Mitja Nikisch was a classical pianist and dance band leader, born in Leipzig, Germany on 21 May 1899 and died in Venice, Italy on 5 August 1936.

Nonetheless, while respected in that literature — he made his debut as piano soloist with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra on 22 April 1918, performed with classical conductors including Wilhelm Furtwängler and Sir Henry J.

Wood — he was most celebrated as leader of a popular jazz band in Berlin during the Weimar Republic era.

He dedicated several hours a day to his magnum opus as his illness released enormous amounts of energy.

[1] Recordings by the Mitja Nikisch Tanz Orchester[2][3] included one in 1931 of the Nacio Herb Brown-Arthur Freed tune for the MGM film Lord Byron of Broadway, Should I (Reveal Exactly How I Feel), in German as Ich kann, ich will with vocalist Paul Dorn.