Helmut Zacharias (27 January 1920 – 28 February 2002) was a German violinist and composer who created over 400 works and sold 14 million records. He also appeared in a number of films, usually playing musicians.[2][3]
Helmut Zacharias was born in Berlin. His father Karl was a violinist and conductor, and his mother was a singer.[2] He started having lessons from his father at the age of 2 and a half and at 6 he played at the Faun club, a cabaret venue on the Friedrichstraße in Berlin.[4]
At the age of 8, Zacharias became the youngest student in Gustav Havemann's masterclass at the Berlin Academy of Music.[5] Aged 11, he played on radio for the first time with a performance of Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 3 in G major and began touring in 1934 at the age of 14.[4] At this time, in the 1930s, the records of Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli's all-string jazz band were available in Germany and they heavily influenced Zacharias's musical style.[6]
Musical career
In 1940, Zacharias was discovered by Lindström-Electrola[6] (then-name of the German branch of EMI) and in 1941 had his first mainstream success with Schönes Wetter Heute.[1] By the 1950s, he was considered to be one of the best jazz violinists of Europe and was dubbed "The Magic Violinist" and "Germany's Mr. Violin". In 1956 he achieved his greatest success in the United States with the release of "When the White Lilacs Bloom Again" which, on 22 September, reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.[7][8] On 21 November 1964 he reached number 9 in the UK Singles Chart with Tokyo Melody following its use as theme music for the BBC's coverage of the 1964 Summer Olympics.[9][10] Zacharias moved to Switzerland in the late 1950s[10] and continued playing with many other famous artists, including Yehudi Menuhin. From 1968 to 1973 he appeared in his own television show. In 1985, he was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.[5]
Zacharias was married to Hella (née Konradat) from 1943 until his death. Together they had two sons, Stephan and Thomas, and a daughter, Sylvia.[2] Stephan, born in 1956, is a composer whose credits include the soundtrack to Academy Award-nominated film Downfall[12] while Thomas was an international athlete.
^ abc"German Composers Archive: Zacharias, Helmut" (in German). Das Deutsche Komponistenarchiv. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
^ abcdeAnderson, Martin (7 March 2002). "Obituaries: Helmut Zacharias". The Independent. London. Retrieved 11 August 2011.[dead link]
^"Helmut Zacharias obituary". Rome News-Tribune. 2 March 2002. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
^ abcFordham, John (16 March 2002). "Jazz violinist who became German light music star". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
^ ab"Helmut Zacharias' website" (in German). Retrieved 9 August 2011.
^ abCurrid, Brian (2006). A National Acoustics: Music and Mass Publicity in Weimar and Nazi Germany. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press. pp. 197–198. ISBN978-0-8166-4042-3.
^Lonergan, David F. (2005). Hit Records, 1950–1975. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press. p. 247. ISBN0-8108-5129-6.
^"Helmut Zacharias biography". Oldies.com. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
^Coe, Sebastian (9 November 2002). "More to a London Games than mere economic legacy". The Telegraph. London. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
^ abMusiker, Reuben; Musiker, Naomi (1998). Conductors and Composers of Popular Orchestral Music. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. p. 292. ISBN0-313-30260-X.
^ (in German). Hamburg Cemetery. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
^Schneider, Steven Jay (2008). 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (5th Anniversary ed.). Hauppauge, N.Y.: Barron's Educational Series. p. 921. ISBN978-0-7641-6151-3.
External links
Helmutzacharias.site.ms 21 August 2015 at the Wayback Machine
(in German) Komponistenarchiv.de
Archive.org
February 18, 2023
helmut, zacharias, january, 1920, february, 2002, german, violinist, composer, created, over, works, sold, million, records, also, appeared, number, films, usually, playing, musicians, zacharias, 1965background, informationalso, known, ascharly, thomas, born, . Helmut Zacharias 27 January 1920 28 February 2002 was a German violinist and composer who created over 400 works and sold 14 million records He also appeared in a number of films usually playing musicians 2 3 Helmut ZachariasZacharias in 1965Background informationAlso known asCharly Thomas 1 Born 1920 01 27 27 January 1920Berlin GermanyDied28 February 2002 2002 02 28 aged 82 Brissago SwitzerlandGenresClassical swing jazzOccupation s MusicianInstrument s ViolinYears active1931 1990sLabelsLindstrom Electrola EMIWebsitewww wbr helmutzacharias wbr site wbr ms Contents 1 Early life 2 Musical career 3 Death 4 Personal life 5 Discography 6 Filmography 7 References 8 External linksEarly life EditHelmut Zacharias was born in Berlin His father Karl was a violinist and conductor and his mother was a singer 2 He started having lessons from his father at the age of 2 and a half and at 6 he played at the Faun club a cabaret venue on the Friedrichstrasse in Berlin 4 At the age of 8 Zacharias became the youngest student in Gustav Havemann s masterclass at the Berlin Academy of Music 5 Aged 11 he played on radio for the first time with a performance of Mozart s Violin Concerto No 3 in G major and began touring in 1934 at the age of 14 4 At this time in the 1930s the records of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli s all string jazz band were available in Germany and they heavily influenced Zacharias s musical style 6 Musical career EditIn 1940 Zacharias was discovered by Lindstrom Electrola 6 then name of the German branch of EMI and in 1941 had his first mainstream success with Schones Wetter Heute 1 By the 1950s he was considered to be one of the best jazz violinists of Europe and was dubbed The Magic Violinist and Germany s Mr Violin In 1956 he achieved his greatest success in the United States with the release of When the White Lilacs Bloom Again which on 22 September reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 7 8 On 21 November 1964 he reached number 9 in the UK Singles Chart with Tokyo Melody following its use as theme music for the BBC s coverage of the 1964 Summer Olympics 9 10 Zacharias moved to Switzerland in the late 1950s 10 and continued playing with many other famous artists including Yehudi Menuhin From 1968 to 1973 he appeared in his own television show In 1985 he was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany 5 Death EditZacharias had been detected as suffering from Alzheimer s disease in 1995 2 and retired from public life in 1997 1 before the fact was publicly acknowledged on World Alzheimer s Day in 2000 4 He died in 2002 in Brissago Switzerland 2 and is buried in Ohlsdorf Cemetery in Hamburg 11 Personal life EditZacharias was married to Hella nee Konradat from 1943 until his death Together they had two sons Stephan and Thomas and a daughter Sylvia 2 Stephan born in 1956 is a composer whose credits include the soundtrack to Academy Award nominated film Downfall 12 while Thomas was an international athlete Discography Edit12 Violin Sonatas Op 2 Vivaldi 1953 Ich liebe deinen Mund 1955 Hello Scandinavia 1958 Holiday in Spain 1959 Two Million Strings with Werner Muller 1959 Songs of Old Russia 1959 Candelight Serenade 1960 The Best of Everything 1961 A Violin Sings 1962 On Lovers Road 1963 Candlelight Serenade 1965 De Gouden Plaat Van Helmut Zacharias 1967 Happy Strings Happy Hits 1967 James Last Meets Helmut Zacharias 1967 Happy Strings of Zacharias 1968 Light My Fire 1968 Mexico Melody 1968 Zacharias Plays The Hits 1969 Zacharias Plays Verdi amp Puccini 1970 Zacharias Plays Verdi amp Bizet 1970 Greatest Hits 1973 Buenos Dias 1974 Swinging Hits 1977 Les Belles Annees 1978 Filmography EditFilm Year Film Role Notes1949 Hallo Fraulein Musician1952 Homesick for You Violinist1952 Queen of the Arena Conductor1952 Eine nette Bescherung TV movie1953 Das singende Hotel Karli Alten1954 Ten on Every Finger Player1955 Wie werde ich Filmstar 1962 Toto s First Night1963 Jolanthe lasst bitten Himself TV movie1964 Silvester Show Instrumentalist TV movie1966 Von uns fur Sie TV movie1981 So schon wie heut so musst es bleiben Performer TV movieReferences Edit a b c German Composers Archive Zacharias Helmut in German Das Deutsche Komponistenarchiv Retrieved 10 August 2011 a b c d e Anderson Martin 7 March 2002 Obituaries Helmut Zacharias The Independent London Retrieved 11 August 2011 dead link Helmut Zacharias obituary Rome News Tribune 2 March 2002 Retrieved 23 April 2010 a b c Fordham John 16 March 2002 Jazz violinist who became German light music star The Guardian London Retrieved 11 August 2011 a b Helmut Zacharias website in German Retrieved 9 August 2011 a b Currid Brian 2006 A National Acoustics Music and Mass Publicity in Weimar and Nazi Germany Minneapolis MN University of Minnesota Press pp 197 198 ISBN 978 0 8166 4042 3 Lonergan David F 2005 Hit Records 1950 1975 Lanham MD Scarecrow Press p 247 ISBN 0 8108 5129 6 Helmut Zacharias biography Oldies com Retrieved 10 August 2011 Coe Sebastian 9 November 2002 More to a London Games than mere economic legacy The Telegraph London Retrieved 11 August 2011 a b Musiker Reuben Musiker Naomi 1998 Conductors and Composers of Popular Orchestral Music Westport CT Greenwood Press p 292 ISBN 0 313 30260 X Tombs of famous personalities selectable list in German Hamburg Cemetery Archived from the original on 21 July 2011 Retrieved 10 August 2011 Schneider Steven Jay 2008 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die 5th Anniversary ed Hauppauge N Y Barron s Educational Series p 921 ISBN 978 0 7641 6151 3 External links EditHelmutzacharias site ms Archived 21 August 2015 at the Wayback Machine in German Komponistenarchiv de Archive org Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Helmut Zacharias amp oldid 1129354444, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
