Paul Godwin (1902–1982) was a violinist and the leader of a popular German dance orchestra in the 1920s and 30s.

Biography

Paul Godwin (b. Pinchas Goldfein) was born on 28 March 1902 in Sosnowitz (

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...

; now

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

). Early recordings on the

POLYPHON Polyphon is a disc-playing music box, a mechanical device first manufactured by the Polyphon Musikwerke, located in Leipzig, Germany. Invented in 1870, full-scale production started around 1897 and continued into the early 1900s. Polyphons were ...

label gave the name "Tanz-Orchester Goldfein". He studied the violin at the Warsaw Conservatory under

Stanisław Barcewicz Stanisław Barcewicz (16 April 18581 September 1929) was a noted Polish violinist, conductor and teacher. Although his repertoire included almost all of the classical and romantic violin literature, he was valued primarily for his interpretati ...

.soundfountain
/ref> At the age of 20 he formed his own dance band in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...

. Between 1926 and 1933 his orchestra '' Tanz-Orchester Paul Godwin'' recorded a many records for European labels, namely

Berliner Gramophone Berliner Gramophone – its discs identified with an etched-in "E. Berliner's Gramophone" as the logo – was the first (and for nearly ten years the only) disc record label in the world. Its records were played on Emile Berliner's invention, the ...

. The band also backed many singers recording at the time and performed in various styles including foxtrots,

waltz The waltz ( ), meaning "to roll or revolve") is a ballroom and folk dance, normally in triple ( time), performed primarily in closed position. History There are many references to a sliding or gliding dance that would evolve into the w ...

es, tangos, polkas. With his full orchestra as well as the "Paul Godwin-Trio" or "Paul Godwin Quartet", he occasionally performed classical pieces. Due to their broad repertoire, his orchestra recorded under various monikers including Tanz-Orchester Godwin, Paul Godwin's Jazz Symphoniker, Paul Godwin-Ensemble, Paul Godwin and sein Weekend-Orchester etc. In 1929–1933 he pivoted to film soundtracks, providing soundtracks for many UFA motion pictures. Paul Godwin and his orchestras experienced wide in Europe at the time; reports have estimated that he sold nine million records between 1923 and 1933. In early 1933 Paul Godwin moved to the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

where he remained for the rest of his life. After the

war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...

Godwin formed a classical violin trio with which he performed until the 1970s. He died on 9 December 1982 in

Driebergen Driebergen is a former village and municipality in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is first mentioned as Thriberghen in 1159. The former municipality of Driebergen existed until 1931, when it merged with Rijsenburg, to create the new municipali ...

in the

Discography

CDs

* 1999 Mélodie, "Punch" et Fantaisie (ILD 642187, France) * 2004 Die Goldene Ära Deutscher Tanzorchester: Paul Godwin (JUBE 15012, Germany)

78 rpm Records (1926–1933)

1926

* Der Blusenkauf / Alles weg'n die Leut' (Polydor 20765 / with Otto Reutter) * Berlin ist ja so groß / Nehm'n Sie 'n Alten (Polydor 20766 / with Reutter) * Kinder, Kinder, was sind heut' für Zeiten / Es geht mir in jeder Hinsicht immer besser (Polydor 20767 / with Reutter) * Der Michel wird nicht klüger durch den Krieg / Sei nicht blöd' (Polydor 20768 / with Reutter) * Wie reizend sind die Frauen / Ick wundere mir ber jarnischt mehr (Polydor 20769 / with Reutter) * Gräme dich nicht / Aber der Mann (Polydor 20770 / with Reutter)

1927

* Oh Frühling, wie bist du schon / Mohnblumen * Waren Sie schon in Elberfeld / Ich hab' mein Herz in Heidelberg (Grammophon 19419) * Hier Schlager, wer dort? Lindemann 1 / Hier Schlager, wer dort? Lindemann 2 (Grammophon 19483) * Am Rüdesheimer Schloß steht eine Linde / Oh Pimpinella (Grammophon 19622) * Hochzeitszug in Liliput / Schmetterlings-Intermezzo (Grammophon 19660) * Rigoletto Fantasie: 1. Teil / 2. Teil (Grammophon 19672) * Der Fremdenführer / Fideles Wien (Grammophon 19758) * Plappermäulchen / Schmeichelkätzchen, Characterstücke v. Eilenberg (Polydor 19841) * Wandere mein Herzchen / Zottelbar ach Zottelbar, beide aus Optte 'Der Orlow' v. Bruno Granichstaedten (Grammophon 20247) * Im Reiche Der Indra 1 / Im Reiche Der Indra 2 (Grammophon 20450) * An der schonen, blauen Donau / Uber den Wellen (Grammophon 20530) * Sag du, sag du zu mir, Einlage zu: 'Der Hampelmann', Optte von Gustav Beer / Komm wilde Rose von Santa Fe (Grammophon 20940) * Les Patineurs / Die Schlittschuhlaufer. Walzer von Emil Waldteufel / Estudiantina (Grammophon 21003) * Der Voglein Abendlied / Still wie die Nacht (Grammophon 21013) * Zwei rote Rosen, ein zarter Kuß / Sehnsucht (Grammophon 21028) * Heut war ich bei der Frieda / Die schonsten Beine von Berlin (Grammophon 21089) * Marionetten-Brautzug (Characterstück von Otto Rathke!) / Polo Spiele (Grammophon 21176) * Trink Bruderlein, trink / Mondnacht auf der Alster (Grammophon 21213)

1928

* Einmal man sagt sich adieu / Prosit Gypsy * Donna Vatra / Bei uns um die Gedächtniskirche rum * Ich bin natürlich (Polydor 21258) * My blue heaven (Blauer Himmel) / Kokolores * Wenn in Werder die Kirschen blüh'n / Ein Grund zum Trinken (Grammophon 21442) * Chinesische Strassenserenade / Japanischer Laternentanz (Grammophon 21465) * Es ist nichts Halbes, es ist nichts Ganzes / Das ist leicht, das ist schwer (Polydor 21467 / with Reutter) * Mit der Uhr in der Hand / Mein Theaterrepertoire (Polydor 21468 / with Reutter) * Loblied auf die Frauen von heute / O du liebes deutsches Gretchen (Polydor 21469 / with Reutter) * Mir hab'n se als geheilt entlassen – Vortrag eines Idioten / Phantasie ist jederzeit schöner als die Wirklichkeit (Polydor 21470 / with Reutter) * In der Einsamkeit / Einmal im Jahr (Polydor 21471 / with Reutter) * Bevor du sterbst / Und dadurch gleicht sich alles wieder aus (Polydor 21472 / with Reutter) * Klange aus der Heimat / Lieb Mutterchen (Grammophon 21701) * Heinzelmännchens Wachtparade / Dornrös'chens Brautfahrt (Grammophon 21710) * Du bist als Kind zu heiß gebadet worden / Noch 'ne Lage Cognac her (Grammophon 21774) * Ich kusse Ihre Hand Madame / Wer weiß ob deine Augen lügen (Grammophon 21785) * Meine Amerikareise (1. Teil) / Meine Amerikareise (2. Teil) (Grammophon 21875 / with

Weiß Ferdl Weiss Ferdl (28 June 1883 – 19 June 1949, real name: ''Ferdinand Weisheitinger'') was a German actor, humorous folksinger, and author. He appeared in 19 films between 1928 and 1941 and performed regularly at the Platzl, a well-known Munic ...

) * In einer kleinen Konditorei / Ich weiß schon langst dass du mich heimlich lieb hast (Grammophon 21953) * Flammend rote Rosen / Verzeih mir und sei wieder gut! (Grammophon 22029) * Tränen weint jede Frau so gern / Wenn du einmal dein Herz verschenkst (Grammophon 22168) * Lass' mich dein Herz in Rosen winden / Ja, das ist schön (Grammophon 22171)

1929

* Es gibt eine Frau die dich niemals vergißt / Was weisst denn du wie ich verliebt bin (Grammophon 22201) * Das Lied von der Wunderbar * Ein Liebesmärchen (Polydor 22326) * Blutrote Rosen / Ob Du glüklich bist (Sweet Sue – Just You) (Grammophon 22412) * Wen in Venezia die Tauben schlafen / Ich hol’ dir vom Himmel das Blau (Polydor 22419) * Schöner Gigolo / Das Lied der Liebe hat eine süße Melodie (Grammophon 22602) * Ich betrüg dich nur aus Liebe (Grammophon 22622) * Mosaik 1 / Mosaik 2 Potpourri v. Carl Zimmer (Grammophon 22702) * Rosen und Frau'n. Tango / Wenn man verliebt ist. Tango (Polydor 22028) * Eine kleine Frau fehlt dir im Frūhling

1930

* Warst du mir treu / Schlaf ein, mein kleines Sonnenkind (Grammophon 22945) * Denkst du noch an mich / Warst du mir treu

ilme The Ilme is a left-bank, western tributary of the River Leine in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is long. The river begins at the pond in the centre of the Solling hills at an elevation of and flows initially northwards to Dassel, then in an eas ...

(Grammophon 22990) * O Donna Clara (Grammophon 23036) * Liebeswalzer / Du bist das süßeste Mädel der Welt (Grammophon 23 041) * Wien, du Stadt der Lieder / Ohne dich kann ich nicht leben (Grammophon 23 052 / with Max Hansen) * Mickey Mouse (Polydor 23176) * Tango auf Tango / Tango-Potpourri (Grammophon 23269) * Tango auf Tango 1 / Tango auf Tango 2 (Grammophon 23270) * Lotosblumen / Vineta-Glocken (Grammophon 23323) * Ja so ein Madel / Good Night (Grammophon 23360) * In Paris, in Paris sind die Mädels so süss / Ohne Liebe ist das Leben wie ein Auto ohne Benzin (Grammophon 23478) * Ein Liebelei so nebenbei / Kind dein Mund ist Musik andor(Grammophon 23719)

1931

* Die Musik und der Tanz und die Nacht / In Santa Lucia (Grammophon 23979 / with

Leo Monosson Leo Monosson (Russian: Лев Исаакович Моносзон, lit. Lev Isaakovich Monoisson) (1897–1967) was a tenor singer born in Moscow, who found fame in Germany in the years 1928-1933. He spoke eleven languages and produced over 1400 ...

)

1932

* Mitternachts-Walzer / Neapolitanische Nächte (Grammophon 1138) * Johann Strauss Polka (Polydor 24998) * Südseenacht, hast mir einstmals das Glück gebracht / Träume mein Baby * Wir kurbeln an 1 / Wir kurbeln an 2 * Meier-Foxtrott / Wenn am Sonntagabend die Dorfmusik spielt

1933

* Mustalainen (Polydor 25114)

References

External links

Article by Hans Lang in German

{{DEFAULTSORT:Godwin, Paul 1902 births 1982 deaths People from Sosnowiec People from Piotrków Governorate Jews from the Russian Empire Jewish violinists Polish violinists German violinists German male violinists Bandleaders Jewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the Netherlands 20th-century violinists 20th-century German male musicians 20th-century German musicians Polish emigrants to Germany