Composer. Born Erich Wolfgang Korngold in Brünn, Moravia, Austria-Hungary (now Brno, Czech Republic). He was the son of Dr. Julius and Josephine Korngold. His father was one of the most influential music critics in Vienna. By the age of 11, Erich had composed Opus 1, a Piano Sonata in D minor, and a ballet, "Der Schneemann" (The Snowman). He premiered works at the Viennese Court Opera in a command performance for the Emperor Franz Joseph I, creating a sensation. He was only 16 when he composed his two short operas, "The Ring of Polykrates" and "Violanta". In 1920, he wrote his famous opera "Die Tote Stadt" (The Dead City), which was premiered simultaneously in Cologne and Hamburg. In 1934, Korngold went to Hollywood to arrange and conduct Felix Mendelssohn's music for a production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (1935). He signed a contract with Warner Bros. that was one of the most generous ever offered a composer in Hollywood. He was free to refuse any project, and to get the first choice of any movie on the studio's schedule. After scoring the swashbuckler "Captain Blood" (1935), he then almost immediately won the Oscar for his score for the film "Anthony Adverse" (1936). He took a second Oscar for his score for "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938). Other scores included "Juarez" (1939), "The Sea Hawk" (1940), "Kings Row" (1942) and "Deception" (1947). Korngold was in Hollywood for 14 years, during which he scored 17 films, 16 of them for Warner Bros. He left Hollywood in 1947, and returned to Vienna after his first heart attack and retired. He scored only one more movie in 1954, the German-made film "Magic Fire". Korngold's health began to fail in early 1957 and he died in November 1957.
Composer. Born Erich Wolfgang Korngold in Brünn, Moravia, Austria-Hungary (now Brno, Czech Republic). He was the son of Dr. Julius and Josephine Korngold. His father was one of the most influential music critics in Vienna. By the age of 11, Erich had composed Opus 1, a Piano Sonata in D minor, and a ballet, "Der Schneemann" (The Snowman). He premiered works at the Viennese Court Opera in a command performance for the Emperor Franz Joseph I, creating a sensation. He was only 16 when he composed his two short operas, "The Ring of Polykrates" and "Violanta". In 1920, he wrote his famous opera "Die Tote Stadt" (The Dead City), which was premiered simultaneously in Cologne and Hamburg. In 1934, Korngold went to Hollywood to arrange and conduct Felix Mendelssohn's music for a production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (1935). He signed a contract with Warner Bros. that was one of the most generous ever offered a composer in Hollywood. He was free to refuse any project, and to get the first choice of any movie on the studio's schedule. After scoring the swashbuckler "Captain Blood" (1935), he then almost immediately won the Oscar for his score for the film "Anthony Adverse" (1936). He took a second Oscar for his score for "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938). Other scores included "Juarez" (1939), "The Sea Hawk" (1940), "Kings Row" (1942) and "Deception" (1947). Korngold was in Hollywood for 14 years, during which he scored 17 films, 16 of them for Warner Bros. He left Hollywood in 1947, and returned to Vienna after his first heart attack and retired. He scored only one more movie in 1954, the German-made film "Magic Fire". Korngold's health began to fail in early 1957 and he died in November 1957.
Bio by: Iola
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