Angelika Thomas Singt Friedrich Hollaender

Released in 1994 by Bear Family Records, this album serves as a dedicated tribute to the prolific German composer and cabaret figure Friedrich Hollaender. Hollaender was a seminal force in the Weimar Republic’s cultural scene, most famous for his film scores and his work with Marlene Dietrich. This collection was produced to preserve and re-examine his sophisticated, often melancholic lyrical legacy, situating his work within the broader context of 20th-century German chanson.

The recording features German actress and singer Angelika Thomas, whose interpretation focuses on the nuances of Hollaender’s cabaret-style songwriting. By selecting Bear Family Records—a label renowned for its rigorous archival standards and high-fidelity historical reissues—the project aimed to provide a definitive, respectful rendering of Hollaender’s arrangements. Thomas’s performance was received as an earnest act of cultural preservation, highlighting the emotional depth of Hollaender’s compositions rather than merely mimicking his era’s popular style.