Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897-1957 )
In the early
1900s, Erich Wolfgang Korngold was world renowned as the
most exciting child musician since Mozart, a prodigy who wrote his
first musical symphony at the age of 11. Korngold was born in what is
now Brno in the Czech Republic; in 1897 the city was called Brünn and
was part of the province of Moravia in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the
son of noted Jewish music critic Julius Korngold. He studied under
Alexander von Zemlinsky and Robert Fuchs and later, under the amazed
eyes of the likes of Strauss and Mahler, he wrote several operas
(notably "Die Tote Stadt", "Das Wunder der Heliane" and "Der Ring des
Polykrates"), operettas, concertos and symphonies until, disturbed by
the rise of fascism in Europe, and Hitler's annexation of Austria in
particular, he emigrated to America in 1935. Upon his arrival, director
Max Reinhardt asked Korngold to adapt Mendelssohn's music for a cinema
performance of "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Korngold agreed and, in
doing so, invented the syntax of orchestral film music as we know it
today, and changed Hollywood forever. Impressed with what they heard,
Warner Brothers hired Korngold as their composer in residence, and his
work during the next few years - which included "Captain Blood" (1935),
"Anthony Adverse" (1936), "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938), "The
Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex" (1939), "The Sea Hawk" (1940) and
"King's Row" (1942) quickly set the standard for all composers in the
future. During this time, Korngold was nominated for four Academy
Awards, winning twice in 1936 and 1938. Somewhat surprisingly, Korngold
scored only twenty films during his career, his last coming in 1956
when he was asked to adapt music by Wagner for "Magic Fire", a biopic
starring Alan Badel. Throughout his career, Korngold longed to return
to the classical music world he had left behind, but the stigma of
being known primarily as a film composer meant that he was not taken
seriously by his peers. Korngold suffered a cerebral thrombosis at his
time in Hollywood on 29 November 1957, and died at the age of 60. He
was virtually unknown at the time of his death. Conductor Charles
Gerhardt and Korngold's late son George did a great deal of work to
allow his name to live on, and only now is his great impact and legacy
to the world of film music becoming recognized.- Movie Music UK
COMPOSITIONS Korngold Links ~ ~ ~ Works by Genre ~ ~ ~ Film Scores
Nixe ,Gold , Cantata for soloists , Chorus and piano (1906)
Beim Grossmutterschen, waltz, piano (1908)
Piano Sonata No. 1, D minor (1908)
Don Quixote, piano (1909)
Der Schneeman, ballet pantomime (1910)
Piano Trio, D major, op. 1 (1910)
Piano Sonata No. 2, E minor, op. 2 (1911)
Sieben Marchenbilder (Seven Fairytale Pictures), piano, op. 3 (1911)
Schauspiel Overture, op. 4 (1911)
So Gott und Papa will (if God and Daddy agree) (1911)
Sinfonietta, B major, op. 5 (1912)
Violin Sonata, G major, op. 6 (1912)
Vier kleine fröhliche Walzer (Four little cheerful Waltzes), piano (1912)
Der Sturm (The Storm) for chorus and orchestra (1913)
Der Ring des Polykrates, op. 7, opera in one act (f.p. 1916)
Violanta, op. 8, opera in one act (f.p. 1916)
Einfache Lieder (Simple Songs), op. 9, (1911-1913)
String Sextet, D major, op. 10 (1917)
Military March, B major (1917)
Kaiserin Zita-Hymne for solo voice, choir and piano/orchestra (1917)
Much Ado About Nothing, op. 11, incidental music (1918-1919)
Die tote Stadt, op.12, opera in three acts (1919; f.p. 1920)
Sursum Corda, symphonic overture, op. 13 (1919)
Lieder des Abschieds (Songs of Farewell), op. 14 (1920)
Quintet for two violins, viola, violoncello and piano, E Major, op. 15 (1920–21)
Der Vambyr, incidental music (f.p. 1923)
String Quartet No. 1, A major, op. 16 (1923)
Piano Concerto, C # for left hand, op. 17 (1923)
Drei Lieder (Three Songs), op. 18, (1924)
Vier kleine Karikaturen für Kinderr (Four little caricatures for children), piano, op. 19 (1926)
Das Wunder der Heliane, op. 20, opera in three acts (f.p. 1927)
Geschichten vom Strauß (Tales from Strauss), op. 21, piano (1927)
Drei Lieder (Three Songs), op. 22, (1928-1929)
Suite for 2 violins, cello and piano left hand, op. 23 (1930)
Baby Serenade, op. 24 (1928-29)
Piano Sonata No. 3, C minor, op. 25 (1932)
String Quartet No. 2, Eb major, op. 26 (1933)
Unvergänglichkeit, op. 27, song cycle for voice and piano (1934)
A Midsummer Night Dream [after Mendelssohn], film score (1935)
Rose of the Rancho, film score (1935)
Captain Blood, film score (1935)
Give Us This Night, film score (1936)
Hearts Divided, film score (1936)
Green Pastures, film score (1936)
Anthony Adverse, film score (1936) – Academy Award Winner
Die Kathrin, op. 28, opera in three acts (f.p. 1939)
Narrenlieder (Songs of the Clown), op. 29, from Shakeapeare’s Twelfth Night (1937)
The Prince and the Pauper, film score (1937)
Another Dawn, film score (1937)
The Adventures of Robin Hood, film score (1938) – Academy Award Winner
Juarez, film score (1938-1939)
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, film score (1939)
The Sea Hawk, film score (1940)
A Passover Psalm for solo, chorus and orchestra, op. 30 (1941)
Vier Shakespeare-Lieder (Four Shakespeare-Songs), op. 31 (1937-1941)
The Sea Wolf, film score (1941)
King's Row, film score (1941)
Prayer, for tenor, women's chorus and organ, op. 32 (1941)
The Constant Nymph, film score (1942)
Devotion, film score (1943)
Between two Worlds, film score (1944)
Tomorrow, tone poem for contralto, women's chorus and orchestra, op. 33 (1944)
Of Human Bondage, film score (1944-45)
String Quartet No. 3, D major, op. 34 (1945)
Violin Concerto, D major, op. 35 (1945)
Die stumme Serenade, op. 36, musical comedy in two acts (f.p. 1954)
Cello Concerto, C major, op. 37 (1946)
Escape Me Never, film score (1946)
Deception, film score (1946)
Fünf Lieder (Five Songs), op. 38 (1948)
Symphonic Serenade, B flat major, string orchestra, op. 39 (1947-48)
Waltz for luzi, piano (1948)
Romance-Impromptu for cello and piano (1948) [composed for the film Deception, but not used]
Symphony, F # major, op. 40 (1947-52)
Sonett für Wien (Sonnet for Vienna), op. 41 (1953)
Theme and Variations for school orchestra, op. 42 (1953)
Straussiana (1953)
Magic Fire, film score [after Wagner] (1954-55)
WORKS BY GENRE Korngold Links ~ ~ ~ Film Scores ~ top of page ~
Dramatic/Theater
Der Schneeman, ballet pantomime (1910)
Der Ring des Polykrates, op. 7, opera in one act (f.p. 1916)
Violanta, op. 8, opera in one act (f.p. 1916)
Die tote Stadt, op.12, opera in three acts (1919; f.p. 1920)
Das Wunder der Heliane, op. 20, opera in three acts (f.p. 1927)
Die Kathrin, op. 28, opera in three acts (f.p. 1939)
Die stumme Serenade, op. 36, musical comedy in two acts (f.p. 1954)
Orchestra
Schauspiel Overture, op. 4 (1911)
Sinfonietta, B major, op. 5 (1912)
Military March, B major (1917)
Sursum Corda, symphonic overture, op. 13 (1919)
Baby Serenade, op. 24 (1928-29)
Symphonic Serenade, B flat major, string orchestra, op. 32 (1947-48)
Symphony, F # major, op. 40 (1947-52)
Theme and Variations for school orchestra, op. 42 (1953)
Straussiana (1953)
Soloist(s) w/Orchestra
Piano Concerto, C # for left hand, op. 17 (1923)
Violin Concerto, D major, op. 35 (1945)
Cello Concerto, C major, op. 37 (1946)
Chorus w/Orchestra
Der Sturm (The Storm) for chorus and orchestra (1913)
Kaiserin Zita-Hymne for solo voice, choir and piano/orchestra (1917)
A Passover Psalm for solo, chorus and orchestra, op. 30 (1941)
Tomorrow, tone poem for contralto, women's chorus and orchestra, op. 33 (1944)
Choral
Nixe ,Gold , Cantata for soloists , Chorus and piano (1906)
Prayer, for tenor, women's chorus and organ, op. 32 (1941)
Chamber
Piano Trio, D major, op. 1 (1910)
Violin Sonata, G major, op. 6 (1912)
String Sextet, D major, op. 10 (1917)
Quintet for two violins, viola, violoncello and piano, E Major, op. 15 (1920–21)
String Quartet No. 1, A major, op. 16 (1923)
Suite for 2 violins, cello and piano left hand, op. 23 (1930)
String Quartet No. 2, Eb major, op. 26 (1933)
String Quartet No. 3, D major, op. 34 (1945)
Romance-Impromptu for cello and piano (1948) [composed for the film Deception, but not used]
Piano
Beim Grossmutterschen, waltz, piano (1908)
Piano Sonata No. 1, D minor (1908)
Don Quixote, piano (1909)
Piano Sonata No. 2, E minor, op. 2 (1911)
Sieben Marchenbilder (Seven Fairytale Pictures), piano, op. 3 (1911)
Vier kleine fröhliche Walzer (Four little cheerful Waltzes), piano (1912)
Vier kleine Karikaturen für Kinderr (Four little caricatures for children), piano, op. 19 (1926)
Geschichten vom Strauß (Tales from Strauss), op. 21, piano (1927)
Piano Sonata No. 3, C minor, op. 25 (1932)
Waltz for luzi, piano (1948)
Vocal
So Gott und Papa will (if God and Daddy agree) (1911)
Einfache Lieder (Simple Songs), op. 9, (1911-1913)
Lieder des Abschieds (Songs of Farewell), op. 14 (1920)
Drei Lieder (Three Songs), op. 18, (1924)
Drei Lieder (Three Songs), op. 22, (1928-1929)
Unvergänglichkeit, op. 27, song cycle for voice and piano (1934)
Narrenlieder (Songs of the Clown), op. 29, from Shakeapeare’s Twelfth Night (1937)
Vier Shakespeare-Lieder (Four Shakespeare-Songs), op. 31 (1937-1941)
Fünf Lieder (Five Songs), op. 38 (1948)
Sonett für Wien (Sonnet for Vienna), op. 41 (1953)
Film Scores Korngold Links ~ ~ ~ Works by Genre ~ top of page ~
A Midsummer Night Dream [after Mendelssohn], film score (1935)
Rose of the Rancho, film score (1935)
Captain Blood, film score (1935)
Give Us This Night, film score (1936)
Hearts Divided, film score (1936)
Green Pastures, film score (1936)
Anthony Adverse, film score (1936) – Academy Award Winner
The Prince and the Pauper, film score (1937)
Another Dawn, film score (1937)
The Adventures of Robin Hood, film score (1938) – Academy Award Winner
Juarez, film score (1938-1939)
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, film score (1939)
The Sea Hawk, film score (1940)
The Sea Wolf, film score (1941)
King's Row, film score (1941)
The Constant Nymph, film score (1942)
Devotion, film score (1943)
Between Two Worlds, film score (1944)
Of Human Bondage, film score (1944-45)
Escape Me Never, film score (1946)
Deception, film score (1946)
Magic Fire [after Wagner], film score (1954-55)
Incidental music
Much Ado About Nothing, op. 11, incidental music (1918-1919)
Der Vambyr, incidental music (f.p. 1923)
KORNGOLD LINKS Works by Genre ~ ~ ~ Film Scores ~ top of page ~
Alain Perroux's Korngold A to Z (Gavin Plumly, Entartete Musik)
Composing for the Pictures, An Interview ... (Verna Arvey, Etude Magazine)
Erich Wolfgang Korngold: A Portrait and Concert (DVD, Screen Archives Entertainment)
Erich Korngold: From Prodigy to Hollywood Pioneer (David Stabler, The Oregonian)
Erich Wolfgang Korngold - Not Just A Hollywood Film Composer (The Horn)
Fortunes of the 20th-century Composer Erich Korngold (Neil Fisher, Times Online)
The Last Prodigy - A Biography of Erich Wolfgang Korngold (Book Review by Ian Lace, MusicWeb International)
Maestro for the Movies: Erich Wolfgang Korngold (The Thompsonian Institution)
The Missing Link in the Reel (Norman Lebrecht, La Scena Musicale)
The Sounds of Korngold: A Short Survey of Recordings (Jens F. Laurson, WETA-FM)
Thinking about Erich Wolfgang Korngold (Alexander Frey's Blog)
What's So Degenerate About Korngold? (Bonnie Gibbons, Holde Kunst Classical Music Blog)
Composer website (Wolfgang Korngold Society)
Composer website (bs magazine)
Korngold @ Wikipedia
Korngold @ American Composers Orchestra
Korngold @ Answers.com
Korngold @ Big Bands Database Plus
Korngold @ Boosey & Hawkes
Korngold @ Boston Modern Orchestra Project
Korngold @ CITWF / Complete Index to World Film
Korngold @ Classic Cat
Korngold @ Classical.com
Korngold @ Classical Archives
Korngold @ Classical Composers Database
Korngold @ Classical Net
Korngold @ ClassicsToday
Korngold @ dartmouth.edu/German 43
Korngold @ Dilettante Music
Korngold @ erichkorngold.blogspot.com/
Korngold @ Dr. Estrella's Incredibly Abridged Dictionary of Composers
Korngold @ Facebook
Korngold @ Fandango
Korngold @ Film Music Search
Korngold @ Film Reference
Korngold @ Film Score Click Track
Korngold @ Film Score Monthly
Korngold @ Film Score Rundowns
Korngold @ Find a Grave
Korngold @ geocities.com/Athens/Academy/
Korngold @ IMDb (Internet Movie Database)
Korngold @ IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library
Korngold @ Karadar Classical Music
Korngold @ Los Angeles Philharmonic
Korngold @ mfiles
Korngold @ Movie Music UK
Korngold @ maintitles.net
Korngold @ MSN Movies
Korngold @ Music Academy Online
Korngold @ MusicWeb International
Korngold @ MySpaceMusic
Korngold @ NationMaster
Korngold @ Naxos
Korngold @ The New York Times
Korngold @ OTA-Berlin Constituency
Korngold @ PBS/Cinema's Exiles
Korngold @ Piano Society
Korngold @ REC Music Foundation /The Lied and Art Song Texts Page
Korngold @ Reel Classics
Korngold @ Schott Music
Korngold @ scoretrack.net or here (translate by google)
Korngold @ SoundtrackCollector
Korngold @ Soundtrack Express also here (via google)
Korngold @ Soundtrack Net
Korngold @ SoundUnwound
Korngold @ Starpulse.com
Korngold @ Turner Classic Movies
Korngold @ Virginia Tech Multimedia Music Dictionary
Publisher
Korngold @ Affiliated Musicians, Inc.
Korngold @ Associated Music Publishers
Korngold @ Bernd Bauer Verlag
Korngold @ Chappell & Co - see Warner/Chappell
Korngold @ Cranz
Korngold @ Editions Max Eschig
Korngold @ Eulenburg
Korngold @ European American Music Distributors
Korngold @ Im Selbstverlag der Kriegspatenschaft
Korngold @ IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library
Korngold @ Kalmus
Korngold @ W. Karczag
Korngold @ Edward B. Marks Music Corporation
Korngold @ Masters Music Publications/Ludwig Masters Publications
Korngold @ Recital Publications
Korngold @ G. Schirmer
Korngold @ Schott Music
Korngold @ Tribute Film Classics
Korngold @ USC/Warner Bros. Archive
Korngold @ Universal Edition
Korngold @ R.v. Waldheim-Jos. Eberle & Co
Korngold @ Warner/Chappell
Korngold @ Musikverlag Josef Weinberger
Korngold @ Well-Tempered Press
Korngold @ M. Witmark & Sons
Streaming Audio
Korngold @ Classical Archives
Korngold @ last.fm
Korngold @ Naxos
Korngold @ PRX (Public Radio Exchange)
Korngold @ Rhapsody also here
Recordings
Korngold @ ArkivMusic
Korngold @ ClassicsOnline
Korngold @ Screen Archives Entertainment
Video
Korngold @ YouTube
Korngold @ Google Video
Korngold @ Vimeo
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