Last Polish hit before WW2: Rena Rolska - Three Letters (Trzy Listy), 1960 (1939)

Rena Rolska - Trzy listy (Three Letters) (Boruński /Jurandot) English waltz from theatre "Ali Baba" revue "Orzeł czy Rzeszka" (The Eagle or The Reich) on the 3rd of Sept, 1939
Rec. in Warsaw, "Muza", ca 1960

NOTE: This is one of the most beautiful songs composed in pre-war Warsaw. It's premiere was planned for the 3rd of September, 1939 in "Ali Baba" -- a new Warsaw little stage of song and satire -- in the revue "Orzeł czy Rzeszka" which, after sumer holidays of 1939 was supposed to open the new season in Warsaw. However, the "revue" that was opened instead was directed by Adolf Hitler -- not by Andrzej Włast any more. The bombs that falled on the Polish capital on Friday morning of the 1st of September 1939, meant -- first of all -- the end of freedom for Poland for next half of century, the beginning of an agony of the most beautiful Polish city, but also - end of the most wonderful period in history of Polish song and cabaret.
After WW2 was ended, the song was released by Wiera Gran in ca late 1950s, in Paris. Personally, I prefer the version recorded a few years later in Warsaw, by Rena Rolska. She was, in my opinion, one of the best post-war performers of tangoes and slowfoxes from 1920s and 30s. I like her modesty, her warm, and not very affectionate (on contrary to Wiera Gran's ) voice and her wonderful musicality. In early 1980s, however, Rolska suddenly closed down her stage career and never returned to public performances. See in YT another great Polish hit of 1930s sung by Rolska http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XMQCWxgPW4

One more line has to be said about a title of a revue "Orzeł czy Rzeszka" (The Eagle or The Reich) which proves again, how sophisticated was the sense of humour in prewar cabarets of Warsaw. White Eagle is a symbol of Poland, and The Reich is The Reich, no need to explain it's meaning. In a Polish title, however, the word "Rzesza" (the Reich) is used in its diminutive "Reszka", meaning ironically "a small Reich" as well as "tails" (back side of a coin). Also "an eagle" -- Polish national symbol - can be "heads". So, to say "An Eagle or the Reich" refers, rather bitterly and very much in a "Chaplinian" way - to throwing coins.. And it's exactly how the history often acts...

The song has been illustrated by photographs of Ingrid Bergman - one of my favourite actresses.

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