Walter Bransen

Walter Bransen also Walther (* May 6, 1886 in Braunschweig as Walter Abramssohn ; † 1941 in Bloomington , USA) was a physician , violinist and composer . His pseudonyms were Will Rollins, Sam Fox and Karl Wetter.

Life

Bransen was born Walter Abramssohn in Braunschweig in 1886 . After studying medicine, he switched to music in the 1920s and became a student of the Russian-Swiss composer Paul Juon .

He wrote operas and operettas, chamber music and stage music, but also songs and hits , the latter mostly under the stage name "Will Rollins". He worked with well-known lyricists such as Fritz Rotter , Robert Gilbert and Willy Rosen . Bransen published with several Berlin publishers. Popular performers ensured that his pieces, which were played by bands such as Dajos Béla , Otto Dobrindt (“Dobbri”) and Paul Godwin , and performed by singers such as Serge Aranovic, Austin Egen and Leo Monosson , were distributed.

Soon he was also working for the new media gramophone, radio and cinema. For the recently founded Berlin record company Vox he composed a “Vox Fox Trot”, which the Bernard Etté orchestra recorded in January 1925. This company, in whose building in Berlin, the " Vox-Haus ", was also the first German radio station in 1923, led him to radio. From June 1925 he headed the department for instrumental and vocal arts at the "German Hour, Society for Wireless Teaching and Entertainment GmbH" , whose funk orchestra, also from June 1925, was conducted by Bruno Seidler-Winkler .

Together with the dance teacher Walter Carlos , who also worked as a "radio dance teacher " on the new medium of radio, he created the "German dance" DETA in autumn 1927, which was also distributed on records. He works as a film composer in two feature films. The songs from the film I was a student at Heidelberg (Director: Wolfgang Neff . World premiere (DE): July 1, 1927, Berlin, Turmstrasse) was popularized by the German singer Franz Baumann , who also wrote his own texts. Bransen wrote the premiere music for the film The Woman One Longs for (director: Kurt Bernhard . World premiere (DE): April 28, 1929, Berlin, Mozartsaal). Further compositions for the film were provided by Edward Kilenyi and Giuseppe Becce .

Bransen was married to the Polish-born soprano Dorothea Manski. A test recording of a composition by her husband (“Anita-Boston”) at the Berlin company Vox has been recorded, whose text “Baby, dream of me, dream sweet” was written by Karl Brüll.

As a Jewish artist, he saw his existence threatened by the rise of the National Socialists and forced to emigrate; with his wife and daughter Inge he left Germany before the seizure of power in 1933. They went to America on the steamship "Ile de France". His medical training in Germany should have been recognized by Bransen in the USA by taking another exam, which he refused. He preferred to play the violin in the orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where his wife was engaged as a singer.

In America he continued to compose songs. He set poems by Robert Burns and Christina Georgina Rosetti as well as several texts by Thomas Grant Springer. Walter Bransen died in Bloomington, Indiana (USA) in 1941 .

Works

Worldcat names 28 titles from Bransen.

• Stage works:
  • The Theater Count: Operetta in 3 acts. Music v. Walter Bransen. Textbook v. Fritz Lunzer & Felix Körner. Edition: Als Ms. gedr. Berlin, Schlesinger, published in 1921
• Liedschlager (as 'Will Rollins'):
  • Little Susanne (text by Fritz Rotter)
  • I'm having a rendez-vous (with Rene Porges; text by Willy Rosen)
  • Dear, good night. Song (Text: Franz Baumann)
  • Darling, go to the North Sea with me (with Austin Egen, text: Fritz Rotter)
  • All my wealth (text by Fritz Rotter)
  • The violin sings sweetly “Good night”. Tango (with Will Meisel)
  • Why is Walter so smart for his age (Text: Fritz Rotter)

• Liedschlager (as 'Walter Bransen'):
  • Anita. Boston (Text: Karl Brüll)
  • On the green meadow. Foxtrot (with Walter Borchert, text by Fritz Rotter & Otto Stransky)
  • You sunshine of my life. Waltz song
  • Today I only sing for you Valse Boston (Text: Franz Baumann)
  • Dear, good night! Song (Text: Franz Baumann)
  • Wild roses and the sound of a mug. Song (text by Hans Erich Winkler)
  • We live, we love, who knows how long (with Austin Egen, text: Fritz Rotter)

Recordings verified by DNB Musikarchiv

a) for "Will Rollins":

• • My whole wealth / Will Rollins, text: Fritz Rotter. Franz Baumann, tenor, with violin, cello, piano. Tri-Ergon TE1057 [M 339]
  • I'm having a rendezvous / music v. Rene Porges et al. Will Rollins - text by Willy Rosen. Ultraphon A 912 [mx. 16 845]. Alfred Beres with his orchestra. Refrain singing: Leo Emm [d. i. Monosson]
  • The violin sings sweetly "Gut 'Nacht": Tango / Will Rollins - Text: Robert Gilbert. Saxophone Orchestra Dobbri with vocals. Beka B.6773 [mx. 37 561]
  • Sweetly the violin sings "Good Night": Lied / Will Rollins - Text: Robert Gilbert. Serge Aranovic with orchestra under the direction of Kapellmeister O. Dobrindt. Parlophone B.12 121 [mx. 37 929-2]
  • The violin of the night sings sweetly: Tango / Will Rollins. Text: Rob. Gilbert. Tango orchestra Dajos Béla with vocals. Odeon O-11 086 [Be 8428]
  • Why is Walter so smart for his age / Austin Egen & Will Rollins, text by Ms. Rotter. Austin Egen, baritone with piano. Electrola AM 870 [BD 4735-II].
  • Why is Walter so smart for his age: Foxtrot / Will Rollins & Austin Egen - Fritz Rotter. Saxophone Orchestra Dobbri, with vocals. Beka B 6219 [mx. 34 166]
  • Why is Walter so smart for his age? / Music by Austin Egen and Will Rollins - text by F. Rotter. Austin Egen, baritone in German with piano. Electrola Gesellschaft mbH, Nowawes and Berlin, EG 633 [BD 4735-II] (8-42053)
  • Little Susanne: Foxtrot / Will Rollins. Julian Fuhs with his orchestra. Beka B.6155 [mx. 34 011-2]
  • Little Susanne / Will Rollins, Fritz Rotter. Austin Egen, baritone in German with piano. Electrola Gesellschaft mbH, Nowawes and Berlin, EG 584 [BD 4738-II] (8-42049)

b) for "Walter Bransen":

• • Anita. Boston / Walter Bransen. Marek Weber with his artists' band from the Esplanade. Parlophone P.1285 [mx. 2-5693]
  • Today I only sing for you! : Valse Boston / Walter Bransen. Merton Chapel. Beka B.6090 [mx. 33 772]
  • Today I only sing for you! Valse Boston / Walter Bransen. Dajos Béla Orchestra. Odeon O-2090 [Be 6020]
  • Today I sing for you only: Lied and Valse Boston / Walter Bransen. Chapel of the Steiner Brothers. Artiphon Record 2554 [2554]
  • Today I only sing for you! / Walter Bransen. Text: Franz Baumann. Franz Baumann, tenor, accompaniment: piano and Dajos Béla, violin. Odeon O-2082 [Be 5579]
  • Wild roses and mug sound: Lied / Walter Bransen, text by Hans Erich Winkler. Max Kuttner, tenor, with orchestra accompaniment. Hertie Record No.858 [mx. 2767] B28.8.27
  • Wild roses and beaker sound / Walter Bransen - Text: HE Winkler. Franz Baumann, tenor, with violin, cello, piano. Tri-Ergon TE 1060 [mx. 340]
  • Wild roses and beaker sound / Text: Hans Erich Winkler - Music: Walter Bransen. Franz Baumann, tenor, with piano accompaniment: Fritz Redl. Homocord 4-2353 [mx. M 19 304-2] A29.11.27
  • Wild roses and beaker sound / Walter Bransen - E. Winckler. Franz Baumann with instrumental trio. Beka B.6211 [mx. 34 217]
  • Wild roses and mug sound / Erich Winckler, Walter Bransen. Franz Baumann, accompaniment: instrumental trio. Odeon O-2156 [Be 5781]
  • Dear, good night! / Walter Bransen, Franz Baumann. Franz Baumann, tenor with orchestral accompaniment. Homocord 4-2534 [mx. M 19 860]
  • You the sunshine of my life: Waltz song / Walter Bransen. Eugen Transky, tenor, with orchestral accompaniment. Bu-Scha Schallplattenvertriebsges.mbH Berlin p. 42, catalog number 217 [mx. 07325]
  • On the green field: Foxtrot / Walter Bransen & Walter Borchert - Text by Fritz Rotter & Otto Stransky. Saxophone Orchestra Dobbri with vocals. Beka B.6172 [mx. 34 113]

• Art songs in American exile:
  • Music of the spring (poem by Enrico D'Amicis; music by Walter Bransen) Publisher: New York, Sprague-Coleman, © 1938. [8th]
  • When I am dead, my dearest (poem by Christina Rosetti; music by Walter Bransen) Published by New York: Sprague-Coleman, © 1940. Publication: Marian Anderson Collection of Printed Music.
  • The forest trees are sighing. Song for voice and piano (poem by Alice Mattullath; music by Walter Bransen) Published by New York: Sprague-Coleman, © 1940. Publication: Marian Anderson Collection of Printed Music.
  • Peace comes to me. Song for voice and piano (poem by Phylura E. Skalinder; music by Walter Bransen). Published by New York: Sprague-Coleman, © 1940. Publication: Marian Anderson Collection of Printed Music.
  • There shall be music when you come (music: Walter Bransen, lyrics by Bertita Harding) Published by New York: Broadcast Music, Inc., 1941.
    • Has been listed
      • in the concert hall: Dorothy Hodgkin Dorsey presents Lotte Lehmann, prima donna soprano, Metropolitan Opera, Lauritz Melchior, leading tenor, Metropolitan Opera in joint recital, Constitution Hall, Tuesday evening, Nov. 18, 1941 at 8:30 o'clock. Mr. Paul Ulanowsky at the piano for Mme. Lehmann, Mr. Ignace Strasfogel at the piano for Mr. Melchior.
      • on the radio: cf. The Post Radio Highlights: Thursday, Dec. 4 1941 Washington, Eastern Standard Time. 9:30, WOL-America Preferred: Lauritz Melchior, tenor. With Wallenstein's Orchestra: "There Shall Be Music When You Come," Walter Bransen.
      • Record recording: Columbia 17 353-D, published 1942 cf. Yale Universitie's Library

Sound documents (selection)

The documents can all be found on Youtube:

• Today I only sing for you Valse Boston by Walter Bransen, played by the Merton (d. I. Dajos Bela) band. Beka B.6090-II (mx. 33 772) - 1927
• Little Susanne. Foxtrot (Will Rollins). Julian Fuhs with his orchestra. Beka B.6155 (mx. 34 011-2)
• Darling, go to the North Sea with me! (Music by Austin Egen and Will Rollins. Text by F. Rotter) Austin Egen, baritone in German with piano. Electrola EG461 (Mat. BW 934)
• "We live, we love" (Egen and Bransen, text by Fritz Rotter) Austin Egen, baritone in German with piano. Electrola EG461 (Bw 935-II) open. March 28, 1927
• Why is Walter so smart for his age? (Music by Austin Egen and Will Rollins. Text by F. Rotter) Austin Egen, baritone in German with piano. Electrola EG633 (Mat. BD 4735-II.)
• DETA, a German dance by W. Carlos (Walter Bransen) saxophone orchestra. Stradivari Record Electro E 2049 ca.1928
• The violin sings sweetly good night. Tango (Rollins - Gilbert) Paul Godwin dance orchestra with German refraing singing: Leo Monosson. Polydor B 51312 / No. 22 603. Berlin, 1930

literature

• Walter Bransen in The Music Sack (also gives “Dickens: pseudonym” and “White, Constance: pseudonym”)
• Walter Bransen, musician from the Nazi era persecuted by LexM Lexikon
• Walter Bransen (author): Correspondence with Marian Anderson, 1940. Manuscript. Archival materials: in English. Publication: Marian Anderson Papers, ca.1900--1993. Folder 660.
• Patricia Callaway: My Own Voice Teacher. Posted by Patricia Callaway on Sunday, May 22, 2011. Under: Musician's Life, at: Healthy Voice Studio
• Walter Carlos: Funk dance. A text and exercise book for beginners and advanced learners by Walter Carlos, radio dance teacher. 64 p. M. sw / Ill. 17.5 × 12.5 cm, Berlin, undated (approx. 1927)
• Walter Carlos: Funk dance, dance style 1928: A textbook and exercise book for beginners and advanced, specially compiled according to international dance rules for the radio lesson.
• Walter Carlos: The new radio dance book. Practical instructions for the funk dance course 1929/1930. Drawings and cover: Boht. 31 (5) p. Berlin, Verlag Funk-Dienst, 1929. Also available: Dance teaching board Odeon O-11 456 (Be?) Dance teacher Walter Carlos - Dajos Béla dance band: Learn Tango. Learn the slow waltz. Berlin 1931
• Paul Frank and Wilhelm Altmann , Kurzgefasstes Tonkünstler Lexikon: for musicians and friends of music. Founded by Paul Frank. Revised and supplemented by Wilhelm Altmann. Regensburg: Gustave Bosse, 1936 a. ö.
• Rainer E. Lotz (Ed.): (Vox) Artist Discography. Discographic research: Rainer E. Lotz. Database design: Claus Peter Gallenmiller. Online edition
• Rainer E. Lotz: “Please! The new Vox records ”- a brief history of the Vox record and speaking machines A.-G., Berlin-Tiergarten. Online edition
• Evelyne Scherer: “The Rumba War” on the site “Ballroom Dancing in Switzerland” “In the same month a piano reduction of a Rumba was published ... together with a choreographic series of images about the dance by Walter Carlos.”
• Stengel-Gerigk = Stengel, Theo; Gerigk, Herbert (arr.): Lexicon of Jews in Music. With a list of titles of Jewish works. Compiled on behalf of the Reich leadership of the NSDAP on the basis of official, party-officially checked documents. Bernhard Hahnefeld, Berlin 1940. 9 pp., Sp. 11-380, OLn.
• Anton Tantner: Swing and youthful jazz subcultures. In: ZeitRaum. Journal of historical diversity. NF 2. No. 2/1995. Pp. 40-57. Internet publication April 2003,
• Weissweiler, Eva: weed out! : the "Lexicon of Jews in Music" and its murderous consequences. Among employees by Lilli Weissweiler. Dittrich, Cologne 1999. 444 pp.; 21 cm. - Contains pp. 181–375 reprint of: Lexikon der Juden in der Musik, Berlin 1940. - ISBN 3-920862-25-2

Web links

• Literature by and about Walter Bransen in the catalog of the German National Library

Individual evidence

1. ↑ u. a. on the performance of Kleist's Katchen von Heilbronn at the Deutsches Theater Berlin on December 29, 1925, cf. the cast list at kleist.org ( memento of the original from January 10, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. and at dieterleitner.de 
2. ^ Rainer E. Lotz: Brief company history
3. ↑ cf. Vox 01782 Vox-Foxtrot (M: Walter Bransen) in the Discovering Music Archives
4. ↑ cf. Lotz, Rainer E .: Artist Discography (PDF; 2.1 MB).
5. ↑ cf. German Broadcasting Museum [1]
6. ↑ cf. DRA, organization chart of the Berlin radio hour 1926, as of January 1, 1926 (PDF; 178 kB)
7. ↑ cf. his publications 1927-1931
8. ↑ Deta: A German dance by Walter Carlos / Walter Bransen. Performer (s): Dajos Béla dance orchestra. Odeon O-2287 / A 45 268 (Be 6358), cf. the DNB entry
9. ↑ cf. filmportal.de
10. ↑ cf. Label of the Tri-Ergon plate TE1059 I was a student at Heidelberg .
11. ↑ cf. silentera.com “Music score by Edward Kilenyi; song “Stascha” by Giuseppe Becce and Walther Bransen; song “Are you the happiness I longed for” by Giuseppe Becce. “ The film was shown in the USA in 1929 under the title“ Three Loves ”(silent) by Moviegraphs, Inc. A synchronized version for the performance in the USA with music by Edward Kilenyi and Walther Bransen was put into circulation by Associated Cinemas in 1931, cf. marlenedietrich-filme.de
12. ^ A Wagner singer who sang the roles of Sieglinde and Isolde in Bayreuth and Berlin, cf. the memories of Patricia Callaway in [2] , deviating from it [3] , where Walter Bransen is confused with the Swedish music critic Walter Brandon.
13. ↑ cf. Discovering Music Archives
14. ↑ cf. Discovering Music Archives and Lotz, Rainer E .: Vox artist discography (PDF; 2.1 MB): “Vox-Matr. 1118-BB, without order no., Dorothea Manski with piano accompaniment. Probably unpublished test recording, December 9, 1926. (M Walter Bransen [?]) "
15. ↑ cf. Stengel-Gerigk p. 41
16. ↑ Like her mother, she also became a singer, cf. [4] : MANSKI, Dorothée (also Dorothea) [soprano * 1891 Berlin, Germany - † 1967 Atlanta, Georgia, USA], MANSKI, Inge [soprano, mezzo * 1923 Berlin, Germany - † 2001 Chicago, Illinois, USA]
17. ↑ Mrs. Callaway mentions the year 1928
18. ↑ "I think that Inge said they sailed on the SS Île de France and that there were fleas ..." recalls Mrs. Callaway
19. ↑ so the memories of Mrs. Callaway at healthyvoicestudio.com
20. ↑ cf. Evidence at worldcat.org
21. ↑ cf. Obituary in the New York Times Dec 23, 1941, Section OBITUARIES, Page 21, “DR. WALTER BRANSEN; Husband of Dorothea Manski, Former Metropolitan Soprano ”
22. ↑ worldcat.org
23. ↑ worldcat entry
24. ↑ Radiologs 1940 (PDF; 84 kB)
25. ↑ Yale library  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
26. ↑ [5]
27. ↑ [6]
28. ↑ [7]
29. ↑ Googlebooks
30. ↑ Discography (PDF; 2.1 MB)
31. ↑ Company history
32. ↑ Rumba War
33. ↑ here page 45: “Even before the beginning of the Nazi regime, the radio dance teacher Walter Carlos had developed the“ Deta ”, the German dance; After the "seizure of power", dance officials continued their search for alternatives to the wild dances of jazz fans and created, for example, the "Marschfoxtrott" or the "Deutschländer". " (PDF; 428 kB)