Herman Darewski

Who was Herman Darewski?

Herman Darewski 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.