.: Odeon O. 236460 b, Matrix No.: Wo. 1378

22. Oh, Donna Clara (Tango Milonga)
Columbia-Tanz-Orchester mit Gesang: Willi Kollo
Music: Jerzy Petersburski, Polish Lyrics: Andrzej Wlast, German Lyrics: Beda
Recorded 1929, Berlin; Catalogue No.: Columbia DW 2001-II, Matrix No.: WR 5

Adam Aston (1902 Warsaw - 1993 London)
Singer of popular music. His pseudonyms for records were: J. Kierski, Adam Winski and Ben-Levi. Baritone type of voice and absolute ear for music. His début took place on the stage of the music hall "Morskie Oko". Adam Aston used to record for a few labels: Syrena-Electro, Odeon, Parlophon, Columbia, Lonora. Within 1930-39 he recorded as much as 900 sides. His speciality were pathetic tangos, slow-foxes and old romances, sung with a deep involvement and awareness of the interesting timbre of the voice. Adam Aston in thirties appeared also in a few musical film comedies. After the outbreak of the war he was evacuated to the East and was performing in Lvov. Later, joined 2nd corps of general Ander's Army. Rest of his life spent on exile - in Italy, South Africa and in United Kingdom.
In early sixties, Adam Aston ventured a sentimental journey to Poland and was singing his old hits in public; made also a few radio recordings of his touching interpretations.
For the present CD I have proposed as much as four recordings of Adam Aston in the rhythm of tango. Three of them - "This Tango Is For You", "Tamara" and "I Know You From My Dreams" have the air of nostalgic, sentimental confessions with an alluring line of melody based on a slower tempo of music. That style was typical for "Syrena-Electro" label and was preferred by their musicians. Different approach is given to the tango "Don't Play With Fire, Senorita" recorded by Aston under his pseudonym A. Winski for Columbia, where Henryk Gold was a musical director. This is a comic tango, which is even suggested by the variant title, travestying the name of a luxury limousine of those years - Hispano-Suiza as well as one of Alexander Wertinsky's old romances of the same title. The song appeared in the musical comedy picture "100 Meters of Love" in 1932.

Mieczyslaw Fogg (1901 Warsaw - 1990 Warsaw)
Singer, soloist. The most popular Polish singer of 20th century, active for more than 50 years. After initial trials in classic repertoire he joined in 1928 a vocal group called Chór Dana which had been just established in Warsaw. Distinctive timbre of voice as well as his pleasing appearance helped Mieczyslaw Fogg to become soon an independent singing artist. As early as 1930 he started to record as a soloist for Odeon and, after one year, for Syrena-Electro label; the latter one engaged him on exclusive terms until the outbreak of WW the 2nd.
Mieczyslaw Fogg gained enormous popularity, as a soloist singer and as a member of Chór Dana, both in his home country and in many countries that he had visited - mostly USA, USSR and Baltic region. Before the war, he had recorded over 1000 sides.
During the war he stayed in Warsaw, singing occasionally in cafes. At that time, he belonged to the Home Army (Polish underground army of the Resistance Movement during the nazi occupation) and joined forces in the Warsaw Uprising in 1944 taking part in numerous concerts for Polish soldiers and civilians. After the war, he went on with his singing successfully for many years.
On the CD, there are three tangos recorded by Fogg for Syrena-Electro. Two of them are - according to intention of their authors - dramatic, both in the air of lyrics and the music, their titles: "Play For Me Boys" and "Illusion". The third one is a song with a more exotic character and is titled "Mexican tango".

Hanka Ordonówna (1902 Warsaw - 1950 Beyruth)
Singer, actress, lyricist, writer. The greatest star of Polish cabaret of interwar period.
Main attraction of theatres Qui Pro Quo, Banda and many others. Mistress of a lyric and characteristic song. Her voice of a small volume but unique timbre, together with faultless diction and articulation added to Ordonka's (popular nickname of the artist) interpretations a unique and charming atmosphere. She first performed (on a screen and a record) probably the most touching Polish song of that period "Love Will Forgive You Everything" composed to the lyrics written by a poet, Julian Tuwim. She had sung many other songs that were also well remembered by generations. Her repertoire was always prepared by the best musicians and writers. And she was the darling of her town, Warsaw.
The years of the war time Ordonówna spent on exile, joining finally 2nd corps of general Ander's Army and devoting her time completely for rescue and care over war victims - Polish orphans and homeless children in the area of Near East and India.
First five years after the war, with recrudescence of the lung disease, she spend - painting pictures and writing a book based on her war ordeals - in Beyruth, where she finally died. She became a symbol of nostalgia for a style and epoch gone by.
The recording of a song "Darling" is re-edited for the first time. It was composed by Wladyslaw Dan after the popular Argentine tango fashion, which is especially audibly accentuated in a phrase of Choir Dana, singing in Spanish language. Polish text was written by Hanka Ordonówna herself. The recording is of high documentary and stylistic value, however, bears signs of use and time.

Stefan Witas (1908 Warsaw)
Singer and soloist of operetta. As a prize-winner of a "Young Singer Competition" in 1932 he was proposed by a prominent company Columbia to make his first recording with a classic repertoire of belcanto. Those first records as well as radio and public performances were from the beginning a success. In 1933, under pseudo Nowita and later Witas-Nowita he joined Odeon company where, with exquisite orchestras directed by Arcadi Flato and Jerzy Gert, used to record stylish songs and popular hits, in polished up and original arrangements. His voice of a characteristic "Napoli" timbre, great musicality as well as inventiveness in interpretation makes Witas's recordings from the thirties fresh and impressive even to-day. During the war, Stefan Witas performed in cafeterias and other public places of a capital city as well as on a secret concerts of Polish music. After the war, he became a very popular soloist of music halls.
I included to the present CD two very little known recordings of melodious tangos made by Witas at the early stage of his artistic career - "I've known you for so many years" and "Farewell". Instrumentation and arrangement in these recordings, performed by Arcadi Flato, seem to be very ingenious. And youthful spontaneity of Witas's voice adds refined range to these melodies.

Tadeusz Faliszewski (1893 Zywiec - 1961 Chicago)
Singer and soloist of operetta. Permanent singer and chorus performer of Syrena-Record recording company. Within 1927- 1939 recorded for them about 1300 numbers. His repertoire and style were varying and versatile: from characteristic numbers up to lyric songs, from classic material to old romances. His pseudonyms for some gramophone labels were Jan Pobóg and Jerzy Nowogródzki. In the between-war time he performed in many music halls in the capital city and in the provinces. During the war, was arrested by Gestapo and kept imprisoned in the Mauthausen concentration camp. The period after the war he spent on an exile, in Italy, United Kingdom and USA, mainly in Polish emigrants circles. Recordings of Faliszewski are characteristic of style and mannerism obligatory in the so called interwar time which may make them attractive still to-day. And in such a style, a recording which I propose for the present , is arranged. It was made for Odeon label where Faliszewski recorded without presenting his name at all. Orchestra is conducted by Wladyslaw Eiger and the tango is called "Just for this one little word". The number seems to be very stylish as well as melodious.

Kazimierz Krukowski (1901 Warsaw - 1984 Warsaw)
Singer, actor, lyricist. As an actor, he became famous for his character parts which resulted even in creating his own stage image called Lopek. Master of humour, monologue and blackout. In the beginning of the career, Krukowski had ambitions to became a singer and trained seriously his voice, the ability the artist took advantage of with interesting effect in his pastiches and humorous sketches. He used to create a type of a funny, seemingly helpless but having his own shrewdness, Jew. Very popular on the scenes of cabarets as well as in film comedies. His vocal interpretations were recorded at Homocord, Columbia and Syrena-Record companies. After the outbreak of the war he continued his artistic career under the Soviet occupation. Later, joined the Polish Army on the East where he made shows and organised so called artistic life. After the war he stayed and made performance - first in United Kingdom and later, in Argentina. He returned to Poland in 1956 - all the time very active. Recording of the tango on the present CD has of course a comic character and is conceived as a pastiche of a "Napoli belcanto". Originally, Kazimierz Krukowski sang this song for the first time in a film comedy "What my husband does at night ?" in 1934. The present record is of the same year.

Jerzy Czaplicki (1902 Warsaw - 1992 Warsaw)
Soloist baritone. The singer endowed with beautiful warm voice of interesting timbre.
Since 1931 he had been a member and a soloist of the Warsaw Opera. Talents of Czaplicki were also well known by a public of many overseas countries. He was that performer of a classic repertoire who indulged every now and then in flirts with popular music and attained good effects in this genre. In 1933, he recorded for Warsaw Odeon a few of popular songs with the orchestra directed by Arcadi Flato who cared for interesting arrangements. One can listen to these recordings of the voice of the prominent artist still with interest and pleasure, despite of poor engineering of those days' recordings.

Janusz Poplawski (1898 Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski - 1971 Gliwice)
Opera and music hall singer. The artist of distinguished and versatile vocal abilities, endowed with a voice of beautiful "sunny" timbre. In twenties, he learned singing and in 1927 was engaged to the Great Theatre, Warsaw, as an opera singer where, as a soloist he was singing until the outbreak of the war. Creation of leading parts did not disturb him to perform serial recordings of popular songs in such companies of that time as Cristal-Electro, Columbia and later - Odeon. When recording popular hits he used to do it also under pseudonyms - Jan Bolesta and Marian Olszewski. During the War he made performances in the overt Warsaw theatres. After the war, as early as in 1945, he recorded first records for still existing in Poland Odeon. He also resumed to perform both in opera and in music halls. In 1953 he moved to Operetta in Gliwice where he took active part in the artistic life nearly until the end of his days.
His old recordings of popular songs preserved and still retains a lot of charm. Janusz Poplawski, by means of his unique voice created the atmosphere - now of radiant joy, then of meditative pensiveness. And these both qualities are presented on the CD: "A Little Lady From Milano", tango in which Poplawski used his radiant timbre and "Granada is Asleep" performed, on the contrary, in a lower and a bit melancholic key.

Wiera (Vera) Gran (1918 Wolomin)
A singer endowed with a unique alto voice of "violoncello" timbre as well as extraordinary intuition in rendering. Her first steps on the artistic path were made in cabaret Paradis in Warsaw in early thirties. First recordings she made in the age of sixteen. Her before-the-war interpretations may be considered as indicative of fully shaped artistic personality. Unfortunately, this prosperous and so early started career was interrupted by the outbreak of the WW the 2nd . The artist crossed the gate of Warsaw ghetto and was well known there as a singer of café Sztuka and Melody Palace until the day of her escape onto the Aryan side of the city. She found a shelter in a village and was hiding herself for three years. After liberation she toured Poland, singing again in many places as well as taking part in radio broadcasts.
In 1950, decided to emigrate and found her home finally in Paris where she performed as a vedette americaine together with Charles Aznavour and Jacques Brel, in most prominent theatres and cabarets of the town. During her overseas tours she made concerts, among others, in Carnaegie Hall and Steinway Hall. Recordings of Wiera Gran made in this period are of a special artistic rank. Yet, her whole after-war life was dramatically overshadowed by rumours regarding her conduct during her stay in the ghetto. The matter which had never been sufficiently proved by accusers, turned out to be the experience painful enough to be used as the main plot of her book, titled "The Relay of Slanderers". On the present CD Wiera Gran sings the meditative song "When You've Gone Away", recorded in 1937, Warsaw. Interpretation which might be called a tango ad libitum. At the piano, composer, Stanislaw Ferszko.

Albert Harris (1911 Warsaw - 1976 USA)
Singer and lyricist. Exquisite interpreter of hits of popular music. He brought into a Polish school of singing of thirties an air of modernness. His way of emission and a delicate style did not have anything in common with a traditional operetta or a vaudeville; it was rather a good example for world-wide tendencies in a new style of singing in those times. After some recording trials in minor studios, he was engaged in 1936 on an exclusive terms by Warsaw Odeon where under the musical direction of Jerzy Gert he was recording his beautifully interpreted songs until the outbreak of the WW 2nd . Since early forties he had been active as an artist on the USSR side where, in 1944, wrote a hit of his life - "A Song of My Warsaw", the number which, at that time, was moving Polish listeners to tears. After the war, he sang again in Poland, although did not make any more recordings. A few years later he decided to escape to the West.
Tango "When Radio Plays in a Little Room" is the latest ever recorded of those which are presented on the CD. It was composed in 1939 and was dedicated by Tadesz Górzynski to the most popular Polish radio speaker in thirties - Joanna Poraska. Musical arrangement was made by Jerzy Gert, artistic director of the Odeon studio.

Chór Dana
The most popular Polish vocal group of revellers. In the beginning they sang as a quintet, later formed quartet. Founded in Autumn of 1928 under guidance of the exquisite musician, Wladyslaw Dan Danilowski and performed until the outbreak of the WW 2nd . In the beginning, the group tried to take the style after Argentine vocal groups. But as soon as 1931 the ensamble worked out their own way of delivery due to inventiveness of their chief as well as their own work and original sound.
Chor Dana performed literally in all regions of the before-war Poland and in most important cabarets and music halls of Warsaw. They also appeared on a silver screen in a few pictures.
Records were made both for Syrena-Electro and Odeon. It would be worth to mention that their interpretations were highly appreciated by such outstanding musicians as Karol Szymanowski and Artur Rubinstein. Danists, as they were shortly called, toured through nearly all countries of Europe and Baltic region. They were receipted as a sensation both at Moscow-Leningrad concerts and in New York, Chicago and Toronto. The scope of their repertoire was very wide: from lyric to characteristic songs, from classic to modern rhythms. Recordings which survived, as well as reviews from their shows in thirties may still confirm the highest level of artistic creation.
I would propose to listen to two tangos recorded in 1937, both of sentimental character: "An Old Melody", the music of which is based on - as it is indicated by composer, Mieczyslaw Wróblewski in the sheet music - an old Caucasian melody and "Without a Trace", great Polish hit of late thirties.

Chór Juranda
Vocal quartet founded in 1932. Its repertoire was mainly based on hits of popular music. Circulation of members of the group was rather high which, in this instance, was to the benefit of the musical level of the quartet: from 1936 they were compared even with Chór Dana. Recordings of Chór Juranda of late thirties are characteristic of very interesting sound and harmony; they were made for Syrena-Electro and Odeon labels. There was a time when the singers specialised their craft also in soldiers and army songs. As a group, they were also engaged, from time to time, as a vocal base for interpretations of distinguished Polish artists - soloists and singers of the between-wars period. After the outbreak of the War, the singers were active on the USSR area and made concerts in many Russian towns. What remained from that period on records, especially vocal paraphrases of classic repertoire made in Russian language, may be still considered as a good piece of work. From records made in Poland, I selected here a moody tango recorded in 1937 - "Moonlight night".

Chór Eryana
Third Polish vocal group of the inter-war times which deserves to be remembered.
It was founded in 1930 in Lvov (Lemberg), in the academic circle of that town. The founder of the group was a young student of Lvov University, Jan Ernst, later distinguished scientist in the field of geography. The earliest recordings of the group were made in 1932 for the label of Syrena-Electro and soon after that they were engaged by Columbia. For that latter firm, Chór Eryana made a great number of recordings which were arranged in an interesting way and had very good sound. The group had certainly their own, individual style and something what could be called a smartness of performance. Gentlemen used to sing popular hits, vocal transcriptions of classic numbers as well as songs belonging to the local repertoire of town Lvov.
However, the most characteristic for the way of their performance and kind of selected material were little vocal stories, fairy tales, composed with a great inventiveness by a leader of the group, Jan Ernst. The group in its first, before-the-war shape, performed and recorded not later than 1937. The recording presented on this CD had a special value: it is one of the most popular Polish songs of 20th century - "Mother's Heart".

All Polish composers of popular music used to write tangos. One can even venture saying that they would rival with each other on the field of the tunefulness of refrains as well as the volume of tango-hits output. The most popular and most beautiful tunes were composed by Zygmunt Karasinski, Jerzy Petersburski, Zygmunt Bialostocki, Henryk Wars, brothers Artur and Henryk Gold, brothers Michal and Stanislaw Ferszko, Fanny Gordon and Wladyslaw Dan. These several names do not exhaust the whole list of creators of Polish popular music of the between-wars period who, with love and fondness, put down the music of their melodies in the rhythm of tango.
However, the music which was composed not only had to find its performer (usually the song was recorded by 3-4 soloists - in different or in similar musical arrangements) but it also had to have proper orchestration and scoring. Finally, conductor might have reached out for his wand. Those tangos which were performed with a special subtlety were conducted - in Syrena-Electro by Henryk Wars, in Columbia by Henryk Gold and in Odeon, first by Arcadi Flato and later, until the outbreak of the War by Jerzy Gert.
The most popular lyricists were Emanuel Schlechter, Jerzy Jurandot and Zenon Friedwald, to mention only these three authors. All of them were absolutely dominated, as far as the number of the written items is concerned, by Andrzej Wlast. Every now and then, the lyrics for tangos were written by well known Polish poets - Julian Tuwim and Marian Hemar.