Georges Boulanger (violinist)
Encyclopedia
Georges Boulanger was a Romani-Romanian
violinist, conductor and composer.
, Romania
from a Romani (Gypsy) Romanian family with a very long tradition in music . His father's name was Vasile Pantazi. He was known as the typical Romanian Romani virtuoso . He learned to play the violin
as a child from his father, who was already the sixth generation musician. At the age of 12, Georges Boulanger got a scholarship to study at the Conservatory in Bucharest
. Three years later he was heard by Leopold Auer
who took him to Dresden
with him and where he studied with him for the next two years. Other students of Auer were Jascha Heifetz
, Nathan Milstein
, and Mischa Elman.
In 1910, when Boulanger was 17 years old, Leopold Auer told him that his musical studies are finished and gave him a violin as a going away present. Boulanger played on this violin until his death. Under the recommendation of Auer, Georges Boulanger received a position of first violinist in the Café Chantant in Saint Petersburg
, Russia. This was where many aristocrats frequented. With his "background music", a mixture of Romani music, Balkan
folklore and Viennese waltzes he found that many people in the public enjoyed his taste in music. This music is also known as salon music
.
It was here in Russia that Georges Boulanger met a young girl from Estonia named Ellionorr Paulson. She was an intellectual student of law and medicine. They eventually got married and had two daughters, Nora and Georgette.
In 1917 Georges Boulanger left Russia
and returned to Romania. In 1922/23 he went to Berlin where he played for his old audiences of Russian Aristocrats that now lived in Berlin. In the year 1926, his name suddenly became well-known. Boulanger played in radio transmissions that were broadcast live throughout the country. He played in the most famous houses in Berlin and other large European cities such as the Savoy Hotel
in London
. He was contracted by the Bote & Bock Edition who published his musical compositions.
His famous Avant de mourir would later be called "My Prayer
" and a text by Jimmy Kennedy
would be added. It was charted in the number one spot for 21 weeks in 1958 in the USA.
Boulanger lived in Germany
from the early 20s until 1948 when he moved to South America
. He worked in Brazil
then settled in Argentina
for the rest of his days.
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
violinist, conductor and composer.
Biography
Georges Boulanger was born in TulceaTulcea
Tulcea is a city in Dobrogea, Romania. It is the administrative center of Tulcea county, and has a population of 92,379 as of 2007. One village, Tudor Vladimirescu, is administered by the city.- History :...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
from a Romani (Gypsy) Romanian family with a very long tradition in music . His father's name was Vasile Pantazi. He was known as the typical Romanian Romani virtuoso . He learned to play the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
as a child from his father, who was already the sixth generation musician. At the age of 12, Georges Boulanger got a scholarship to study at the Conservatory in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
. Three years later he was heard by Leopold Auer
Leopold Auer
Leopold Auer was a Hungarian violinist, teacher, conductor and composer.-Early life and career:...
who took him to Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
with him and where he studied with him for the next two years. Other students of Auer were Jascha Heifetz
Jascha Heifetz
Jascha Heifetz was a violinist, born in Vilnius, then Russian Empire, now Lithuania. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest violinists of all time.- Early life :...
, Nathan Milstein
Nathan Milstein
Nathan Mironovich Milstein was a Russian-born American virtuoso violinist.Widely considered one of the finest violinists of the 20th century, Milstein was known for his interpretations of Bach's solo violin works and for works from the Romantic period...
, and Mischa Elman.
In 1910, when Boulanger was 17 years old, Leopold Auer told him that his musical studies are finished and gave him a violin as a going away present. Boulanger played on this violin until his death. Under the recommendation of Auer, Georges Boulanger received a position of first violinist in the Café Chantant in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Russia. This was where many aristocrats frequented. With his "background music", a mixture of Romani music, Balkan
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
folklore and Viennese waltzes he found that many people in the public enjoyed his taste in music. This music is also known as salon music
Salon music
Salon music was a popular music genre in Europe during the 19th century. It was usually written for solo piano in the romantic style, and often performed by the composer at events known as "Salons". Salon compositions are usually fairly short and often focus on virtuoso pianistic display or...
.
It was here in Russia that Georges Boulanger met a young girl from Estonia named Ellionorr Paulson. She was an intellectual student of law and medicine. They eventually got married and had two daughters, Nora and Georgette.
In 1917 Georges Boulanger left Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and returned to Romania. In 1922/23 he went to Berlin where he played for his old audiences of Russian Aristocrats that now lived in Berlin. In the year 1926, his name suddenly became well-known. Boulanger played in radio transmissions that were broadcast live throughout the country. He played in the most famous houses in Berlin and other large European cities such as the Savoy Hotel
Savoy Hotel
The Savoy Hotel is a hotel located on the Strand, in the City of Westminster in central London. Built by impresario Richard D'Oyly Carte with profits from his Gilbert and Sullivan operas, the hotel opened on 6 August 1889. It was the first in the Savoy group of hotels and restaurants owned by...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He was contracted by the Bote & Bock Edition who published his musical compositions.
His famous Avant de mourir would later be called "My Prayer
My Prayer
"My Prayer" is a 1939 popular song with music by the famous salon violinist Georges Boulanger and lyrics by Jimmy Kennedy. It was originally written by Boulanger with the title "Avant de Mourir" in 1926. The lyrics for this version were added by Kennedy in 1939. Glenn Miller recorded the song that...
" and a text by Jimmy Kennedy
Jimmy Kennedy
Jimmy Kennedy OBE was an Irish songwriter, predominantly a lyricist, putting words to existing music such as "Teddy Bears' Picnic" and "My Prayer", or co-writing with the composers Michael Carr, Wilhelm Grosz and Nat Simon amongst others.-Biography:Kennedy was born near Omagh...
would be added. It was charted in the number one spot for 21 weeks in 1958 in the USA.
Boulanger lived in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
from the early 20s until 1948 when he moved to South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. He worked in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
then settled in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
for the rest of his days.
Compositions
George Boulanger wrote about 250 compositions. Most of his works last 5 or 6 minutes.- Afrika
- Auf der Hochzeitreise
- Autumn Moods
- Avant de mourirMy Prayer"My Prayer" is a 1939 popular song with music by the famous salon violinist Georges Boulanger and lyrics by Jimmy Kennedy. It was originally written by Boulanger with the title "Avant de Mourir" in 1926. The lyrics for this version were added by Kennedy in 1939. Glenn Miller recorded the song that...
(later on known as My Prayer) - Beside the Lake
- Budapest Party
- Buntes Allerlei
- Comme ci, comme ça
- Da Capo
- Danse Hongroise
- Der Dudelsackpfeifer (for solo violin)
- Der Lustige Schotte
- Die Glasharfe
- Die lustige Puppe (The Happy Doll)
- Die Zigeunerin
- Einsam steh ich unterm Sternenzelt
- Familen-Polka
- Flageolett Walzer No. 1 in G major (G.Boulanger)
- Flageolett Walzer No. 2 in G major
- Für Dich
- Gemuse! Gemuse! Gemuse!
- Georgette
- Zigeunerständchen (Gypsy serenade)
- Gruss an Franz Liszt
- Hallo! Budapest
- Heimweh (Homesickness)
- Herbstgedanken
- Hora – Rumänischer Tanz in A major
- Kinderparade
- Krach-Czárdás
- La Trioletta
- Liebling der Frauen – Walz
- Max und Moritz
- Mein Herz
- Norinka – Serenade
- Orientalische Nacht
- The Piper
- Pizzicato-Waltz in E major
- Puszta-Marchen
- Quand je suis content
- Ratata-Bum
- Schlaf Georgette
- Schmetterlingsspiel
- Serenade in E minor
- Tango Nora
- Tango Torero
- Teddy-Bear
- Tokay
- Vitamin-Polka
- Winke, winke
- Zufriedenheit (Träumerischer Walzer)
As an actor
Movies Georges Boulanger appears in:- Der ewige Klang (1943) .... with his ensemble
- aka L'Éternelle Mélodie (France)
- aka Der Geiger (The Violinist)
- aka The Eternal Tone (UK)
- Immer nur … Du (1941) .... Geiger
- aka Man müßte Klavier spielen können (Germany) (One must be able to play the piano)
- aka You Only You (International: English title)
- Die ganz großen Torheiten (1937) .... Violinist
- Das Mädchen Irene (1936) .... A Violinist
- aka The Girl Irene (USA)
- Punks kommt aus Amerika (1935) .... Ein Geiger (a violinist)
- aka Punks Arrives from America (USA)
- Die Geige lockt (1935)
- Allô Berlin ? Ici Paris ! (1932) .... President
- aka Hallo hallo! Hier spricht Berlin! (Germany)
- aka Here's Berlin (International: English title)
- Der tolle Bomberg (1932) .... Ein bekannter Geiger
- aka The Mad Bomberg (USA: informal English title)
External links
- Web site of George Boulanger
- The home page of Prima Carezza, a Swiss Salon music ensemble specializing in music by Boulanger.