"30 Negroes (Ladies and Gentlemen)": The Syncopated Orchestra in Vienna
2009; University of Illinois Press; Volume: 29; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
1946-1615
Autores Tópico(s)Adventure Sports and Sensation Seeking
ResumoVienna was last stop on tours Southern Syncopated Orchestra in its various guises. The visit took place in a climate inflation and social unrest in Vienna and, musically, at a point where had gained a foothold in city, a background which will be discussed in first two sections this article. Historical remarks on site in Prater where American guests were booked will then be followed by a description their activities there and at other venues in Vienna. Reports on their visit in African-American press will be compared with recollections one white participant. Two final sections will deal with events until 1925, when Arthur Briggs and Chocolate Kiddies arrived, and with postwar references to Buddie Gilmore, first important musician who came to Austria. It was mainly through his appearances that orchestra left a mark in Vienna. 1. Reaches Vienna As a visiting group that featured African Americans, orchestra continued a tradition pre-jazz era. Ira Aldridge (1) in 1853, perhaps Hicks's Georgia Minstrels (2) around 1870, McKoy twins (3) in 1872, and a genuine Negergesellschaft with scenes from Uncle Tom's Cabin (4) are examples from early period when a Negro act, normally, would be a blackface performance. (5) In last decades before World War I, African Americans made more frequent and comparatively well documented appearances, entertaining Viennese mostly as eccentrics and with novelties like cake walk. (6) After war, former capital an empire was impoverished and crowded with refugees, but performers from victorious countries were part its night life again. Some them would be African Americans, like Brodie and Brodie at Ronacher (7) and at Monte Carlo (8) in 1919. At same time, news about reached city. As a phenomenon abroad, it was dealt with in mostly secondhand and dubious reports. In one paper, (9) this began in October 1928, shortly before armistice. Paris was said to be full jazz bands that played with hands, feet, and noses. The result, of course, was war music; when such a band displayed its full power, it would sound as if a mine were exploding. Paris, again, was jazzing according to a report in August 1919: everything 'jazzes'; clothes, thoughts, dances, morals, and politics! In November 1919, it was claimed that jazz--the new dance--had lost its popularity in England. In April 1920, Church in Paris was said to preach against modern dances; in restaurants and public halls, one could still hear die Musik der Jazzbanden und des Ragtimes. The wild frenzy jazz was over in Entente nations, according to a report in July 1920; nigger bands had left quietly, and good taste had prevailed. An article in December dealt with jazz fever in United States. In January 1922, in only firsthand report among these examples, staff writer Robert Blum praised Paris qui jazz. (10) For a short while in 1929, was advertised as the newest American dance in local venues. (11) American dances had come to foreground in Vienna immediately after armistice, as shown in ads for a dancing course in early November and for Revuebuhne Femina in December 1918. (12) Rene Richard Schmal's Mondaine Tanze, including his Kitty-Foxtrott, were featured in March 1919, and in April Foxtrott, as shown at Femina, was called most modern dance. (13) But in ads July 5, 2919, Lurion featured Jazz, in large letters, as letzter Sensationstanz Amerikas. Zum erstenmal in Wien. A few days later, it was said that music--ungemein schmissig, according to a further note--was by Robert Stolz. The Maxim followed on July 23, proclaiming that Jazz was now presented there too; music, as revealed on July 28, was by Willy Engel-Bergen On July 31, these announcements Jazz vanished from ads Lurion and Maxim. …
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