Erich Wolfgang Korngold Erich Wolfgang Korngold

Born: May 1897, Brno, Czech Republic.
Died: 29 November 1957.

Biography:
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.

Reviews:
Captain Blood

Filmography:
Die Tote Stadt (1983), Magic Fire (1956), Deception (1946), Escape Me Never (1946), Of Human Bondage (1945), Between Two Worlds (1944), Devotion (1943), The Constant Nymph (1942), Kings Row (1942), The Sea Wolf (1941), The Sea Hawk (1940), The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939), Juarez (1939), The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Another Dawn (1937), The Prince and the Pauper (1937), Anthony Adverse (1936), Give Us This Night (1936), The Green Pastures (1936), Hearts Divided (1936), Captain Blood (1935), A Dream Comes True (1935), A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935), Rose of the Rancho (1935).

Highest Grossing Films (adjusted for inflation):
Unavailable at this time.

Awards:
1938 Academy Awards - Winner, Best Original Score - The Adventures of Robin Hood
1936 Academy Awards - Winner, Best Original Score - Anthony Adverse
1940 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score - The Sea Hawk
1939 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score - The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex

Links:
The Korngold Society, by Eleftherios Neroulias a and Bernhard Vischer
BS Magazine Korngold Tribute
 Farewell Vienna!

The Adventures of Robin Hood Another Dawn/Escape Me Never Between Two Worlds Captain Blood The Constant Nymph Devotion Kings Row A Midsummer Night's Dream The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex The Sea Hawk Die Tote Stadt


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