Henry Mancini

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Henry Mancini

Henry Mancini , actually Enrico Nicola Mancini (born April 16, 1924 in Cleveland , Ohio , † June 14, 1994 in Beverly Hills , California ), was an American composer . His musical focus was on jazz , especially swing . Mancini's best-known compositions include the score for Der Rosarote Panther (including the theme song The Pink Panther Theme ), the song Moon River from his music for Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the Peter Gunn Theme from the US crime series Peter Gunn .

life and work

Henry Mancini's parents, Quinto Mancini and Anna Pece, had come to the USA from Italy , or more precisely Abruzzo , in the years before the First World War , where they met and married. Quinto still had to earn his living as a steel worker, but the love for music was there. He got his only child, Henry, to learn the piccolo and flute , and both he and Henry played these instruments in the immigrant folklore band "The Sons of Italy" in little Aliquippa , Pennsylvania . The repertoire consisted mainly of Italian opera overtures, marches and popular songs from home in Old Europe. Mancini began to learn the piano at the age of 12. After graduating from high school, he went to the prestigious Juilliard School of Music in New York . A year later - the USA had meanwhile entered World War II - he was called up for military service and was involved in the liberation of the Mauthausen concentration camp in 1945 .

Mancini's great passion was and remained big band , swing and jazz. As early as the 1940s, Mancini had contact with the swing and jazz greats of the time, especially Benny Goodman . He sent some of his own arrangements to him. Goodman offered him a job and so Mancini joined the newly formed Glenn Miller Band in 1946 (Miller was missing, the orchestra was directed by Tex Beneke ). After the war, Mancini expanded his knowledge of composition and composition with studies with the well-known composers Ernst Krenek and Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco .

In 1952 the Universal studio gave him a two-week job for an Abbott and Costello film: Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953). The collaboration ultimately lasted six years. During this time, Mancini worked his way through all conceivable film genres as a composer and arranger, but mostly without being included in the film credits. So he was z. B. also for the films Der Schreck vom Amazonas (1954, in 3D ), Die Rache des Ungeheuers (1955, also in 3D), Metaluna IV doesn't answer (1955) and Tarantula (1955). At the time, the division of labor between different composers was necessary and common due to time constraints. Other well-known composers in the Universal Music Department under the direction of Joseph Gershenson were the Austrian emigrants Hans J. Salter and Herman Stein .

The success of Mancini's adaptations for the films The Glenn Miller Story (1954, first Oscar nomination for Mancini) and "The Benny Goodman Story" (1955) opened up the possibility for him to introduce new musical styles for further films. With Alex North ( Endstation Sehnsucht ), Elmer Bernstein ( The Man with the Golden Arm ) and Leith Stevens ( The Wild ), Mancini was one of the first to introduce jazz into orchestral film and television music, which until now had been dominated by late romanticism. Mancini described the music for the Orson Welles film In the Sign of Evil (1958) as the best performance of his Universal time, which was the first major film score with Latin American jazz at the time.

The collaboration with the film director Blake Edwards , first for the television series Peter Gunn (1958) and Mister Lucky (1960/61), gave Mancini the opportunity to develop his popular style and became one of the most successful periods of his career with pieces of music for breakfast Tiffany (1961, including one of his most famous songs, Moon River ), The Days of Wine and Roses (1962), to the crime comedies with Peter Sellers about the Pink Panther (from 1963), to The great race around the world (1965 ), The Last Train (1962), The Party Schreck , Ten - The Dream Woman , Victor / Victoria and many more. Edwards and Mancini worked together on nearly 30 films. Mancini also worked again with Edwards for the musical version of Victor / Victoria .

The second director who helped Mancini develop great music scores was Stanley Donen , for whom he et al. a. composed the music for Charade (1963), Arabesque (1966) and Zwei auf dem same Weg (1967). There were also many other directors who benefited from Mancini's music, such as Howard Hawks for his film Hatari! (1962) Mancini - in addition to the surprisingly elegiac, originally orchestrated main motif - wrote the “ Baby Elephant Walk ” that has become an evergreen , Martin Ritt with his film Verflucht bis zum Judsten Tag (1970), Vittorio De Sica with sunflowers (1970), Norman Jewison with Gaily, Gaily (1969), Paul Newman with You Want To Be Giants (1970) and The Glass Menagerie (1987), Stanley Kramer with Oklahoma Crude (1973), George Roy Hill with Reckless Fliers (1975), Arthur Hiller with Trans-America -Express (1976) and Ted Kotcheff with Die Schlemmer-Orgie (1978). Henry Mancini has written a total of 480 film and television compositions.

Henry Mancini was nominated for 18 Academy Awards and won it four times. He also won 20 Grammys and two Emmys . Mancini recorded over 50 commercial music albums for RCA . These made him one of the most popular representatives of easy listening music, although this label does not do him justice. He not only wrote witty pieces in jazz, swing, Latin and soul styles, but also large orchestral scores, such as for the films Lifeforce - Die tödliche Threathung (1985) and Basil, the great mouse detective (1986).

Since the 1960s, Mancini has been a regular guest conductor with the major American and European symphony orchestras, with whom he has performed his own compositions and popular pieces by his film music colleagues. He often played the flute or piano himself and took his own little jazz combo with him on his tours.

In 1996 the Henry Mancini Institute was founded, where young musicians could gain professional experience for their careers in the music business. It was directed by Patrick Williams , Jack Elliott was also involved. At the end of 2006 the institute had to close for financial reasons.

On April 13, 2004, a 37 ¢ commemorative stamp was issued in the USA on the occasion of his 80th birthday, showing his portrait and listing various of his compositions.

Henry Mancini had an unmistakable style of his own, which was characterized by great lightness and often astonishing simplicity and clarity. Mancini was mainly influenced by swing, jazz, Latin American music and the refined sound culture of the French impressionists ( Debussy , Ravel ). His sense for the finest sound nuances and unusual instrumentation, combined with a feeling for elegant melodic lines, made him an outstanding film composer.

family

Mancini was married to singer Virginia O'Connor until his death and has two twin daughters, Monica and Felice, and a son, Christopher. Monica began her own singing career after her father's death, recording CDs and becoming one of the most empathetic interpreters of her father's best songs. Chris Mancini is also active as a musician.

Filmography (selection)

Awards

Discography

Albums

  • A Warm Shade of Ivory , RCA Victor LSP-3757
  • Big Latin Band , RCA Victor LSP-4049
  • Big Screen-Little Screen , RCA Victor LSP-4630
  • Brass, Ivory & Strings (with Doc Severinsen ), RCA APL1-0098
  • Brass on Ivory , RCA Victor LSP-3756
  • Concert Sound of Henry Mancini , RCA Victor LSP-2897
  • Country Gentleman , RCA APD1-0270 (Quadraphonic)
  • Dear Heart and Other Songs , RCA Victor LSP-2990
  • Debut Conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra , RCA Victor LSP-3106
  • Hangin 'Out , RCA CPL1-0672
  • Mancini '67 , RCA Victor LSP-3694
  • Mancini's Angels , RCA CPL1-2290
  • Mancini Country , RCA Victor LSP-3668
  • Mancini Plays Mancini , RCA Camden CAS-2158
  • Mr. Lucky Goes Latin , RCA Victor LSP-2360
  • Music from the TV Series "The Mancini Generation" , RCA Victor LSP-4689
  • Our Man in Hollywood , RCA Victor LSP-2604
  • Pure Gold , RCA Victor LSP-3667
  • Six Hours Past Sunset , RCA Victor LSP-4239
  • The Best Of Henry Mancini , CD, Camden-BMG 74321 476762
  • The Best of Mancini , RCA Victor LSP-2693
  • The Best of, Vol. 3 , RCA Victor LSP-3347
  • The Blues & the Beat , RCA Victor LSP-2147
  • The Hollywood Musicals (with Johnny Mathis), Columbia FC 40372
  • The Latin Sound of Henry Mancini , RCA Victor LSP-3356
  • The Legendary Henry Mancini , BMG Australia 3-CD box set
  • The Mancini Touch , RCA Victor LSP 2101
  • The Pink Panther Meets Speedy Gonzales , Koch Schwann CD
  • The Theme Scene , RCA AQLI-3052
  • Theme Scene , RCA Victor LSP-3052
  • Theme music from Z & Other Film Music , RCA Victor LSP-4350
  • The Versatile Henry Mancini , Liberty LRP 3121
  • Uniquely Mancini , RCA Victor LSP-2692

Soundtrack albums (selection)

  • Music from Peter Gunn , RCA Victor LSP 1956
  • More music from Peter Gunn , RCA Victor LSP 2040
  • Music from Mr. Lucky , RCA Victor LSP 2198
  • Bachelor in paradise (Bachelor in Paradise) , Film Score Monthly FSMCD vol. 7 No. 18
  • Breakfast at Tiffany's ( Breakfast at Tiffany ) , RCA Victor LSP-2362
  • Mr. Hobbs takes a vacation , Intrada special collection vol. 11
  • Experiment in Terror , RCA Victor LSP-2442
  • Hatari! , RCA Victor LSP-2559
  • Charade , RCA Victor LSP-2755
  • The Pink Panther ( The Pink Panther ) , RCA Victor LSP 2795
  • The Great Race ( The Great Race ) , RCA Victor LSP-3402
  • Arabesque ( arabesque ) , RCA Victor LSP-3623
  • What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? , RCA Victor LSP-3648
  • Two for the Road , RCA Victor LSP-3802
  • Gunn , RCA Victor LSP-3840
  • The Party , RCA Victor LSP-3997
  • Me, Natalie , Columbia OS 3350
  • Visions of Eight , RCA Victor ABL1-0231
  • The Great Waldo Pepper , MCA 2085
  • Darling Lili , RCA LSPX 1000
  • Gaily Gaily , UAS 5202
  • The Glass Menagerie ( The Glass Menagerie ) , MCA MCAD 6222
  • The Great Mouse Detective , Varèse Sarabande VSD 5359
  • The Hawaiians (rulers of the island) , UAS 5210
  • Lifeforce , BSXCD 8844
  • The Molly Maguires , Bay Cities BCD 3029
  • Oklahoma Crude , RCA APL1 0271
  • The Party ( Der Partyschreck ) , RCA BVCP 1030
  • The Pink Panther strikes again , UA-LA 694
  • Revenge of the Pink Panther ( Inspector Clouseau - The crazy Flic with the hot look ) , EMI 791113-2
  • Santa Claus - The Movie , EMI SJ 17177
  • Silver Streak ( Trans-America-Express ) , Intrada special collection vol. 5
  • Sometimes a great notion , Decca DL 79185
  • Son of the Pink Panther ( Son of the Pink Panther ) , Milan 21-16461-2
  • Sunflower , SLC SLCS 7035
  • The thief who came to dinner (Webster cannot be believed) , WB BS 2700
  • The Thorn Birds ( The Thorn Birds ) , Varèse Sarabande 30206 65642 8
  • Tom and Jerry - The Movie , MCA MCD 10721
  • Touch of evil ( In the sign of evil ) , Movie Sound MSCD 401
  • Victor / Victoria , GNP Crescendo GNPD 8038
  • WC Fields and me , MCA 2092
  • Who is killing the great chefs of Europe , Epic SE 35692

Chart placements

Albums

year title Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements
(Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
DE DE CH CH UK UK US US
1959 Peter Gun - - - US-
gold
gold
US
First published: 1962
1962 Breakfast at Tiffany's - - - US-
gold
gold
US
First published: 1962
1963 Uniquely Mancini - - - US19 (15 weeks)
US
First published: 1963
Our Man In Hollywood - - - US104 (14 weeks)
US
First published: 1963
Hatari! - - - US118 (4 weeks)
US
First published: 1963
1964 Charade - - - US6 (42 weeks)
US
First published: 1964
The Pink Panther - - - US8th
gold
gold

(88 weeks)US
First published: 1964
The Concert Sound Of Henry Mancini - - - US15 (19 weeks)
US
First published: 1964
The best of Mancini - - - US42
gold
gold

(35 weeks)US
First published: 1964
1965 Dear Heart And Other Songs Of Love - - - US11 (25 weeks)
US
First published: 1965
The Latin Sound Of Henry Mancini - - - US46 (17 weeks)
US
First published: 1965
The great race - - - US63 (22 weeks)
US
First published: 1965
1966 The Academy Award Songs - - - US74 (13 weeks)
US
First published: 1966
What Did You Do In The War, Daddy? - - - US148 (2 weeks)
US
First published: 1966
Arabesque - - - US142 (4 weeks)
US
First published: 1966
1967 Music Of Hawaii - - - US121 (19 weeks)
US
First published: 1967
Mancini '67 - - - US65 (13 weeks)
US
First published: 1967
Two For The Road - - - US183 (3 weeks)
US
First published: 1967
1968 Encore! More Of The Concert Sound Of Henry Mancini - - - US126 (12 weeks)
US
First published: 1968
1969 A Warm Shade Of Ivory - - - US5
gold
gold

(42 weeks)US
First published: 1969
Six Hours Past Sunset - - - US91 (16 weeks)
US
First published: 1969
1970 Theme From "Z" And Other Film Music - - - US111 (17 weeks)
US
First published: 1970
This Is Henry Mancini - - - US196 (2 weeks)
US
First published: 1970
1971 Mancini Country - - - US91 (17 weeks)
US
First published: 1971
Mancini Plays The Theme from Love Story - - - US26 (22 weeks)
US
First published: 1971
Mancini Concert - - - US85 (11 weeks)
US
First published: 1971
1972 Big Screen - Little Screen - - - US109 (15 weeks)
US
First published: 1972
Brass on Ivory - - - US74 (19 weeks)
US
First published: 1972
The Mancini Generation - - - US195 (5 weeks)
US
First published: 1972
1973 Brass, Ivory & Strings - - - US185 (3 weeks)
US
First published: 1973
1974 The Magic Of Mancini - - UK-
silver
silver
UK 		-
First published: 1974
1976 Henry Mancini - - UK26 (8 weeks)
UK 		-
First published: 1976
Symphonic soul - - - US159 (6 weeks)
US
First published: 1976
as Henry Mancini Concert Orchestra
A legendary performer - - - US161 (4 weeks)
US
First published: 1976
Henry Mancini's 40 Greatest - - UK-
gold
gold
UK 		-
First published: 1976
1977 Mancini's Angels - - - US126 (8 weeks)
US
First published: 1977
1982 A Merry Mancini Christmas - - - US-
gold
gold
US
First published: 1982
1984 In The Pink - - UK62 (6 weeks)
UK 		-
First published: 1984
with James Galway
1985 The Thorn Birds (Soundtrack) DE27 (8 weeks)
DE 		CH13 (6 weeks)
CH 		- -
First published: 1985
1986 The Hollywood Musicals - - UK46
silver
silver

(8 weeks)UK 		-
First published: 1986
with Johnny Mathis

gray hatching : no chart data available for this year

Singles

year Title
album 		Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements
(Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
DE DE CH CH UK UK US US
1960 Mr. Lucky - - - US21 (13 weeks)
US
First published: 1960
1961 Moon river DE40 (8 weeks)
DE 		- UK44 (3 weeks)
UK 		US11 (26 weeks)
US
First published: 1961
as Henry Mancini and His Orchestra
(Theme From) 'The Great Impostor' - - - US90 (1 week)
US
First published: 1961
as Henry Mancini and His Orchestra
1962 Theme From 'Hatari!' - - - US95 (4 weeks)
US
First published: 1962
as Henry Mancini and His Orchestra
1963 Days Of Wine And Roses - - - US33 (18 weeks)
US
First published: 1963
as Henry Mancini and His Orchestra
Benzai pipeline - - - US93 (1 week)
US
First published: 1963
as Henry Mancini and His Orchestra
1964 Charade - - - US36 (11 weeks)
US
First published: 1963
as Henry Mancini and His Orchestra
How soon? - - UK10 (12 weeks)
UK 		-
First published: 1964
as Henry Mancini Orchestra
The Pink Panther Theme - - - US31
gold
gold

(8 weeks)US
First published: 1964
as Henry Mancini and His Orchestra
A Shot In The Dark - - - US97 (2 weeks)
US
First published: 1969
as Henry Mancini and His Orchestra
Dear Heart - - - US77 (7 weeks)
US
First published: 1969
as Henry Mancini and His Orchestra
1969 Love Theme From 'Romeo & Juliet' - - - US1
gold
gold

(14 weeks)US
First published: 1969
as Henry Mancini and His Orchestra
Moonlight Sonata - - - US87 (4 weeks)
US
First published: 1969
as Henry Mancini and His Orchestra
1971 (Theme From) 'Love Story' - - - US13 (11 weeks)
US
First published: 1971
as Henry Mancini and His Orchestra
1972 Theme From 'Cade's County' - - UK42 (1 week)
UK 		-
First published: 1972
All His Children - - - US92 (3 weeks)
US
First published: 1972
Charley Pride with Henry Mancini
1977 (Theme From) 'Charlie's Angels' - - - US45 (9 weeks)
US
First published: 1977
as Henry Mancini and His Orchestra
1984 Main Theme From 'The Thorn Birds' - - UK23 (8 weeks)
UK 		-
First published: 1984
as Henry Mancini and His Orchestra
1985 The thorn birds DE27 (8 weeks)
DE 		CH4 (9 weeks)
CH 		- -
First published: 1985
as Henry Mancini and his orchestra

gray hatching : no chart data available for this year

Fonts

  • Henry Mancini: Sounds And Scores: a practical guide to professional orchestration. (Book of Popular Music Orchestration 1962), Alfred Publishing Company, 1999, ISBN 978-0-89898-667-9 .
  • Henry Mancini: Did they mention the music ?. ( Autobiography 1989), Cooper Square Press, 2002, ISBN 978-0-8154-1175-8 .

literature

  • Royal S. Brown: Overtones and undertones - reading film music, 1994.
  • Matthias Büdinger: An interview with Henry Mancini. in: soundtrack. vol. 7, No. 26, 1988.
  • Matthias Büdinger: Henry Mancini. in: soundtrack. vol. 13, No. 50, 1994.
  • Matthias Büdinger: Henry Mancini remembered. in: soundtrack. vol. 13, No. 51.
  • Matthias Büdinger: Whistling Away The Dark. in: Film Score Monthly. # 45, p. 7th
  • Matthias Büdinger: Henry Mancini 1924–1994. in: Film Score Monthly. # 46/47, p. 5.
  • Matthias Büdinger: Feeling Fancy Free , in: Film Score Monthly vol. 10, No. 2.
  • John Caps: Henry Mancini: Reinventing Film Music. University of Illinois Press, Baltimore 2012, ISBN 978-0-252-03673-6 .
  • Tony Thomas : Soundtrack. Heyne, 1995.

Film portrait

  • Music by: Henry Mancini (film by Jörg Bundschuh, Kick Film, WDR 1993)

swell

  1. ↑ a b Chart sources: DE CH UK US
  2. ↑ Music Sales Awards: UK US

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Mancini, Henry
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Mancini, Enrico Nicola (maiden name); Hank (nickname)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American composer
DATE OF BIRTH April 16, 1924
PLACE OF BIRTH Cleveland , Ohio
DATE OF DEATH June 14, 1994
Place of death Beverly Hills , California