Mitja NIKISCH, pianist (b.1899 in Leipzig, d. 1936). Son of a world-famous conductor of Hungarian origin, Arthur Nikisch (1855-1922), who in turn of XIX/XX c. conducted the Leipzig, and then the Boston Symphony Orchestras. According to his father's will, Mitja played at first the classical music (in 1923 he recorded Chopin's Valse-A minor on a „Duo-Art" roll), and in 1936 he composed his magnum opus, a 36-minute „Piano Concerto", completed shortly before his death, and dedicated to his wife, Barbara. Nevertheless, his true love was the hot life of Berlin in 1920s. He established his own band and in 1925 he performed at the 'Admiral-Cafe' the way, that one prominent guitarist of the time, Otto Sachsenhauer commented. as "the best dance band performance ever heard in Berlin". In 1930-1931 they played in Lutherstrasse at "Casanova International Casino", advertised in popular magazines as the "schöensten Tanz-Diele des Kontinents" („the most beautiful dance-spot in Europe"). Onset of the Nazi rule ruined Mitja's world. Unfulfilled as composer and being „disappointment for the family" - he commited a suicide in Venice, in 1936. Only a handful of his recordings can be scarcely found today in the auctions. Even no good photo of his face can be found in the archives. Composer of this crazy winter-holiday foxtrot is the Polish musician Bronislaw Kaper - who is world-known as author of the 1950s Hollywood evergreen „Hi Li, Hi Lo". Recording: Tanzorchester Mitja Nikisch, Refrainges
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