Erich Wolfgang Korngold

In 1934, Korngold went to Hollywood at the invitation of Max Reinhardt to arrange Mendelssohn’s music for Reinhardt’s film adaption of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This engagement marked the beginning of Korngold’s second career as a film composer.

Due to his exceptional talent Korngold soon became a leading composer of this genre. During his time working with Paramount and Warner Brothers from 1935 until 1947 Korngold wrote 18 impressive film scores, including Captain Blood, The Sea Hawk, Kings Row, Anthony Adverse and The Adventures of Robin Hood. The latter were honored with two Oscars for his music achievements.

Korngold can be considered as the creator of the typical romantic symphonic film scoring of the dream factory, the »Hollywood Sound«, and he continues to be a role model for his successors.