Pepi Littmann

Pepi Litman (Yiddish: פּעפּי ליטמאַן, born Pesha Kahane; 1874? – 13 September 1930) was a cross-dressing female Yiddish vaudeville singer associated with the Broderzinger movement. Litman led a popular traveling theater troupe around Europe, performing highly satirical songs while costumed as a male Hasidic jew. Because she frequently performed costumed as a young boy or as a male dandy, she is considered a proto-drag king performer. Pepi Litman made numerous 78rpm recordings which capture her energetic and virtuosic singing style, and which also stand as a document of Jewish life in Eastern Europe.

Birth and Death Data: Born 1874, Died September 13, 1930

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1907 - 1909

Roles Represented in DAHR: contralto

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia 3688 10-in. ca. Jan.-Aug. 1907 Die welt ist meschige Frau Pepi Littmann Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, contralto  
Columbia 3689 10-in. approximately July 1907 Schulem eleichem Pepi Littmann Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, contralto  
Columbia 3703 10-in. between January and September 1907 Amojze in gewaschen Pepi Littmann Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, contralto  
Columbia 3776 10-in. approximately July 1907 Die akure Pepi Littmann Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, contralto  
Columbia 12602 10-in. between 1905 and 1908 Chawe Pepi Littmann Female vocal solo vocalist, contralto  
Columbia 12604 10-in. between 1905 and 1908 Col mekadesch Pepi Littmann Female vocal solo vocalist, contralto  
Columbia 12605 10-in. between 1905 and 1908 Dem reben's wunder (Di apikorsim) Pepi Littmann Female vocal solo vocalist, contralto  
Columbia 12606 10-in. between 1905 and 1908 As meschich werd kimmen Pepi Littmann Female vocal solo vocalist, contralto  
Gramophone 4682r 10-in. 1908 Heilige hawdule Frau Pepi Littmann Female vocal solo, with violin and piano vocalist, contralto  
Gramophone 4684r 10-in. 1908 Harbe schale Frau Pepi Littmann Female vocal solo, with violin accompaniment vocalist, contralto  
Gramophone 4730r 10-in. 1908 As Meschick wet kimen Frau Pepi Littmann Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, contralto  
Gramophone 5797r 10-in. 1909 Geht in sehul jeden Schabbes Frau Pepi Littmann Female vocal solo, with violin and piano vocalist, contralto  
Gramophone 5798r 10-in. 1909 In a simmer tag a heissen Frau Pepi Littmann Female vocal solo, with violin and piano vocalist, contralto  
Gramophone 5801r 10-in. 1909 Giter brüder nit gechapt Frau Pepi Littmann Female vocal solo, with violin and piano vocalist, contralto  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Littmann, Pepi," accessed November 7, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/115155.

Littmann, Pepi. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 7, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/115155.

"Littmann, Pepi." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 7 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/115155

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