Florian Hermann
Florian Hermann (1822 – 1892, Russian: Флориан Герман, name is also spelled as Florian Herman, Florian German, Florjan Herman) was a composer of German-Polish origin active in the Russian Empire. Although he authored many works, Hermann is primarily notable as an author of the melody used in the music for the well-known Russian song "Dark eyes" (the composer wrote his opus as "Valse hommage", Op. 21). Very little is known about Hermann, Russian publications occasionally describe him as a French or Austrian composer.
Florian Hermann | |
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Title page of the Hommage Valse | |
Born | 1822 Vilnius |
Died | 1892 Vilnius |
Works | Hommage Valse, used in Dark Eyes |
Hermann's work as a composer spans 1870s – 1890s, according to the list available in a catalog by A. Gutheil (his company was later acquired by Éditions Russes de Musique), the earliest known publications are from A. Büttner in St. Petersburg. Hermann's other best-known composition is "Rêverie russe, Op. 2". "Valse hommage" became famous as "Dark Eyes" after an arrangement in the Gypsy style by S. Gerdal (1884); the popular rendition belongs to Adalgiso Ferraris (ca. 1910).