Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Upcoming Performances
About Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Music is music whether composed for the stage, the conductor’s desk or for the cinema. The form can change and the method of notation can be different, but the composer cannot make any compromises in what he considers to be his musical convictions. (Erich Wolfgang Korngold)
Erich Wolfgang Korngold was born on 29 May 1897 in Bruenn, Moravia, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire (today Brno, Czech Republic). This musical prodigy was the second son of Julius Korngold, prominent music critic of the Neue Freie Presse. Richard Strauss and Giacomo Puccini were two of the admirers of the musically precocious child’s compositional ability. Encouraged by his father, Korngold received his first music theory lessons at the age of six. When only nine, he performed his fairy tale cantata “Gold” for Gustav Mahler who immediately recommended Alexander von Zemlinsky as a teacher. In 1910, the ballet-pantomime Der Schneemann received its premiere in the Vienna Court Opera under the baton of Franz Schalk. The work was discussed in the cultural pages of the newspapers and certain critics doubted the authorship of the young composer. In 1916, public acclaim was again achieved with the premiere of the one-act operas Violanta and Der Ring des Polykrates under the direction of Bruno Walter. At the age of 20, Korngold performed his military service as a recruit in the military band of an infantry regiment. Three years later, the triumphal success of his opera Die tote Stadt began on a variety of European stages. With his fourth opera Das Wunder der Heliane (1927), Korngold was caught in the crossfire of a cultural dispute, partially initiated by his father, which had been sparked off by Krenek’s topical opera "Johnny spielt auf”. The cooperation with Max Reinhardt began in 1929 with the adaptation of Johann Strauss’s “Fledermaus”. In 1934, the director invited Korngold to Hollywood for a production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream". For the next four years, the composer divided his time between Vienna and Hollywood, ultimately settling in Hollywood in 1938, following the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany.
In Hollywood he became one of the most sought after film music composers in the USA. In the post-war years, the composer was unsuccessful in his attempts to re-establish himself on European cultural stages. Korngold died in Hollywood on 29 November 1957.
Korngold’s music theatre works made him the most popularly performed German-speaking opera composer between 1910 and the 1930s alongside Richard Strauss. The opera Die tote Stadt (1916-1919) today continues to be included in the regular music theatre repertoire. The libretto based on Rodenbach’s novel “Bruges-la-morte” was written by Korngold himself in cooperation with his father under the pseudonym Paul Schott. Korngold’s music for the Symbolist, morbid text developed on the back of Late Romantic tonal worlds to form an independent expressive language tracing the psychology of the plot in great detail. Wunder der Heliane (1923-1926) which was considered by the composer as his most significant work marks a turning point in Korngold’s oeuvre. The monumental orchestral forces and the demands on the singers reach the limits of what is performable. During his second career as film music composer for the Warner Brothers Studios, the composer was able to bring the genre of symphonic film music to perfection. Korngold was one of the most influential co-founders of the “sound of Hollywood” with his classics such as “The Adventures of Robin Hood” (1938), “The Sea Hawk” (1940) and “The Sea Wolf” (1941).
The violin concerto (Concerto in D major 1937-1939/1945), the cello concerto (Concerto in C, 1946) and the Symphony in F# for large orchestra (1947-1952) guarantee that Korngold’s works have their place on the concert stage. These three compositions are all late works and connect the expertise of the classical composer with his experiences within the realms of film music. In his concert works, Korngold drew partly on the best thematic material from his film scores, in the creation of his significant post-war compositions. The solo parts are virtuoso, the orchestral writing displays skill in the changes of tonal colouring and the emotionally dense music is characterised by a noble yet yearning melos. Particularly in the symphony, ambitious rhythms are paired with a rugged chromaticism which overflows into atonality.
Korngold’s film music received four Oscar nominations. The composer was awarded the prize for the "Best Original Score" 1936 (“Anthony Adverse”) and 1938 (“The Adventures of Robin Hood”). Since 1995, the Erich Wolfgang Korngold Prize has been awarded by the foundation Deutsche Kinemathek for the lifework of an outstanding film music composer.
Worklist
Chronology
Products
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Composer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: E-score PDFInstrumentation: medium voice and pianoLanguage: GermanProduct number: ED 8902 Q7383In stock€2.99Incl. Tax
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Composer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: E-score PDFInstrumentation: medium voice and pianoLanguage: GermanProduct number: ED 8902 Q7384In stock€2.99Incl. Tax
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Composer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldEditor: Brendan G. CarrollMedia Type: E-score PDFInstrumentation: voice and pianoLanguage: GermanProduct number: ED 20232 Q14072In stock€2.99Incl. Tax
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Composer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: E-score PDFInstrumentation: medium voice and pianoLanguage: GermanProduct number: ED 8902 Q7385In stock€2.99Incl. Tax
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für OrchesterComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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from "Märchenbilder" for piano op. 3 (1910)Composer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldArranger: Rózsika RévaySeries: Edition Schott
Instrumentation: violin and pianoProduct number: BSS 33663Product TypeIn stockAs low as €13.99Incl. Tax -
for orchestraComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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for orchestraComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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in one movementComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldEdition: Piano reduction with solo partSeries: Edition Schott
Concerto in C
Instrumentation: cello and orchestraProduct number: ED 4117Product TypeIn stockAs low as €16.99Incl. Tax -
in one movementComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: cello and orchestra
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for violin and orchestraComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldEdition: Study scoreInstrumentation: violin and orchestraProduct number: ETP 1898Product TypeIn stockAs low as €16.99Incl. Tax
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for violin and orchestraComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldEdition: Piano reduction with solo partSeries: Edition Schott
Konzert D-Dur
Instrumentation: violin and orchestraProduct number: ED 6713Product TypeIn stockAs low as €19.99Incl. Tax -
for violin and orchestraComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: violin and orchestra
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für KammerorchesterComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: chamber orchestra
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Operette in drei Akten von Ludwig HerzerComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: German
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Composer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: E-score PDFInstrumentation: medium voice and pianoLanguage: GermanProduct number: ED 8902 Q7386In stock€2.99Incl. Tax
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für Sopran und OrchesterComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: soprano and orchestraLanguage: German
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Zwischenspiel aus der OperComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldSeries: Edition Schott
Instrumentation: pianoProduct number: ED 1754Product TypeIn stockAs low as €11.99Incl. Tax -
Reduced version for middle-sized orchestra by Fergus McAlpine (2022)Composer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldArranger: Fergus McAlpineMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: German
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"Ich ging zu ihm"Composer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: soprano and orchestraLanguage: German
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Opera in 3 actsComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: German
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Composer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: E-score PDFInstrumentation: medium voice and pianoLanguage: GermanProduct number: ED 8902 Q7387In stock€2.99Incl. Tax
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Composer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldEditor: Brendan G. CarrollMedia Type: E-score PDFInstrumentation: voice and pianoLanguage: GermanProduct number: ED 20232 Q14071In stock€2.99Incl. Tax
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Heitere Oper in einem AktComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: German
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für gemischten Chor und OrchesterComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: mixed choir and orchestraLanguage: German
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Eine discrete Bühnenmusik für ein Drama von Hans Müller-EinigenComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: German
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Composer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldEditor: Brendan G. CarrollMedia Type: E-score PDFInstrumentation: voice and pianoLanguage: GermanProduct number: ED 20232 Q14075In stock€2.99Incl. Tax
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Composer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: E-score PDFInstrumentation: medium voice and pianoLanguage: GermanProduct number: ED 8902 Q7388In stock€2.99Incl. Tax
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Composer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: E-score PDFInstrumentation: medium voice and pianoLanguage: GermanProduct number: ED 8902 Q7389In stock€2.99Incl. Tax
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Oper in 3 BildernComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldEdition: Piano reductionSeries: Die tote Stadt
Product number: ED 3208Product TypeIn stockAs low as €39.99Incl. Tax -
Oper in drei BildernProduct TypeIn stockAs low as €7.99Incl. Tax
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Symphonic FragmentsComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldArranger: Thomas DorschMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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Reduktion für mittelgroßes Orchester von Leonard Eröd (2020)Composer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldArranger: Leonard ErödMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: German
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Tanzlied des PierrotComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: baritone and orchestraLanguage: German
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„O Freund, ich werde sie nicht wiedersehn.“Composer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: tenor and orchestraLanguage: German
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Tanzlied des PierrotComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: violin or cello and small orchestra
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Mariettas LiedComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: violin and orchestra
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Tanzlied des PierrotComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: baritone and small orchestraLanguage: German, English
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Oper in drei BildernComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: German
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Mariettas LiedComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: soprano and orchestraLanguage: German, English
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Six Character PiecesProduct TypeIn stockAs low as €14.99Incl. Tax
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for medium voice and pianoComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldSeries: Edition Schott
Instrumentation: medium voice and pianoProduct number: ED 2033Product TypeIn stockAs low as €13.99Incl. Tax -
für Sopran und Kammerensemble instrumentiert von Andreas N. Tarkmann (2011)Composer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldArranger: Andreas N. TarkmannMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: soprano and chamber ensembleLanguage: German
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aus der Musik zu Shakespeares "Viel Lärmen um nichts"Composer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldEditor: Andreas FuchsEdition: Score and partsSeries: Edition Schott
Instrumentation: string quartetProduct number: ED 21570Product TypeIn stockAs low as €30.99Incl. Tax -
aus der Operette "Das Lied der Liebe" von Johann Strauß, eingerichtet von Erich Wolfgang KorngoldComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldArranger: Erich Wolfgang Korngold | Bernd Alois ZimmermannMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: voice and orchestraLanguage: German
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for pianoComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldEdition: Separate editionSeries: Edition Schott
Instrumentation: pianoProduct number: ED 22360Product TypeIn stockAs low as €7.99Incl. Tax -
for chamber orchestraComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldEditor: John MauceriMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: chamber orchestraLanguage: English
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für KammerorchesterComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: chamber orchestra
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for medium voice and pianoComposer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldSeries: Edition Schott
Einfache Lieder
Instrumentation: medium voice and pianoProduct number: ED 8306Product TypeIn stockAs low as €14.99Incl. Tax -
Version for baritone, clarinet, harpe and strings by Henk de Vlieger (2021)Composer: Erich Wolfgang KorngoldArranger: Henk de VliegerMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: baritone, clarinet, harp and strings