Gdy zamknęły się drzwi [When The Door Closed /Behind You] Tango (T. Müller – W. Robert) – Tadeusz Jasłowski & Ork. Henryka Warsa, MelodjaElectro 1938 (Polish)
NOTE: Tadeusz JASŁOWSKI was a Polish singer, whose career was tightly connected with Chór Dana – the most popular revelers in prewar Poland. Initially, the student of veterinary medicine in Lwów, Jasłowski gave up his profession to join as a tenor voice the revelers Chór Eryana, which were active in Lwów in 1930. He stayed with them two years to join after that another singing male choir “Wesoła Piątka” (The Jolly Five) in Warsaw and eventually to become part of Chór Dana. He was with them until outbreak of the 2nd World War in 1939, and a year later he suddenly died from unknown acute disease. This record is probably the one and only existing recording by Tadeusz Jasłowski cut as solo performer.
As illustration to this haunting tune – recorded briefly before the war and so beautifully orchestrated by Henryk Wars’ band I selected stills from film “Pożegnania” (The Farewells; 1958) one of masterpieces of the Polish film director Wojciech Has, who was also director of one of the world movie classics “Rękopis znaleziony w Saragossie” (The Saragossa Manuscript; 1965). Film “Pożegnania” is a metaphor of the parting with Poland as it used to be until September 1939, when it was attacked and torn into pieces by two invaders: Germans from the West and Soviets from the East. A brief affair, which during one day of the summer 1939 linked a handsome young man from Warsaw upper class family (Tadeusz Janczar) and a pretty and intelligent gigolette from the night club in Warsaw (Maria Wachowiak), has been saturated with the nostalgy, resignation and unclear and increasing fear. Special bonus is a beautiful music and carefully portrayed details of Warsaw’s night life, in last days before the catastrophe.