20th Century Foxtrots, Vol. 1: Austria & Czechia

Featuring

Gottlieb Wallisch
Ernst Krenek
Julius Bittner
Ralph Benatzky
Franz Mittler
Wilhelm Grosz

Leopold Krauss-Elka
Hanns Eisler
Felix Petyrek
Jaroslav Ježek
Alois Hába
Bohuslav Martinů
Karel Boleslav Jirák
Jaromír Weinberger
Erwin Schulhoff

Did you know?

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Recording & Production

This recording was made in Berlin-Dahlem at the Jesus-Christus-Kirche between March 31 and April 2, 2019, using a Steinway Model D piano.

Historical Context

After World War I, new dances like the tango, shimmy, foxtrot, and Charleston became popular in Europe, symbolizing carefree joy and a way to reinvigorate classical music.

Performer Biography

Gottlieb Wallisch, the pianist on this recording, made his debut in the Golden Hall of the Vienna Musikverein at age twelve and launched his international career with Yehudi Menuhin at seventeen.

Performer Biography

Gottlieb Wallisch became a Steinway Artist in 2012 and was appointed professor for piano at the Berlin University of Arts in 2016.

Album & Artwork

This album is titled "20th Century Foxtrots" and features music from Austria and Czechia, with a cover art by Alastair Taylor.

Historical Context

The term "jazz" in Europe became synonymous with any strongly rhythmical dance music and a symbol of carefree joie de vivre, even before many Europeans knew its authentic characteristics.

Historical Context

Many European composers, especially those born around 1900, saw jazz as an injection of new forms and harmonic schemes that could help classical music reconnect with a broader audience.