Swing from Berlin (3) Kurt Widmann - Wenn der Weisse Flieder wieder blüht (1940)

This is another great rendition by Kurt Widmann and his orchestra. The classic "Wenn der weisse Flieder wieder blüht" by Franz Doelle has been completely reworked to fit the elegant style of his orchestra...

The song "Wenn der weisse Flieder wieder blüht", composed by Franz Doelle, was an enormous hit of the 1929 season and was equally popular in France, where it was called "Quand refleuriront les lilas blancs" and recorded by the popular Fred Gouin... In English the song became "When the lilacs bloom again"... In Sweden the song became Zarah Leander's signature tune as she sang "Vill ne se en stjärna?" (Do you want to see a star?) in a musical revue...

It was recorded again by Widmann and his orchestra during the war (1940). At the beginning of this video you will see original sheet music of the French version of the song (from personal collection).

This video shows the city of Berlin in the late 1920s/early 1930s when this song was on everybody's lips and those same streets after 1945 when this song once again became popular it was also at that time that this recording was re-released. In 1953 the song was even used as the title of a movie starring Romy Schneider, her mother Magda Schneider and Willy Fritsch.

Kurt Widmann (1906-54) started his career in 1933 at the Imperator Hotel in Berlin... His quitett and it swing repertoire soon became very popular but also attracted the attention of nazi censors who warned him several times against playing "entartete Musik". He made his first recordings in 1938 and that same year played with his band at the Haus Vaterland, an enormous entertainment complex at the Potsdamer Platz. The would stay there until 1942 when he was drafted into the wehrmacht. He was released due to injuries in 1944 and returned to the partially destroyed Haus Vaterland which know housed soldiers on their way to the front. There - in front of an enthusiastic crowd - Widmann played pure swing music - even forbidden titels... This time the censors closed their eyes... After the war Widmann formed a band and entertained American troops. He started started recording again as soon as 1946... He died of a brain hemorrhage in 1954. He was the only German bandleader whose life was the subject of a biographical movie : "Musik im Blut", released in 1955.

For other great Widmann recordings from my channel :

Warum, Weshalb, Wieso?
   • Видео  

Woran liegt's, dass ich Dir nicht gefalle?
   • Swing from Berlin (1) Kurt Widmann - Woran...  

For another Kurt Widmann recording (with Rudi Schuricke) :
   • Swing from Berlin (1) Kurt Widmann - Woran...  

About the record :

Imperial 17342 /mx. Kc28301

Thanks to Dairyman716 for the info concerning recording dates for the Imperial/Kristall Label.
This is a post-war re-release (white label).
Another great flea market find

Transferred without modification.

Sound equipment used :
Shure M78S Cartridge & N78S stylus
Turntable : Stanton T.90
TerraTec 78RPM Phono Pre-amp

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