Herman Darewski

Herman Darewski (17 April 1883 – 2 June 1947) was a British composer and conductor of light music. His most successful work was perhaps The Better 'Ole, which ran for over 800 performances in its original London production in 1917. Some of his songs became very successful in musical revues.

Born in Minsk, and musically trained in Vienna, he worked in London, for the first 15 years of the new century, as a composer of light songs, some of which were written for the new theatre form, revue. After the First World War, Darewski had a long career as a conductor of light music, both in London and at English coastal resorts.

Life and career

Darewski was born in Minsk, then part of the Russian empire, where his father Eduard Darewski, a Polish singing professor, was working. The family moved to London, where Herman was educated. He gained a second class certificate for both elementary and intermediate pianoforte playing at the London College of Music in 1896. His younger brother Max Darewski (1894–1929) followed him into the musical profession. Herman went to Vienna to study music, between 1897 and 1900. He was engaged by the London music publishers Francis, Day and Hunter as one of their composing staff. He remained with them for 15 years.