Das grosse Glück gesucht! ... Die Goldene Sieben (Berlin September 1937 / New York /4K /Colorized)

Today's video features "Das grosse Glück gesucht" (Lit. Looking for Happiness) another great recording by the legendary "Goldene Sieben" orchestra. The song was composed by Hara(o)ld M. Kirchstein (1906-1993) for the 1937 movie "Heimweh". Kirchstein, the son of a German father and a French mother was born in New York City and studied at the Royal Berlin Academy of Music before returning to the US in the 1920s. Later on, he returned to Berlin and was active in the recording and film industry. Together with Willi Stech he was one of the founders of "Die goldene Sieben" in 1934. He composed music for the movies such as "Verräter", "Menschen ohne Vaterland", "Togger", "Heimweh". As a musician Kirchstein played the guitar, accordion and saxophone. Because of his "Jewish sounding" name and his failure to provide and "Aryan certificate" he returned to the USA in 1937. Using the alias "Henri René" he became a successful producer, composer and arranger at Victor Records. He also founded a musette orchestra - a huge contrast to the sound of "Die Goldene Sieben". The recordings of the Henri René Musette Orchestra were issued to Victor and Standard record labels (several can be found on CZcams). As a producer later on, he recorded with artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Shore and Harry Belafonte and Eartha Kitt for whom her orchestrated two of her biggest hits: "C'est si bon" and "Santa Baby". He also recorded numerous easy listening albums. For his contributions to the recording industry, René has a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The movie "Heimweh" starred Gustav Knuth, Hilde Seipp and Carsta Löck in the leading roles. In this contrived melodrama Knuth plays a sailor who is tricked into working for a gang specializing in smuggling people to the USA and as such abandons his wife and child. Hilde Seipp plays the part of the seductive gang leader's (a captain) wife - a nightclub singer. Hilde Seipp recorded the songs "Heimweh" and "Das grosse Glück gesucht" with Harold Kirchstein as conductor for Odeon on 28.06.1937. She sang "Das grosse Glück gesucht" in German an English (called "King of my Love). Hilde Seipp's recording can be found here: • Das große Glück gesuch... . Other recordings of "Das grosse Glück gesucht" include those by Bernard Etté with vocals by Wilfried Sommer (using "I'm celebrating coronation in my heart" instead of "King of my Love") and Max Rumpf. The Etté recording ( • Heimweh: Das grosse Gl... ) lacks the drive of the "Goldene Sieben" while the Max Rumpf version is excellent ( • Heimweh: Das grosse Gl... ).
Unfortunately, my record is in very bad condition. I found it at the Brussels flea market a few years ago. The previous owner - whose entire 78 rpm collection was being sold on the market - labeled the record "Lourd et Typique" (Heavy and Typical). Whether he was referencing recordings by "Die Goldene Sieben" (of which there were several in his collection) or German dance music in general is not known.
Given the "American" theme of both composer and movie the video features the skyline of Lower Manhattan in the early 1930s (roughly from Bowling Green to the Staten Island Ferry terminal). The footage (source : Archive.org) was upscaled to a 4K resolution, stabilized and restored. The colorization is AI based and NOT historically accurate. It is purely for entertainment purposes and looks like a giant postcard which has come to life.
The record was transferred using a Graham Slee Revelation M Phono Preamp (bass Turnover 250 Hz - Rolloff 0) in combination with a Klark Teknik Tube Equalizer and a Rek-O-Kut De-Hisser.
About the record :
Das grosse Glück gesucht ...
Die Goldene Sieben und ihr Orchester
Electrola
E.G. 6082 / mx. ORA 2276-I
Berlin,
September 1937

[@philippejenvrin2741]

Wunderschône Bilden von New York !❤❤

[@h.r.e.j.6039]

Tolle Interpretation!

[@geoffreybuck8521]

How beautiful was NY. Why do we destroy old buildings?

[@sigridkarner3672]

Danke! Ich habe die Videos schon vermisst....😊

[@MrSwingtime]

Großartig - die Goldene Sieben wieder sehr hörenswert mit einem eindrucksvollen Video!
Immer ein Genuss die tollen Videos zu betrachten! Vielen Dank!!!

[@Leotaurus1975]

Vielen Dank!

[@snookerbee]

Tolle Bilder und Musik. Diese Aufnahme ist mir bisher nicht bekannt gewesen, deshalb doppelten Dank für die Präsentation. Durch die Klarinette und das Arrangement erinnert die Musik etwas an das frühe Benny Goodman-Orchester.

[@Leotaurus1975]

Danke! Es ist eine meiner Lieblingsplatten der Goldenen Sieben und war noch nicht bei YT zu finden 🙂. Es freut mich, dass sie gefallen hat! Das "Lourd et typique" ist mir weiterhin ein Rätsel...

[@Ronald070]

Mooie versie van dit nummer!

[@Leotaurus1975]

Dank je wel!