WWII Era Hanns Eisler Anti-Nazi Communist Recordings 3 LP Set
$
62
Favourite Auctions
To save auctions to your favourites, please login
If you don't have an account, please register
Description
You are bidding on an extremely rare set of 3 LPs. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the graphics on the records, and they are just startling. These recordings were recorded by Timely Recordings in New York City, and the singers are the New Singers, accompanied by Marc Blitzstein. The songs were composed by a very famous German composer, Hannsa Eisler, who at the time of the recordings was exiled in the US because of the Nazi movement in his homeland. In part because of these recordings and the subsequent US tour he embarked upon with these compositions, he was investigated by the House UnAmerican Committee and was eventually forced to leave the US because of beliefs about his Communist leanings. He ended up in East Germany where he remained a highly influential and beloved composer. As for the recordings themselves, I have found no reference to them anywhere except in the Library of Congress in reference to the HUAC investigation into his background. I have never seen any of these recordings or songs in his list of compositions or recordings either, so I suspect they are little known and extremely rare. These are likely to be the only copies you run across. The fact the Mordecai Bauman, one of the US's premier baritones is the featured soloist is also a special treat, and these songs do not show up in his discography either. The songs are:
United Front - music by Eisler, words by Berthold Brecht, baritone solo Mordecai Bauman
The Soup Song - words by Maurice Sugar, baritone by Felix Grovemen
The Internationale - Music by Pierre Degeyter,
Forward! We've Not forgotten- music by Eisler, baritone by Bauman
Rise Up - music by Eisler, words by VJ Jerome, baritone by Bauman
In Praise of Learning - music by Eisler, words by Brecht, baritone by Bauman
Eisler was left-leaning in his ideology and that does come through, as does his strong anti-Nazi sentiment. These were recorded in the late 1930s or early 1940s, and are in very good shape for their ages, with no warping on the records. The records were clearly played but well taken care of. These would be great additions to anyone who collects WWII or political memorabilia, and again extremely rare, so bid on these pieces of history and add them to your collection! I am selling other WWII era records this week, so check out my other auctions. If buying more than one item, shipping will be combined and the total will be sent to you in an invoice. Happy Bidding!
price rating
