There is a star for Korngold on a boulevard in Vienna. As a classic movie fan, I love the swashbuckling scores for the Warner Brothers studio from the 1930’s and 40’s. And I know his violin concerto which is in the contemporary repertoire. But a quick consultation with Wikipedia turned into an obsession that will continue for quite a while, I suspect.
He was a child prodigy who relationship with his father was not unlike that of Wolfgang and Leopold Mozart. Mahler praised his early work.
Korngold had a very successful career composing operas and symphonic works in the 1920’s. He was brought to Hollywood to score Mendelssohn’s music for Max Reinhardt’s film of “A Midsummer’s Night Dream”. His innovative approach changed film scoring forever.
He returned to Vienna for a short time before being forced to flee in the lead up to World War II. So his Hollywood career was totally serendipitous.
There seems to be a documentary about his life. Anyone see it?
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