Hildegarde!

[AudioAntique]

"The Incomparable Hildegarde" a title bestowed on her by columnist Walter Winchell, is one of our favorite entertainers. Perhaps its because we have not only seen her perform, but have corresponded and written articles about her. What follows is the text of an article we wrote back in 1989 which she edited for us, for the MAPS newsletter, "In The Groove". At that time she was a healthy 83 years young. She died in 2005 at the age of 99! At 86 we saw her give a fantastic two-hour performance (no break) at the Milwaukee Performing Arts Center. She was a sweet lady with class. "The Dear That Made Milwaukee Famous."

IT'S HlLDEGARDE!

Let me introduce you to Hildegarde, one of our favorite recording stars. It was approximately 36 years ago, my husband, Robin Rolfs, met Hildegarde. She was a guest of her sister, Bea Zumarach, at a party on lake Denoon, Wisconsin. He was only 5 or 6 at the time, but remembered "Hildegarde, The Incomparable" as one-of the most beautiful ladies he had ever seen. Today, a recording by Hildegarde is seldom passed by in our collecting ventures.

Born in Adell, Wisconsin on February 1, 1906, Hildegard Loretta Sell '(that's correct, no "E", at the end) is the daughter of Charles and Ida Sell. Hildegarde states in her book, "Over 50-So What' Hildegarde", that she hated her name. When she was ten years old she evolved the big "H" in her signature, but making the "d" seem nothing at all at the end of her name. She added an "e" making it as large as the "H" in her now famous autograph.

Hildegarde's mother, a fine musician who played the church organ, taught Hildegarde to play the piano at age seven. Hilde liked to play the piano, but not the practice. But, with bribes from her mother she managed to practice thirty minutes each day.

Hildegarde has fond childhood memories of her two younger sisters, Beatrice and Germaine, and their home in the small rural village of New Holstein, Wisconsin where her father operated the small family grocery store. Limited income of the German family allowed for few luxuries. Pluck and old-fashioned determination proved to be Hildegarde's prime assets in overcoming small town shyness that plagued her for many years. At her mother's urging, the family moved to Milwaukee to provide Hildegarde and her two sisters with formal Catholic training. Though the move did little to increase the family's financial gain, it did provide some opportunities for someone with a spirit for performing.

When Hildegarde was a teenage her mother went to the Lyric Theatre in Milwaukee to have her daughter audition to play piano for silent pictures. Hildegarde got the job. During those years an old friend from New Holstein came for a visit to Milwaukee and told Hildegarde of an act at the Palace Theater. Hildegarde was so intrigued by her friend's description of an act where they had "four baby grands on stage". That the next afternoon she went to the Palace to take in the show, despite her meager finances to pay for the venture. After seeing the act billed as "Jerry & Her Baby Grands", she decided the theater was for her. After three weeks and many prayers, she joined "Jerry & Her Baby Grands". That was the start of show business for Hildegarde.

From there it was on to Europe. Martinus Polsen offered her an engagement in the Cafe de Paris, London, England. However, due to her father's cancer diagnosis, she refused. But after her father's death, she accepted a repeated offer by Martinus Polsen to appear in England. She became a larger star in Europe than in the United States. But she would later return to the United States and be billed as "The First Lady of Supper Clubs" by Eleanor Roosevelt. She performed with and for the greats. Cole Porter wrote songs for Hildegarde. She worked and learned from Gilbert Miller, George Gershwin and Irving Berlin. Fritz Kreisler stated: "Hildegarde you have great musicianship". She inspired George Gershwin's song, "My Cousin in Milwaukee". Hildegarde stated that the song "was a perfect description of me at the time." Hildegarde sang for Presidents Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower in the White House and President Kennedy as a congressman in the Statler Hotel. She gave him a rose, which became one of her trademarks known in the floral world as the "Hildegarde Rose". She stated that congressman, Kennedy was "the youngest looking politician'.

She was the star of her own NBC Network radio program, "The Raleigh Room", for which she was paid $500 per week. This was the highest sum paid to a radio star at the time. Hildegarde was worth it, as the radio show was listed as one of the top ten shows for four consecutive years.

Hildegarde's million selling recordings are: "Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup" (her theme song), and "I'll Be Seeing You", "Lili Marlene", "All of a Sudden My Heart Sings", and perhaps you will all remember "The Last Time I Saw Paris". She also introduced the songs, "April In Paris" and "Wunderbar". She is proud to be the first artist to record an album of Noel Coward songs on Decca (Bing Crosby was the second). She also recorded "Lay in the Dark" before Gertrude Lawrence. She is one of the top-ranking supper club performers. She performed in the elegant Persian Room at the Plaza for 6-years. Her trademark, long gloves and dainty lace handkerchiefs can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC. The beautiful, incomparable, talented woman was also the Jane Fonda of her day! Read the book "Over 50-So What! Hildegarde", and you'll receive an exercise program, grooming and beauty tips and Hildegarde's diet program to eating right.

So what of Hildegarde today? Where is that shy girl from Wisconsin? Well, in 1986, at the age of 80 she performed at Carnegie Hall wearing her trademark long white gloves and carried a lace hankie. She re-created some of the "Golden Moments" from her World War-II radio show, "The Raleigh Room". She's beautiful, talented and energetic as ever.

[pughphonos]

What a nice biography: gives you a sense of the genuine person.

So many artists burn out early; their music only seems to hasten the process (think Janice Joplin, Jim Morrison, Amy Winehouse, Jimi Hendrix, Brian Jones. etc.). But for others, music promotes their happiness. Yay Hildegarde and her 99 years!

[victorIIvictor]

"She inspired George Gershwin's song, 'My Cousin in Milwaukee'."

The correct title is "My Cousin from Milwaukee." Lyda Roberti sang it on Broadway, but unfortunately did not record it. Gertrude Niesen did, though, backed by Eddie Duchin and his Orchestra, and Ms. Niesen's imitation of Roberti was quite accurate.

"She also recorded "Lay in the Dark" before Gertrude Lawrence."

Although some Broadway songs are quite risqué, they are usually not this single-entendre. The correct title, of course is "Lady in the Dark," but thanks for the laugh!

Thanks, too, for more glamorous album covers. Columbia's Steinweiss had NOTHING on Decca's art department!

Best wishes, Mark

[pughphonos]

Here's one of my favorite Hildegarde pieces: "Wunderbar," from the musical "Kiss Me, Kate" (music by Cole Porter). Recorded in 1949, this is taken from a 2006 CD, released the year after her death.

This is the performer who has displaced Annette Hanshaw as my favorite 1930s female musician. Hanshaw is great--and she occasionally accompanied herself on piano too. But Hildegarde is a greater virtuoso. She sings marvelously--and then at the 1:04 mark she transfers that gorgeous melody though her fingers into the piano!

She truly was INCOMPARABLE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVgFPgwQoLY

The photo below doesn't have a date on it but it looks like it's probably late 1940s and about the right time for the recording.