Franz Waxman (December 24, 1906 – February 24, 1967) was a German American … Read Full Bio ↴Franz Waxman (December 24, 1906 – February 24, 1967) was a German American composer, known for his bravura Carmen Fantasie for violin and orchestra, based on musical themes from the Bizet opera Carmen, and for his musical scores for films like the "Bride of Frankenstein" from 1935.
Waxman was born Franz Wachsmann in Königshütte (Chorzów) in the Prussian province of Silesia. He orchestrated Frederick Hollander's score for the 1930 film Blue Angel (1930) and wrote original scores for several German films in the early 1930s. With the Nazis in power from 1933, he worked briefly in France, composing the music for Fritz Lang's French version of Liliom, but arrived in the United States by 1935. He received 12 Academy Award nominations, winning in consecutive years for Sunset Boulevard and A Place in the Sun.
In addition to his film scores, Waxman composed concert works and, in 1947, founded the Los Angeles International Music Festival. Waxman headed this festival for twenty years. During the twenty years of his tenure, the festival served as the venue for world and American premieres of 80 major works by composers such as Igor Stravinsky, William Walton, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Dmitri Shostakovich and Arnold Schönberg.
According to the autobiography of fellow composer Miklós Rózsa, Waxman conducted a performance of the Stravinsky composition Greeting Prelude (based on the song Happy Birthday). The performance lasted exactly sixty seconds. In this book, A Double Life, Rózsa stated that Stravinsky gave precise instructions that a performance of this piece should last exactly sixty seconds. Consequently, Stravinsky was very happy with Waxman's conducting of the work.
Waxman died of cancer in Los Angeles, California, at age 60.
Waxman was born Franz Wachsmann in Königshütte (Chorzów) in the Prussian province of Silesia. He orchestrated Frederick Hollander's score for the 1930 film Blue Angel (1930) and wrote original scores for several German films in the early 1930s. With the Nazis in power from 1933, he worked briefly in France, composing the music for Fritz Lang's French version of Liliom, but arrived in the United States by 1935. He received 12 Academy Award nominations, winning in consecutive years for Sunset Boulevard and A Place in the Sun.
In addition to his film scores, Waxman composed concert works and, in 1947, founded the Los Angeles International Music Festival. Waxman headed this festival for twenty years. During the twenty years of his tenure, the festival served as the venue for world and American premieres of 80 major works by composers such as Igor Stravinsky, William Walton, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Dmitri Shostakovich and Arnold Schönberg.
According to the autobiography of fellow composer Miklós Rózsa, Waxman conducted a performance of the Stravinsky composition Greeting Prelude (based on the song Happy Birthday). The performance lasted exactly sixty seconds. In this book, A Double Life, Rózsa stated that Stravinsky gave precise instructions that a performance of this piece should last exactly sixty seconds. Consequently, Stravinsky was very happy with Waxman's conducting of the work.
Waxman died of cancer in Los Angeles, California, at age 60.
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
Finale
Franz Waxman Lyrics
No lyrics text found for this track.
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
Paper Darts
This song and Puccini's Madame Butterfly's entrance are two most beautiful Japanese songs ever written by the Western composers.
JD
Both extraordinarily beautiful! I cannot listen to this song without tears of joy and appreciation for its tenderness. I think Claude Debussy would love this.
James Andrews
One of the sweetest romantic dramas ever made.By far ,it has been my fave for fifty years at least.Love the song as well.
JD
I saw this movie when I was 12 years old in 1962. It remains my favorite movie of all time. It is the triumph of real, self-sacrificial love over every worldly obstacle including racism, bigotry and fear. Marlon Brando and Miiko Taka couldn’t have been better together. I have always wondered if his son Miko’s name was inspired by this movie.
dan dailey
Great movie and beautiful music.
Christian Jacq
Franz Waxman a composé là une musique remarquable. Comme bien souvent d'ailleurs.
Deedeethekingofqns
Gorgeous, thank you for posting.
Alonso Martín
wonderful and beautiful picture!!!!!!!!!!
Araceli Carrasco Ruiz
Yo la quiero en Español!
Günter Winkel
Book and Film from Michener are great, Story is great, love it