How did Europeans listen to music before WW1, and what were some popular French and German songs from the era?

Question

When did radio become widespread? Did people listen to phonographs? How did people hear recent songs for the first time? What was considered "popular" music?

Answer 1

Hi David... I'm back!
Here you go:
1900-1914 ("Caf'conc' et Cabaret") : Sous les ponts de Paris (1913) by Georgel : cabaret songs, often saucy, popular entertainment, ...
1914-1918 ("Chansons dans la guerre") : Quand Madelon (1914) by Bach : patriotic songs,...
1918-1930 ("les années folles") : J'ai deux amours, mon Pays et Paris (1930) by Josephine Baker : love and glamour in 1920s Paris, discovering jazz, ..
1930-1939 ("de l'euphorie à la débâcle") : Parlez moi d'amour (1930) by Lucienne Boyer : "chanson réaliste" (very depressing...) or very sentimental,...
1939-1945 ("chansons sous l'Occupation") : Douce France (1942) by Charles Trenet : nostalgia,...
The late 1800s saw the dawn of the music hall when Yvette Guilbert was a major star. The era lasted through to the 1930s and saw the likes of Félix Mayol, Lucienne Boyer, Marie-Louise Damien, Marie Dubas, Fréhel, Georges Guibourg, Tino Rossi, Jean Sablon, Charles Trenet and Maurice Chevalier.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_France#20th_Century
http://www.amazon.com/Best-Accordions-Paris-Various-Artists/dp/B000000K4H/ref=cm_lmf_tit_4/102-3578342-1146542
http://www.frenchdanceleeds.co.uk/songs/songs.html
La Bal Musette: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/7086/les-primitifs-du-futur-world-musette/
http://www.understandfrance.org/France/FrenchSongs.html
http://www.vistawide.com/german/german_music/german_folk_music.htm
http://www.about-germany.org/music/hollaender.php
http://www.dva.uni-freiburg.de/
http://www.folk-seiten.de/traditional_music_in_Germany.htm
http://cnx.org/content/m11025/latest/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_folk_music
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/modmusic.html#World%20War%20I
Here's a forum board of International WWI Music that you can join: http://europeanww1lh.forumup.be/post-1051-europeanww1lh.html
http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/music/collier.php
HEINRICH SCHLUSNUS (1888-1952) was the premier German baritone in Germany for over 40 years, particularly noted for his singing of Verdi. He was also a fine singer of lieder. His records span the acoustic and well into the electric era, throughout the Third Reich and beyond. They are all of the highest calibre.
The celebrated Jewish baritone, JOSEPH SCHWARTZ (1880-1926) was born in Riga but apecialized in the German repertoire, though he also sang other roles such as Escamillo in CARMEN. His records are well sought after and for good reason. This was a great artist. MARGARETE MATZENAUER (née Temesvar 1881-1963). After an initial success in Europe, she sang at The Metropolitan for 20 years ERNESTINE SCHUMANN-HEINK (1861-1936) A very different singer was the German soprano ELISABETH SCHUMANN (1885-1952), here seen as MIGNON. Her unique lyric soprano was perfect for Richard Strauss operas, for instance, as well as for lieder. Jewish-German soprano LOTTE LEHMANN (1888-1976), deservedly sang alongside such greats as Tauber and Chaliapin during the 1920s, but the appearance of the Nazis forced her to move to the USA where she triumphed again for further decade. She was as fine an exponent of lieder and operetta as opera with a warm soprano sound that appealed to everyone. http://www.spats.demon.co.uk/GreatGermanSingers.html
http://www.amazon.com/Gott-Kaiser-Vaterland-Patriotic-Recordings/dp/B000EON6GM
http://mki.wisc.edu/News/Conferences/MusicMirror/MusicConfReport.htm
Songs, 1907-1919, n.d.
Includes: "Bohemia" (two different songs),and "Come to the Land of Bohemia." "The Broken Troth"
B Instrumentals, 1898-1946
Includes: "In Gay Bohemia" and "Ku Vitezstvi" ("On to Victory"). (6 items)
C Folio, n.d., "Bohemian Dance Album" (accordian arrangements).
Here's a whole bunch of songs by country:
http://americanhistory.si.edu/archives/d5300nh2.htm
http://www.nlib.ee/cenl/docs/annual_reports/france03-04.pdf
And...... don't forget Klezmer.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

AM radio began with the first, experimental broadcast in 1906 by Reginald Fessenden, and was used for small-scale voice and music broadcasts up until World War I. The great increase in the use of AM radio came the following decade. The first licensed commercial radio services began on AM in the 1920s. XWA of Montreal, Quebec (later CFCF) was the first commercial broadcaster in the world, with regular broadcasts commencing on May 20, 1920. The first licensed American radio station was started by Frank Conrad, KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Radio programming boomed during the "Golden Age of Radio" (1920s–1950s). Dramas, comedy and all other forms of entertainment were produced, as well as broadcasts of news and music. Prior to radio people gathered where music was played and people sang at home. People would purchase sheet music of the latest songs. As phonographs became available people would purchase records. Often they would go to a music store where they could enter a sound proof room where they listened to the records to find the one which they wanted to purchase. At one time it was common to go to vaudeville sites in buildings similar to today's movie houses. There was a lot more 'getting together' for entertainment and people would bring their own instruments. When I was young in some circles this was still common.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

records. and radio. and i think people just heard the "latest" songs through word-of-mouth... what others were listening to, what someone heard as they traveled and brought home with them, what was being played in restaurants, clubs, etc. i don't know what was most popular in europe but i know that europeans loved american music and culture at the time. also, i'm guessing advertisments and tv brought the "latest" music to the masses. my family lived in europe (germany and hungary) back then before relocating to make america their home and i remember my grandma loved elvis! haha.