Korngold, Erich Wolfgang

(born May 29, 1897, Brünn, Austria-Hungary—died Nov. 29, 1957, Hollywood, Calif., U.S.) U.S. composer of Austro-Hungarian birth. Son of a music critic, he had his childhood compositions praised by Gustav Mahler and Artur Schnabel. He solidified his reputation with his operatic masterpiece, Die tote Stadt (1920). In 1934 he moved to Hollywood, and he became best known for his film scores, his broadly Romantic style proving very suitable to swashbuckling stories such as Anthony Adverse (1936, Academy Award) and The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938, Academy Award), as well as 17 others. His violin concerto (1946) has been frequently recorded.

Korngold, Erich Wolfgang (1897–1957) composer; born in Brno, Moravia. A famous composer in Germany from his teens, he went on to considerable acclaim for such operas as Die tote Stadt (1920). He emigrated to Hollywood in 1934 and became one of the finest of screen composers, with scores including Robin Hood (1938) and The Sea Hawk (1940). After World War II he returned to composing serious concert music.