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| Werner Richard Heymann
1896 - 1961 |
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. The film composer Werner Richard Heymann belonged to the most important composers of the German movie of the 20s and 30s. He wrote numerous evergreens. He made first musical experiences by Max Brode and at the age of 12 he played the violin for the Königsberger philharmonic orchestra for the first time. He attended the Königliche Hochschule for music in Berlin where he was teachec by Paul Juon. His artistic way became interrupted with the outbreak of World War I and he served as a soldier for a short time before he was released because of illness. Afterwards his artistic career assumed concrete shape. He worked as a composer for cabarets in Berlin, among them "Schall und Rauch" directed by Max Reinhardt. Later he took over the direction of the cabaret himself. When Werner Richard Heymann was engaged by movie producer Erich Pommer as an assistant of the musical director of the UFA in 1925 this marked the beginning of a unique career as a film composer. Already in 1926 he became the musical director of the UFA and in the next years he wrote numerous compositions for popular silent movies like "Die Brüder Schellenberg" (26), "Michel Strogoff" (26), "Im weissen Rössl" (26), "Sein grosser Fall" (26), "Faust" (26), "Eine Dubarry von heute" (27), "Jugendrausch" (27), "Der letzte Walzer" (27) and "Spione" (28). When the sound film heralded a new era in the cinemas the music of Werner Richard Heymann became more important than ever. To his well-known works of those years belong "Die Drei von der Tankstelle" (30) with the big Hit "Ein Freund, ein guter Freund", "Bomben auf Monte Carlo" (31) with the hit "Das ist die Liebe der Matrosen", "Der Kongress tanzt" (31) with the hit "Das gibt's nur einmal, das kommt nicht wieder", "Der Sieger" (32) with the hit "Hoppla, jetzt komm ich", "Quick" (32), "Ich bei Tag und du bei Nacht" (32) and "Saison in Kairo" (33). With the takeover of tha National Socialists his impressive career in Germany came to an abrupt end. Because of his Jewish ancestry his contract with the UFA was cancelled and he emigrated to Paris. Shortly afterwards he went to Hollywood but was not able to gain a foothold for the time being. Therefore he returned to Paris and he wrote some more movie compositions for productions like "Caravane" (34) and "Le grand refrain" (36). Finally he went via London to the USA again and this time he managed to establish himself in the American film business in 1937. From now on he wrote numerous filmsoundtracks for popular movies. To these works belong"Angel" (37), "Bluebeard's Eighth Wife" (38), "Ninotchka" (39), "The Shop Around the Corner" (40), "One Million B.C." (40), "This Thing Called Love" (40), "That Uncertain Feeling" (41), "To Be or Not to Be" (42), "They All Kissed the Bride" (42), "Three Is a Family" (44), "Always Together" (47) and "Tell It to the Judge" (49). During this creative career Werner Richard Heymann was nominated for a total of four Oscars but never won one. He returned to Germany in 1951 and could continue his work seamlessly. He wrote the music for movies like "Heidelberger Romanze" (51), "Alraune" (52) as well as the remakes of "Die Drei von der Tankstelle" (55), "Der Kongress tanzt" (55) and "Bomben auf Monte Carlo" (60). Beside his numerous film compositions he also wrote a number of scores for the studios which were called Additional Music or Stock Music. This music was used in many movie productions without the mention of his name. To these movies belong "Stolen Holiday" (37), "The Phantom Submarine" (40), "Free and Easy" (41), "Paris Calling" (41), "Rio Rita" (42), "Blondie for Victory" (42), "Son of Dracula" (43, "Shadowed" (46), "Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back" (47), "Thunderhoof" (48), "Her First Romance" (51), "Conquest of Cochise" (53), "It Came from Beneath the Sea" (55) and "Gunmen from Laredo" (59). Beside his work for movies he also left musical contributions like the so-called Serious Music (e.g. "Rhapsodische Sinfonie"), operettas (e.g. "Florestan I. Prfince de Monaco" and "Trente et Quarante"), hits and cabaret music (e.g. für "Schall und Rauch", "Cabaret Grössenwahn", "Die Rampe" and "Die Wilde Bühne"). Werner Richard Heymann was among others married with the actresses Ilse Bachmann and Elisabeth Millberg.
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