Ernst Steffan

Ernst Steffan (* 22 January 1890 in Vienna as Ernst Steiner ; † 26. September 1967 in Berlin ) was an Austrian composer, librettist and conductor.

Life

Ernst Steffan was born in Vienna in 1890. He studied piano with Robert Fischof and composition with Thorton at the Vienna Music Academy . The young music student's favorite composer was Johannes Brahms . In his early compositions, in which he only tried to write "serious music", he pursued this not without success; in fact these works belong to the Brahmsian world of expression.

But it turned out quite differently: Steffan's success story was to become the operetta . In 1914 his first work “Betty”, which he wrote in collaboration with Paul A. Rubens, was premiered at the Dalys Theater in London, followed two years later by the folk piece with music “The young man with his elbows” at the German Art Theater in Berlin.

In 1921 Ernst Steffan went to Berlin. There he experienced his real breakthrough in the same year with the operetta "Das Billiardensouper". Within a short time this piece made its name widely known. The couplet “A sharp wind is blowing on the Kranzler corner” quickly became a hit; after the war it was textually 'modernized' by swapping the 'Kranzler' with the 'Broadway' corner.

Wherever Steffan did not work as a librettist himself, he worked with proven lyricists of his time who could vouch for success: Felix Dörmann , Paul Knepler , Bela Jenbach , Fritz Löhner-Beda , Carl Rössler , Wilhelm Sterk and Alfred Maria Willner .

Six more operettas followed by 1932, the most successful of which was the textual and musical new version of the operetta "Gasparone" by Carl Millöcker , which was performed in 1931 at the Berlin Theater on Nollendorfplatz with a glamorous cast with Leo Slezak , Margarete Pfahl, Michael Bohnen , Willi Stettner and Emmy Sturm and Marianne Winkelstern was premiered, and the "Russian ballad in nine pictures" "Katharina", the premiere of which took place on October 17, 1932 in the theater in the Admiralspalast in Berlin with Gitta Alpár in the title role and the young tenor Hans Rehmann.

The song “I bring dark red roses, beautiful woman”, which he had written with Paul Knepler as an insert for the operetta Gasparone , became a hit that was in the request concert lists until after the Second World War; it has been included in their repertoire by almost all popular entertainment singers, from Karl Schmitt-Walter to Willy Schneider to Wilhelm Strienz and Rudolf Schock .

After the Nazis came to power in 1933, Ernst Steffan left Germany and moved to London, where he lived for 20 years. During this time in exile, Steffan no longer wrote any operettas. It was only after he returned to Germany in 1953 that he dared to try this genre again. On December 31, 1954, the musical comedy “Liebling, I hate you”, his last work for the operetta stage, premiered at the Lessing Theater in Nuremberg .

In addition to his operetta compositions, Ernst Steffan was active in many areas of musical life. He gave singing and piano lessons, wrote texts and also composed film music.

Ernst Steffan died on September 26, 1967 in Berlin. After his death, his ashes were brought back to England by his family.

plant

• The DNB music archive has 77 entries on Steffan, Ernst.
• worldcat.org has 107 entries on Steffan, Ernst.

Operettas

• Betty (London, 1914) (T Adrian Ross; Paul A. Rubens)
• The youth with the elbows (Berlin, 1916) (T Carl Rössler; Ludwig Heller)
• The Billion Souper (Berlin, 1921) (T Alfred Maria Willner; Hans Kottow)
• Agri (Vienna, 1924) (T AM Willner; Wilhelm Sterk)
• Highness Franzl (Vienna, 1924) (T Felix Dörmann)
• Münchhausen (Berlin, 1927) (T Felix Dörmann; Bela Jenbach)
• Toni from Vienna (Berlin, 1931) (T after AM Willner and E. Rubricius, by Ernst Steffan and Paul Knepler)
• Gasparone (Berlin, 1931, new version of Millöcker's operetta) (T Ernst Steffan; Paul Knepler)
• Katharina (Berlin, 1932) (T Fritz Löhner-Beda)
• Darling, I hate you (Nuremberg, 1954) (T Ernst Steffan based on an idea by Viktor Kelemen)

Film music

• The company is getting married (Germany 1930, directed by Carl Wilhelm. Music, musical direction, lyrics: Ernst Steffan) First performance: January 19, 1931, Berlin
• The Robbery of the Sabine Women (Federal Republic of Germany 1953/1954, directed by Kurt Hoffmann, music: Ernst Steffan) World premiere: April 2, 1954, Berlin

Song and dance hits

Publisher: UFA Musikverlage Instrumentation: Gesang und Klavier

• On the Broadway (Kranzler) corner. Onestep from the operetta "The Billion Souper". (T Dr. AM Willner and Hans Kottow) Order no .: UFA12324
• Carmen, oh you're making us great. Schotis españole from the operetta "The Billion Souper". (T Dr. AM Willner and Hans Kottow) Order no .: UFA12325
• You walk past me so strange. Tango (text by A. Rebner). Order no .: UFA12326
• A girl made to measure. Order no .: UFA12327
• Anything is possible in America. Order no .: UFA12328
• Only in Sebastopol. Order no .: UFA12329
• Honey, let yourself communicate. Order no .: UFA12330
• What could be more beautiful. Order no .: UFA12332

Publisher: UFA Musikverlage. Instrumentation: piano

• Shimmy. Order no .: UFA12331

Other music publishers:

• At first you just wish for a moment. Shimmy song from the operetta: "Agri". Beginning of the text: The moment comes when our heart binds. By AM Willner, Wilhelm Sterk and Ernst Steffan; [for] voice and piano. Leipzig: Doblinger, © 1924.
• Lovely kid with blond hair. Song from the operetta "Münchhausen". Text by Felix Dörmann and Bela Jenbach; Music by Ernst Steffan, [Arr. ?] Gustav Blasser; [for voice and piano]. Leipzig: Doblinger, © 1927.
• Toni from Vienna, from it: Walzer (Ernst Steffan; Wolfgang Friebe) Publisher: Berlin-München Dreiklang-Dreimasken Bühnen- und Musikverlag / Crescendo Musikverlag, undated [1931]
• Blonde girls. Foxtrot from the Singspiel "Die Toni aus Wien". Music by Ernst Steffan - text by Ernst Steffan u. Paul Knepler. Dreiklang-Dreimask Bühnen- und Musikverlag / Crescendo Musikverlag, undated [1931]
• Two eyes as beguiling as yours. Slow Fox from the Singspiel "Die Toni aus Wien". Music by Ernst Steffan - text by Ernst Steffan u. Paul Knepler. Dreiklang-Dreimask Bühnen- und Musikverlag / Crescendo Musikverlag, undated [1931]
• I bring dark red roses, beautiful woman. Song from “Gasparone” (Carl Millöcker - Ernst Steffan - Paul Knepler) Felix Bloch Erben GmbH & Co. KG 1932
• He should be your master. Song from the operetta "Gasparone" (Carl Millöcker - Ernst Steffan - Paul Knepler) Felix Bloch Erben GmbH & Co. KG 1932
• Tatjana (be happy, Tatjana). Song from "Katharina". Music: E. Steffan, text: Ms. Loehner. Wiener Boheme-Verlag, 1932
• The girl from the KDW (Ernst Steffan) o. Indication.

Texts

• Sous les toits de Paris (In Paris, in Paris the girls are so cute). Lied and Waltz. German text by Ernst Steffan and Egon Schubert. Music by R. Nazelles, Raoul Moretti; M. Galiardin. From the sound film "Sous les toits de Paris" (F 1930, R René Clair).
• C'est pas comme ça (Without love, life is ...). Song and Fox Trot. German text by Ernst Steffan and Egon Schubert. Music by R. Nazelles, Raoul Moretti; M. Galiardin. From the sound film "Sous les toits de Paris" (F 1930, R René Clair).
• Never look too deep into beautiful eyes. Fox-Trot (Fred Raymond; arr.Fred Ralph; text by Austin Egen and Ernst Steffan).
• A woman shouldn't go to sleep without being kissed. Fox-Trot (Rudolf Nelson, text by Ernst Steffan).
• Why, charming woman, do I love you right now? Tango (Bruno Bauer; Ernst Steffan; Arthur Rebner)
• Abendlied: [D flat major, op. 85, no. 12] Robert Schumann; Raoul Moretti; Text by Ernst Steffan; Egon Schubert [approx. 1930].

Sound documents (selection)

operetta

• I have a check, song from "The youth with the elbow" (E. Steffan): “Beka” orchestra. Beka No. 30 090 (mx. 30 090). September 19, 1916 ( PDF )
• Boss and tipster. Song from "The young man with the elbow" (E. Steffan): “Beka” orchestra. Beka No. 30 091 (mx. 30 091). September 19, 1916 ( PDF )
• At the Kranzler corner. One-Step from “Das Milliardensouper” (E. Steffan): “Beka” orchestra with vocals. Beka No. 31 048 (mx. 31 048). April 6, 1921 ( PDF )

Also on Polyphon-Record 30 512 / 2-27 098 (mx. 206 at) Kapellmeister Stern with his artist band from the Hotel Adlon, Berlin

Also on homocord no. 16 278 orchestra with refraing singing

• Carmen, oh you make us great! Scottish espagnole from “Das Billiardensouper” (E. Steffan) “Beka” orchestra with vocals. Beka No. 30 969 (mx. 30 969). April 23, 1921

Also on Homokord No. 16 279 orchestra with refrain singing

• Lovely child with blond hair - song from the operetta "Münchhausen" / Ernst Steffan / Blasser. Karl Melzer, tenor. On the piano: J. Hoorenmann. Columbia Graphophone Co., DZ 2 (mx. WZ 295, 51 375) - 1927
• A woman on the left hand - Foxtrot from the operetta "Münchhausen" (Ernst Steffan / Felix Dörmann, Béla Jenbach) Orchestra Otto Dobrindt. Beka No. 34 544. January 16, 1928 ( PDF )
• Two eyes as beguiling as yours. Slow-Fox from the Singspiel "Die Toni aus Wien". Music by Ernst Steffan - text by Ernst Steffan u. Paul Knepler. Chamber singer Vera Schwarz with the Odeon artist orchestra, conducted by Dr Weissmann. Odeon O-11 652 a (Be 9506) - 1931 [4] (MP3; 1.3 MB)
• Two eyes as beguiling as yours. Slow-Fox from the Singspiel "Die Toni aus Wien" / music by Ernst Steffan - text by v. Ernst Steffan u. Paul Knepler. Alfred Beres with his orchestra, refrain singing: Leo Emm [d. i. Monosson]. Ultraphon A 935 (mx. 16 849) - May 1931
• Blonde girls. Foxtrot from the Singspiel "Die Toni aus Wien" / music by Ernst Steffan - text by v. Ernst Steffan u. Paul Knepler. Alfred Beres with his orchestra, refrain singing: Leo Emm [d. i. Monosson]. Ultraphon A 935 (mx. 16 846) - May 1931
• Toni from Vienna: Viennese waltz from the Singspiel of the same name / Music: Ernst Steffan. Barnabás von Géczy with his orchestra from the "Esplanade". Parlophone B. 48 010 (mx. 133132)
• "Those were the times". Song using Millöcker's melodies, insert to "Gasparone", by Ernst Steffan, text: Paul Knepler. Chamber singer Leo Slezak with orchestra conducted by v. Kapellmstr. Ernst Hauke. Parlophone B.48 114-I (mx. 133.326) [5]
• I bring dark red roses, beautiful woman. Song from “Gasparone” (Carl Millöcker - Ernst Steffan - Paul Knepler) Chamber singer Karl Schmitt-Walter with orchestra. Telefunken A 1906 (mx. 21 058) - January 1936
• I bring dark red roses, beautiful woman, from "Gasparone" (Millöcker - Steffen [sic!]) Willy Schneider, bass-baritone with orchestra. Polydor 48 018 A - recorded: 1940, released 1949/50.
• Potpourri from "Katharina" (Steffan - Löber [sic!]) Oscar Joost and his orchestra. Crystal No.3309 (C 2248, C 2249) - 1932
• If you love then the sun is shining. Song from "Katharina" (Ernst Steffan - Ms. Löhner). Duet: Gitta Alpar and Hans Rehmann with the orchestra of the theater in the Admiralspalast Berlin, under the direction of the composer Ernst Steffan. Odeon O-11692 a / Be 9993-2. Berlin, 1932. [6]
• Katharina ("Who rules the world") Song from the operetta "Katharina" (Ernst Steffan) Gitta Alpar - vocal and the orchestra of the Admiralspalast Berlin conducted by the composer Ernst Steffan. Odeon O-11 692 b / Be 9995-2, recorded Berlin 1932. [7]
• Red wine. Song from “Katharina” (E. Steffan) Gitta Alpar with choir and orchestra of the theater in the Admiralspalast. Conductor: Ernst Steffan. Odeon O-11 708 a (mx Be 10 021-2)
• I have to hate you Song from “Katharina” (E. Steffan) Hans Rehmann; Orch d. Theater in the Admiralspalast; Conductor: Ernst Steffan. Odeon O-11 708 b (mx Be 10 027-2)
• Tell me a hundred times, tell me a thousand times Tango from "Katharina". Music: E. Steffan, text: Ms. Loehner. Duet: Gitta Alpar u. Hans Rehmann md Orch. D. Theater in the Admiralspalast Unt. Leitg. d. Composer Ernst Steffan. Odeon O-11 694 a (Be 9994-3)
• Tatjana (Freu dich, Tatjana) Song from "Katharina". Music: E. Steffan, text: Ms. Loehner. Gitta Alpar with choir and orchestra of the theater in the Admiralspalast unt. Leitg. d. Composer Ernst Steffan. Odeon O-11 694 b (Be 10 020)

Bat

• The girl from the KdW (E. Steffan) Odeon orchestra with singing. Odeon 312.289 (xBe 3031) - 1922
• A woman shouldn't go to sleep without being kissed, Fox Trot (Nelson - Steffan) Eddy Walis jazz orchestra with refraing singing. Bu-Scha No. 530 (mx. 3549) - 1929 [8]
• Why, charming woman, do I love you right now? Tango (Ernst Steffan, Arthur Rebner); Juan Sassoll [d. i. Llossas] with his tango orchestra; Singing: Walter Jurmann. Ultraphon A 211 (mx. 10 592) - January 1930 [9]
• Why, charming woman, do I love you right now? Tango (B. Bauer) Fred Bird Rhythmicans with Refraingesang Luigi Bernauer. Homocord 4-3437 (H-62 183) without naming Steffan
• Only in Sebastopol! Foxtrot (Ernst Steffan) Weintraub's Syncopators. Up. in the Singakademie zu Berlin. Electrola EG 1484 (mx. BNR 654) - August 1929 [10]
• Never look too deep into beautiful eyes. Fox-Trot (Fred Raymond, arr. Fred Ralph, text by Austin Egen and Ernst Steffan) Weintraub's Syncopators. Refrain vocals: Austin Egen. Up. in the Beethoven Hall in Berlin. Electrola EG1484 (mx. BLR 5539) - August 1929 [11]
• The trees are not only blooming again in the Prater. Waltz song (Ernst Steffan) Vera Schwarz with orchestral accompaniment, conducted by Dr. Weissmann. Odeon A 161.104 (Be 8852) [12] - 1930
• Without love, life is like a car without petrol (C'est pas comme ça). Fox-Trot ad sound film “Under the Roofs of Paris” (Moretti-Nazelles, German text by Steffan & Schubert) Paul Godwin with his artist ensemble, Refraingesang Leo Monosson. Gramophone 23 478 (mx. 1104 BT-IV)
• In Paris, in Paris, the girls are so cute. Valse (Moretti, Steffan, Schubert) from dto. Paul Godwin with his artist ensemble, Refraingesang Leo Monosson. Gramophone 23 478 (mx. 1105 BT-IV) - 1930

Re-releases

• LP analog, 33 1/3 rpm, stereo .; 12 in .: Gitta Alpar: her great film and operetta successes.

(Gitta Alpar; Paul Abraham; Franz Lehár; Ernst Steffan) Series: Golden memories. Published by München: Top Classic Historia, 1969. contains: Katharina! from “Katharina” / Ernst Steffan

• LP analog, 33 1/3 rpm, mono .; 12 in. Gitta Alpar. Volume II (Gitta Alpar; Richard Tauber; Hans Rehmann; Franz von Suppè; Emmerich Kálmán) Series: Famous voices of the past. Published by Canada: Rococo, [197-?]

contains: Katharina !; If you love then the sun shines (duet with Hans Rehmann) from “Katharina” / Ernst Steffan

• LP analog, 33 1/3 rpm, mono .; 12 in. Richard Tauber, Vera Schwarz sing popular operetta and film melodies. Published by West Germany: Dacapo, [197-?]

contains: The trees are not only in bloom again in the Prater / Ernst Steffan.

• Music CD From opera and operetta (Anni Frind: Georges Bizet; Jacques Offenbach; Engelbert Humperdinck; Carl Zeller) Publisher: [Baton Rouge, La.]: Centaur, 1992.

contains: Potpourri from the operetta "Katharina" / Ernst Steffan

• Music CD Voice for Millions: Rudolf Schock. Published by München: Ariola 610 229 [between 1983 and 1999], Series: Grosse Erchte.

contains: dark red roses: from “Gasparone” / Ernst Steffan, Carl Millöcker; Text by Steffan, Knepler

literature

• Karl Albert: biography Ernst Steffan. In: World of Operetta. 2005, archived from the original on April 7, 2014 . 
• Nils Grosch, Elmar Juchem (ed.): The reception of Broadway musicals in Germany (= publications of the Kurt-Weill-Gesellschaft Dessau, volume 8), 2012. ISBN 978-3-8309-2614-6 , page 27.
• Bernard Grun: The light muse. Cultural history of the operetta . Munich, Langen-Müller 1961. On Steffan cf. P. 440.
• Wolfgang Jansen: In search of the future. On the situation of the operetta in the late twenties . In: Nils Grosch (Hrsg.): Aspects of modern music theater in the Weimar Republic . Münster, Waxmann Verlag 2004. ISBN 3-8309-1427-X , pp. 27-72, on Steffan cf. P. 44.
• Volker Klotz: Operetta. Portrait and manual of an unheard-of art . Kassel, Bärenreiter-Verl. 2004. For Steffan cf. Pp. 399, 531, 548.
• March 1938: Institutionalization of anti-Semitism . All documents from: "Anschluss" 1938. A documentation, ed. v. Documentation archive of the Austrian resistance, Vienna 1988, pp. 555-585. Online (PDF; 275 kB)
• Fred Ritzel (Oldenburg): Beautiful world, you went in fringes. Looking for the authentic German tango . Online (PDF; 791 kB)
• Otto Schneidereit: Berlin how it cries and laughs. Walks through the operetta history of Berlin . Berlin-Ost, Verlag VEB Lied der Zeit 1968. For Steffan cf. Pp. 228-229.
• Ernst Steffan; Antonie Adamberger; Carl Theodor Koerner: Ernst Steffan and his Singspiel "Die Toni aus Wien," etc. (for the premiere of "Die Toni aus Wien" in the production of the Berlin Metropol-Theater) . 8 °. Berlin, 1931.
• Martha Walcher: Carl Millöcker - love and passion of the forgotten composer . Bohmann Verlag, Romana Wegenstein-Rieder, 2011. ISBN 978-3-99015-010-8 . Review by: Kevin Clarke, Operette Research Center Amsterdam v. May 30, 2012 Online .

Individual evidence

1. ^ Birth book of the Israelitische Kultusgemeinde Wien, Volume M, No. 2326 ( facsimile at FamilySearch - free registration required ); see. Civil weddings Budapest VI., 1911, fol. 537 ( facsimile at FamilySearch ); Different dates of birth January 22nd, 1896 or January 2nd, 1890 ( Oesterreichisches Musiklexikon )
2. ↑ Robert Fischof, also Fischhof (1856–1918), Viennese pianist, composer, music teacher
3. ↑ ^{a b c} cf. Karl Albert: biography Ernst Steffan . In: World of Operetta , © 2005
4. ^ A musical play by Frederick Lonsdale and Gladys Unger; lyrics by Adrian Ross and Paul A. Rubens; music by Paul A. Rubens; additional numbers by Ernest Steffan; vocal score. First performance: December 2, 1914, information from Klassika.info
5. ↑ World premiere: September 22, 1916 at the Deutsches Künstlertheater in Berlin with Max Adalbert , Hedy Ury, Adalbert Lieban and Käthe Haack , cf. Klassika.info
6. ↑ The premiere was on April 16, 1921 at the Berlin Theater in Berlin with Ralph Arthur Roberts , Hilde Wörner , Uschi Elleot and Herbert Kieper
7. ↑ cf. Specification at alle-oten.de
8. ↑ Thanks to Ernst Steffan's loving treatment, Gasparone then experienced an incomparable triumphant advance around the world, cf. Gasparone , revision by Ernst Steffan ( memento from February 12, 2013 in the web archive archive.today ) on: vvb.de
9. ^ A Russian ballad in nine pictures by Ludwig Herzer and Ernst Steffan, vocal texts by Fritz Löhner, music by Ernst Steffan, cf. Klassika.info
10. ↑ based on a melody that Millöcker took over from his less successful operetta “Der Vizeadmiral”, cf. Gasparone . Millöcker, Carl: I'll bring dark red roses, beautiful woman. Lied and Boston from the operetta “Gasparone”. Text redesign by Ernst Steffan and Paul Knepler. Musical arrangement by Ernst Steffan. Piano arrangement: Rolf Erans. Berlin, Allegro Theaterverlag c 1932 4 °, 1 leaflet (3 pages), cf. buchfreund.de
11. ↑ As macabre evidence of its continued popularity, it was recently even offered in a karaoke version, cf. amazon.de ( Memento from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ): I bring dark red roses, beautiful woman (Karaoke Version) (Originally Performed By Willy Schneider)
12. ↑ cf. Klassika.info
13. ↑ z. B. the German lyrics to the two hits from René Clair's sound film "Sous les toits de Paris" from 1930, together with Egon Schubert. He also worked with other fellow lyricists such as Austin Egen and Arthur Rebner .
14. ↑ cf. akuma.de
15. ↑ cf. Steffan, Ernst - Operettas ( Memento from January 19, 2013 in the web archive archive.today ) on: comusico.com
16. ↑ Information on filmportal.de
17. ↑ Information on filmportal.de
18. ↑ composer and arranger (1857-1926), cf. [1]
19. ↑ worldcat.org [2] gives only one recording with the "Odeon Orchestra with Refraingesang", but does not name the order or matrix number of the Odeon record. It is also not stated whether the piece is from an operetta by Steffan. This is plate 312.289 (die number xBe 3031) [3] . The KdW refers to the Berlin "Kaufhaus des Westens" opened in 1907, cf. Men in KaDeWe - Berlin Part 3 ( Memento from December 17, 2012 in the web archive archive.today ) on: kakanien.wordpress.com . Quotes from it: The KaDeWe is not an invention of the CIA but more than 100 years old. At that time the “West” did not stand for capitalism: the West, that was the - in 1907 - new districts of Tiergarten, Charlottenburg and Wilmersdorf. The department store was completed in a year, which surprises us at present, and is now said to be the largest department store in continental Europe.
20. ↑ cf. Ritzel (Oldenburg) p. 57, note 18 ( PDF )