Bronislaw Kaper

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Bronisław Kaper , also Bronislau or Bronislaus Kaper , pseudonyms Benjamin Kapper and Hans Mühlen , (born February 5, 1902 in Warsaw , Russian Empire , † April 26, 1983 in Hollywood , Los Angeles ) was a Polish -American composer of film scores and Hits .

Life

Bronisław Kaper was probably born in Warsaw in 1902. Today one can only speculate about the year of his birth, as neither documents exist, nor did Kaper himself know his exact date of birth during his lifetime. The fact is that in 1908, at the age of six, Kaper was able to play the piano and was considered a child prodigy in Poland. In his youth, Kaper wrote his own compositions and then studied at the Warsaw Conservatory of Music. To satisfy his father, who wanted his son to have a lucrative job, Kaper studied law at the same time .

In the 1920s and 1930s, Kaper wrote songs that he presented in England , France and Germany . In Berlin he completed his musical training with Moritz Mayer-Mahr and Walther Gmeindl . Under the pseudonym Benjamin Kapper , he also composed for German feature films and conducted his works. Mostly together with Walter Jurmann , Kaper created numerous pieces for the dance orchestras of the time: Jurmann composed, Kaper took care of the arrangements .

In 1933, after the National Socialists came to power, Kaper fled to France as a Jew and worked for French directors. In 1935, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer boss Louis B. Mayer also in Paris on Kapers with Jurmann for the film A song for you written song Ninon attention. Mayer brought Kaper to America that same year. The mistake that led to Kaper's atypical first name was made during naturalization in the USA. The responsible officials read in place of w a u And so these Bronislaw Kaper a Bronislau Kaper . It must be noted that there is no Slavic name Bronislau .

In contrast to his later work, Kaper began in the United States as a songwriter who provided the soundtracks for some films . He has written over 150 musical compositions. On Green Dolphin Street , which he wrote as a film song with Ned Washington in 1947 , became a jazz standard .

Bronisław Kaper has been nominated three times in the course of his more than four decades of work for the Oscar in the category “ Best Film Music ” and once in the category “ Best Song ”. Once, in 1954, he was able to receive the gold statue for Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo from the film romance Lili . Another well-known feature film by Kapers was Mutiny on the Bounty from 1962. He was nominated for him in both categories (film music / song). For the TV series FBI with Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Kaper wrote a well-known theme song .

Bronisław Kaper saw how the shine of the old Hollywood film faded and he received fewer and fewer offers. After his last work for the film The Salzburg Connection (1972) was not mentioned in the film credits, he withdrew completely into private life.

Bronislaw Kaper, was neither married nor had the children died at the age of 81 years a cancer .

Filmography (selection)

Awards

  • 1942: Oscar nomination for The Chocolate Soldier in the category Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture .
  • 1951: Golden Globe nomination for " A Life of Her Own" in the Best Motion Picture Score category .
  • 1954: Oscar for Lili in the category Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture .
  • 1958: "Golden Laurel" nomination of Laurel Awards for "The Brothers Karamazov" (The Brothers Karamazov) in the category Best Music Composer .
  • 1960: "Golden Laurel" nomination of the Laurel Awards for "The Legacy of Blood" (Home from the Hill) in the Top Score category .
  • 1963: two Oscar nominations for "Meuterie on the Bounty" (Mutiny on the Bounty) , in the categories of Best Music, Original Song and Best Music, Score - Substantially Original .
  • 1963: "Golden Laurel" of the Laurel Awards for "Meuterie auf der Bounty" (Mutiny on the Bounty) in the Top Song category .

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Bronisław Kaper in the Internet Movie Database (English)
personal data
SURNAME Kaper, Bronislaw
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Kaper, Bronislau; Kaper, Bronislaus; Kapper, Benjamin (pseudonym); Mühlen, Hans (pseudonym)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American film composer of Polish origin
DATE OF BIRTH uncertain: February 5, 1902
PLACE OF BIRTH uncertain: Warsaw , Poland
DATE OF DEATH April 26, 1983
Place of death Hollywood , Los Angeles , California , United States