Walter Kollo

Walter Kollo (28 January 1878 – 30 September 1940) was a German composer of operettas, Possen mit Gesang, and Singspiele as well as popular songs. He was also a conductor and a music publisher.

Kollo was born in Neidenburg, East Prussia. His best known work, the operetta Wie einst im Mai (1913), was the basis of a 1917 Sigmund Romberg operetta in America entitled Maytime.

A merchant's son, he was expected to take his father's trade, but devoted himself to the study of music in the Königsberg Sondershausen music conservatory with his mother's help. He became a theater conductor for a brief time in Königsberg before going to Berlin in 1899. In Berlin, he turned towards popular / light music, and from 1908, wrote music for the popular musical theater. In 1910 with Willy Bredschneider he composed his first great success, Große Rosinen, produced on New Year's Eve 1911. Somewhat prolifically, he continued composing musical comedies, farces and operettas, with including Wie einst im Mai (1913; with the songs Es war in Schöneberg im Monat Mai and Die Männer sind alle Verbrecher), Der Juxbaron (1916), Drei alte Schachteln (1917) and Die Frau ohne Kuß (1924).

Kollo emerged as a composer of revues and sound films in 1915, was one of the founders of the performer's rights organization GEMA, and had his own music publishing company. Later he made successful concert tours as a conductor of his own works.

With Jean Gilbert and Paul Lincke, Kollo was a founder of the Berliner Operette.

His son Willi Kollo was also a composer of light music and his grandson is the Wagnerian tenor René Kollo.

Walter Kollo died in Berlin.

Birth and Death Data: Born January 28, 1878 (Nidzica), Died September 30, 1940 (Berlin)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1913 - 1931

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 36 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor B-13777 10-in. 9/15/1913 Come on over here Helen Clark ; Billy Murray Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra composer  
Victor C-14852 12-in. 5/22/1914 Come on over here Conrad's Society Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor C-15222 12-in. 9/25/1914 Bubi fox trot Victor Military Band Band composer  
Victor B-18611 10-in. 10/17/1916 Das war in Schöneberg Julius Salay [i.e., Gyula Szalay] ; Magda Szécsy Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-20124 10-in. 6/14/1917 Mädels, habt ihr denn kein Herz? Seppel Burger Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-25629 10-in. 10/3/1921 Schiebermaxe Seppel Burger Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-26946 10-in. 10/10/1922 'Twas in the month of May International Novelty Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor B-27304 10-in. 12/7/1922 Warum sitzt du denn so traurig uff de Banke? Elsie Bendix ; Paul Bendix Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra composer  
Victor BVE-42528 10-in. 3/1/1928 The land of going-to-be Irving Aaronson ; Commanders Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and chorus composer  
Victor BVE-43763 10-in. 5/3/1928 The land of Going-To-Be Irving Aaronson ; Irene Bordoni ; Commanders Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band and male vocal chorus composer  
Victor BVE-45982 10-in. 6/25/1928 V té Kinske zahradě Jiři Prokop ; Libuše Prokop Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra composer  
Victor CVE-49206 12-in. 11/24/1928 Zwei rote Rosen, ein zarter Kuss Manhattan Quartet Male vocal quartet, with orchestra composer  
Victor BVE-62171 10-in. 5/27/1930 Prince Charming Evelyn Herbert Female vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor BVE-Test-317 10-in. 11/5/1929 Madel, habt ihr denn kein Herz? Ernest Heinen Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Columbia 39038 10-in. 10/10/1913 Come on over here Charles Harrison ; Agnes Kimball Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 80341 10-in. 5/10/1922 'Twas in the month of May Black and White Melody Boys Jazz/dance band composer  
Columbia 37194 12-in. 2/26/1915 Bubi Prince's Band Band composer  
Columbia [W]147905 10-in. 1/31/1929 The land of going to be Connecticut Yankees ; Rudy Vallée Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band composer  
Columbia W106940 10-in. approximately July 1926 Es war in Schöneberg Columbia Kapelle Band, with vocal ensemble composer  
Columbia W205889 12-in. May 1928 Zwei rote Rosen, ein zarter Küss George Gut Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia W206020 12-in. September 1928 Mein Papagei frisst keine Hartin eier Adolf Engel Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
OKeh o-8177 10-in. ca. June 1921 Waltzing is spreading from land to land Lanin’s Roseland Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Brunswick E28397 10-in. approximately Nov. 1928 The land of going to be Glen Wick ; William Wirges Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) composer  
Brunswick E32831 10-in. May 1930 Prince Charming Regent Club Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Edison 3556 10-in. 2/2/1915 Bubi Jaudas' Society Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
(Results 1-25 of 36 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Kollo, Walter," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105634.

Kollo, Walter. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105634.

"Kollo, Walter." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105634

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