Patrick Bade
Franz Waxman: Berlin to Hollywood
Summary
Franz Waxman was one of many gifted artists whose career path was re-routed by the advent of the Nazi Regime. His highly personal and original concert works have been unfairly eclipsed by the brilliant scores he wrote for some of the greatest films during the golden age of Hollywood.
Patrick Bade
Patrick Bade is a historian, writer, and broadcaster. He studied at UCL and the Courtauld Institute of Art. He was a senior lecturer at Christie’s Education for many years and has worked for the Art Fund, Royal Opera House, National Gallery, and V&A. He has published on 19th- and early 20th-century paintings and historical vocal recordings. His latest book is Music Wars: 1937–1945.
I’m sure that they did, ‘cause a lot of that went on, and the most notorious example of that, of course, is Hitchcock and Bernard Herrmann. And because Bernard Herrmann wouldn’t compromise, Hitchcock jettisoned his score for The Torn Curtain. And I’m quite sure that that’s why The Torn Curtain failed, it would’ve been a much better movie if he’d used the Bernard Herrmann score. So, theoretically, it would be possible to do that.
It’s a slight chicken and egg thing because suddenly there was a lot of incredible musical talent available. All thanks to Adolf Hitler.