Leon Jessel
Leon Jessel, or Léon Jessel (January 22, 1871 – January 4, 1942) was a German composer of operettas and light classical music pieces. Today he is best known internationally as the composer of the popular jaunty march The Parade of the Tin Soldiers, also known as The Parade of the Wooden Soldiers. Jessel was a prolific composer who wrote hundreds of light orchestral pieces, piano pieces, songs, waltzes, mazurkas, marches, choruses, and other salon music. He achieved considerable acclaim with a number of his operettas — in particular Schwarzwaldmädel (Black Forest Girl), which remains popular to this day.
Because Jessel was a Jew by birth (he converted to Christianity at the age of 23), with the rise of Nazism in the late 1920s, his composing virtually came to an end, and his musical works, which had been very popular, were suppressed and nearly forgotten.
Latest releases
Recent highlights
Easy-Listening Piano Classics: Popular Light Classics
THE GOLDEN AGE OF LIGHT MUSIC
The Golden Age of Light Music
THE GOLDEN AGE OF LIGHT MUSIC - THE HALL OF FAME VOL 1
The Golden Age of Music - 1930s
LISTEN, LEARN AND GROW: Playtime Fun and Games
MAIDEN'S PRAYER (THE) - LEAVES FROM GRANDMOTHER'S PIANO ALBUM
ROMANTIC PIANO FAVOURITES, VOL. 5