Peter Igelhoff
Encyclopedia
Peter Igelhoff was an Austria
n pianist, light music and film composer, arranger and entertainer; he took his mother's maiden name as soon as he resolved on a career in light entertainment.
Peter Igelhoff made an early career as a jazz pianist in bars before deciding to hone what became a sharp and witty playing style by studying in London in the early 1930s. He moved to Amsterdam
and later in 1935 to Berlin
where he became extremely busy in film and recording studio work with a group including fellow composer-pianist Georg Haentzschel
(1907-1992). Many of Igelhoff's light songs sold very well and his career was not hindered initially by the outbreak of war in 1939, although by and by the National Socialists started to deem his music too American in style and it was eventually banned. By the later 1940s his style went slightly out of fashion but he managed to keep reasonably busy almost to the end of his life, by which time his work had been rewarded with a professorship.
Igelhoff was an extremely able pianist with an enviable concert technique, accompanying his light tenor voice (and occasionally his virtuoso whistling) in songs which rarely fail to touch an emotional nerve or bring a smile to even the most preoccupied listener, either through a wry comedic wit, or illuminated by a particularly satisfying and affectionate lyricism. Some of his songs (he wrote over a thousand) such as "Wir machen Musik" (from the film of the same name), "Der Onkel Doktor hat gesagt", "Dieses Lied hat keinen Text" or "Delirium" can still charm and surprise, for it is fortunate that he made many recordings which a new generation is beginning to discover, recordings which pay tribute to his compelling musicality and dry sense of humour.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n pianist, light music and film composer, arranger and entertainer; he took his mother's maiden name as soon as he resolved on a career in light entertainment.
Peter Igelhoff made an early career as a jazz pianist in bars before deciding to hone what became a sharp and witty playing style by studying in London in the early 1930s. He moved to Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
and later in 1935 to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
where he became extremely busy in film and recording studio work with a group including fellow composer-pianist Georg Haentzschel
Georg Haentzschel
Georg Haentzschel was a German pianist, broadcaster, composer and arranger.Haentzschel studied at the Stern Conservatoire in Berlin and made a career which eventually left him as the last remaining representative composer from what he considered the golden age of German film music...
(1907-1992). Many of Igelhoff's light songs sold very well and his career was not hindered initially by the outbreak of war in 1939, although by and by the National Socialists started to deem his music too American in style and it was eventually banned. By the later 1940s his style went slightly out of fashion but he managed to keep reasonably busy almost to the end of his life, by which time his work had been rewarded with a professorship.
Igelhoff was an extremely able pianist with an enviable concert technique, accompanying his light tenor voice (and occasionally his virtuoso whistling) in songs which rarely fail to touch an emotional nerve or bring a smile to even the most preoccupied listener, either through a wry comedic wit, or illuminated by a particularly satisfying and affectionate lyricism. Some of his songs (he wrote over a thousand) such as "Wir machen Musik" (from the film of the same name), "Der Onkel Doktor hat gesagt", "Dieses Lied hat keinen Text" or "Delirium" can still charm and surprise, for it is fortunate that he made many recordings which a new generation is beginning to discover, recordings which pay tribute to his compelling musicality and dry sense of humour.