Role

:

Composer

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Vocal

 

Bronislaw Kaper was a Polish-born American composer who made significant contributions to the world of classical music. He was born on February 5, 1902, in Warsaw, Poland, to a family of musicians. His father was a violinist, and his mother was a pianist. Kaper showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of six. He later studied composition at the Warsaw Conservatory, where he was a student of Józef Turczyński. In 1922, Kaper moved to Berlin, where he began working as a composer for the German film industry. He quickly gained a reputation for his innovative and expressive music, and his work caught the attention of Hollywood producers. In 1935, Kaper moved to the United States and began working for MGM Studios. He quickly established himself as one of the most talented and versatile composers in the industry, and his music was featured in many of the studio's most successful films. Kaper's early work in Hollywood included scores for films such as "San Francisco" (1936) and "The Shopworn Angel" (1938). However, it was his work on the 1944 film "Gaslight" that brought him widespread recognition. The film, which starred Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer, featured Kaper's haunting and atmospheric score, which perfectly captured the film's suspenseful and psychological themes. The score earned Kaper his first Academy Award nomination, and he went on to receive a total of four nominations throughout his career. Kaper's other notable film scores include "Lili" (1953), which featured the hit song "Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo," and "Mutiny on the Bounty" (1962), which earned him his second Academy Award nomination. He also composed the music for the popular television series "The F.B.I." (1965-1974), which featured his iconic theme song. In addition to his work in film and television, Kaper also composed a number of classical works, including a violin concerto, a piano concerto, and a symphony. His classical music was heavily influenced by his Polish heritage, and he often incorporated folk melodies and rhythms into his compositions. Kaper's collaborator and friend, Walter Jurmann, was also a prominent composer in the classical music world. Jurmann was born on October 12, 1903, in Vienna, Austria, and began his musical career as a pianist and composer. He studied at the Vienna Conservatory and later worked as a composer for the Austrian film industry. In 1933, Jurmann fled Austria due to the rise of the Nazi party and moved to Paris, where he continued to work as a composer. He later moved to Hollywood and began working for MGM Studios, where he collaborated with Kaper on a number of film scores. Jurmann's most famous song is "Das Lied ist aus" ("The Song is Ended"), which he wrote in 1930. The song became a hit in Germany and was later recorded by a number of famous artists, including Marlene Dietrich and Frank Sinatra. Jurmann also composed the music for the 1931 film "Der Kongress tanzt" ("The Congress Dances"), which featured the hit song "Das gibt's nur einmal" ("There's Only One of You"). Kaper and Jurmann collaborated on a number of film scores, including "The Shopworn Angel" (1938) and "The Chocolate Soldier" (1941). They also wrote the music for the 1942 film "Seven Sweethearts," which featured the hit song "I'll Buy That Dream." Kaper and Jurmann's collaboration came to an end in 1952 when Jurmann returned to Europe.

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