Between Two Wars: The Art of The Comedian Harmonists

The Comedian Harmonists were one of the great phenomena of twentieth-century European musical entertainment. Nevertheless, they were to be stifled at the height of their success, and forgotten for 50 years.

Berlin, 1928: the heart of a nation racked by massive post-war inflation and unemployment. A city, notwithstanding, so vibrant with creativity that from the bohemian Friedrichsstrasse to the smart Kurfürstendamm there were two dozen concert halls and 35 theaters. Here, in the Grosses Schauspielhaus, Eric Charell's opulent revue Casanova provided the springboard to launch the Comedian Harmonists to stardom. From their very first appearance it was clear that in these five young singers and pianist made an ensemble of hitherto unimagined musical originality, precision, technical elegance, stagecraft and comic timing.

Their repertoire was indeed vast. They crooned German popular songs; they imitated the instruments of the orchestra; they yodeled, whistled and quacked their own comedy hits; they paid stylish tribute to Gluck, Brahms and Offenbach; and, without a trace of sentimentality, they brought to life the great German folk-song heritage.

Program Notes Can Be Downloaded Here

Recorded August 18, 2002 at Calvary Presbyterian Church in San Francisco, with the following performers. 

CHANTICLEER: Matthew Alber, Christopher Fritzsche, Ian Howell, Soprano Jess Antin, Jay White, Philip Wilder, Alto Kevin Baum, Michael Lichtenauer, Matthew Oltman, Tenor Eric Alatorre, David Alan Marshall, Mark Sullivan, Baritone & Bass Joseph H Jennings, Music Director, Piano