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Bernard Grun

November 24, 2023

Bernard Grun (German: Bernhard Grün; 11 February 1901 – 28 December 1972) was a German[1] composer, conductor, and author. He is primarily remembered as the compiler of The Timetables of History.

Early life edit

Grün was born on 11 February 1901 in Startsch, Moravia, Austria-Hungary (now Stařeč, Czech Republic).[2] He completed a degree in philosophy and a doctorate in law at Vienna and Prague,[1] going on to study music theory at Vienna's national music academy[3] under Alban Berg, Hans Gál, Felix von Weingartner, and Egon Wellesz.[1][2]

Career edit

Grün composed chamber music and songs and took work as a conductor in Karlsruhe and Mannheim before joining the Comedy House (Komödienhaus) in Vienna.[2] The 1920 film Die Erlebnisse der berühmten Tänzerin Fanny Elssler featured a screenplay by Grün.[4]

His first major work was the 1929 Bohemian Musicians,[2] performed in Vienna in 1930, and he composed music for the soundtrack of the 1932 film Ein Auto und kein Geld. Grün completed Marlene's Wedding and Gaby before being forced to leave Austria ahead of its unification with Nazi Germany. He moved to the United Kingdom in 1935, anglicising his name to "Bernard Grun". Following this, he co-composed music for the 1938 musical Magyar Melody. On 27 March 1939, it became the first musical to be broadcast directly from a theatre and shown on television (BBC TV).[5][6]

In 1946, he published his compilation The Timetables of History, adapted from Werner Stein's Kulturfahrplan, presenting human history since 5000 BC in tabular form. Each century, then decade, then year, is presented with its major events (if known) divided under the seven headings:

  • Influential leaders and political events
  • Literature & Theater
  • Religion, Philosophy, Learning
  • Visual Arts
  • Music
  • Scientific and technological inventions
  • Daily Life, innovations, trends.

It has been in constant publication, with the most recent update in 2005.[7]

In the postwar period, Grun continued writing film music for titles such as White Cradle Inn (1947), Balalaika, The Blind Goddess and Brass Monkey (all from 1948).[8]

In 1952, "Broken Wings", a song which Grun co-wrote, was published.[9] Grun was credited as a composer alongside John Jerome, which was a collaborative pseudonym for Harold Cornelius Fields, Howard Ellington Barnes and Joseph Dominic Roncoroni.[10][9][11] The song entered the UK Singles Chart in a recording by The Stargazers, a British vocal group, in February 1953.[12] The same month, two other recordings of the song also entered the UK chart: an American recording by Art and Dotty Todd (which peaked at number 6), and one by British singer Dickie Valentine (which reached number 12). The Stargazers' recording climbed to number 1 in April 1953.[13] The song also made number 1 on the UK's sheet music sales chart in February 1953, where it stayed for six weeks.[14]

Over the course of his life, Grun served as the musical director of theatres in Prague, Vienna, Berlin, and London,[3] including His Majesty's Theatre. In addition to his own output, he was also responsible for adapting various musical works, including Bizet's Carmen, Lehár's Count of Luxembourg, Millöcker's Dubarry, and Benatzky's White Horse Inn.[15]

Personal life and death edit

Grun married the British fashion designer Edith Hart.[16] He died on of a heart attack on 28 December 1972 in London, aged 71.[2][3]

Works edit

Print edit

Grun authored the books:[15]

  • The Timetables of History (1946)
  • Private Lives of the Great Composers, Conductors, and Musical Artistes of the World (1954)
  • Prince of Vienna: The Life, the Times, and the Melodies of Oscar Straus (1955)
  • The Golden Quill (1956)
  • Fanny Beloved (1959)
  • Die Leichte Muse: Kulturgeschichte der Operette (1961)
  • Aller Spass dieser Welt (1965)
  • Gold und Silber: Franz Lehár und Seine Welt, translated as Gold and Silver: The Life and Times of Franz Lehár (1970)
  • Alban Berg: Letters to His Wife (1971, editor and translator)
  • Bernard Grun's Beste Musiker Anekdoten (1974)
  • Mit Takt und Taktstock: Musikeranekdoten (1979)

Music edit

Grun composed the music for over 30 musicals,[3] including:

  • Böhmische Musikanten (1929)[2]
  • Musik um Susi (1932)[2]
  • Marlenes Brautfahrt (1933)
  • Die Tänzerin Fanny Elßler (1934)[2]
  • Gaby (1936)
  • Balalaika (1936 musical, with George Posford)[3][17]
  • Madame Sans-Gêne (1937)[2]
  • Old Chelsea (1943, in part)[3][18]
  • Summer Song (1956 arrangement of Dvorak)

Filmography edit

Grun's work featured in over 60 films, mainly in the 1930s and '40s,[3] including:[19]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Röder, Werner, Biographisches Handbuch der Deutschsprachigen Emigration nach 1933, Vol. II. (in German)
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Kornberger, Monika, "Bernhard Grün (Bernard Grun)", Oesterreichisches Musiklexikon Online, Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Bernard Grun, composer, Dies". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. 29 December 1972..
  4. ^ "Portrait of the filmcomposer Bernard Grün by Thomas Staedeli". www.cyranos.ch. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  5. ^ "Portrait of the filmcomposer Bernard Grün by Thomas Staedeli". www.cyranos.ch. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  6. ^ "Magyar Melody - The Guide to Musical Theatre". www.guidetomusicaltheatre.com. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  7. ^ "The Timetables of History", Books, Simon & Schuster.
  8. ^ "Portrait of the filmcomposer Bernard Grün by Thomas Staedeli". www.cyranos.ch. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  9. ^ a b Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series. United States: n.p., 1952. p.107.
  10. ^ Jerome, John, and Bernard Grun. “Broken Wings / John Jerome ; Bernhard Grun.” London: John Fields Music Co. Ltd., 1952.
  11. ^ Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series. United States: n.p., 1958. p.1716.
  12. ^ "Stargazers: UK Top 10 hits". Chartwatch. 25 August 2006. from the original on 1 July 2003. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  13. ^ "Songwriter: Bernard Grun". www.chartwatch.co.uk. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  14. ^ Henson, Brian (1989). First hits, 1946-1959. Colin Morgan. London: Boxtree. ISBN 1-85283-268-1. OCLC 19389211.
  15. ^ a b "Bernard Grun", WorldCat Identities, OCLC.
  16. ^ Grun (1970).
  17. ^ a b Traubner, Richard (2004), Operetta: A Theatrical History.
  18. ^ Castle, Charles; et al. (1971), This Was Richard Tauber, p. 148.
  19. ^ "Bernard Grun", Internet Movie Database.

External links edit

  • Bernard Grun at IMDb

November 24, 2023
bernard, grun, german, bernhard, grün, february, 1901, december, 1972, german, composer, conductor, author, primarily, remembered, compiler, timetables, history, contents, early, life, career, personal, life, death, works, print, music, filmography, references. Bernard Grun German Bernhard Grun 11 February 1901 28 December 1972 was a German 1 composer conductor and author He is primarily remembered as the compiler of The Timetables of History Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life and death 4 Works 4 1 Print 4 2 Music 4 3 Filmography 5 References 6 External linksEarly life editGrun was born on 11 February 1901 in Startsch Moravia Austria Hungary now Starec Czech Republic 2 He completed a degree in philosophy and a doctorate in law at Vienna and Prague 1 going on to study music theory at Vienna s national music academy 3 under Alban Berg Hans Gal Felix von Weingartner and Egon Wellesz 1 2 Career editGrun composed chamber music and songs and took work as a conductor in Karlsruhe and Mannheim before joining the Comedy House Komodienhaus in Vienna 2 The 1920 film Die Erlebnisse der beruhmten Tanzerin Fanny Elssler featured a screenplay by Grun 4 His first major work was the 1929 Bohemian Musicians 2 performed in Vienna in 1930 and he composed music for the soundtrack of the 1932 film Ein Auto und kein Geld Grun completed Marlene s Wedding and Gaby before being forced to leave Austria ahead of its unification with Nazi Germany He moved to the United Kingdom in 1935 anglicising his name to Bernard Grun Following this he co composed music for the 1938 musical Magyar Melody On 27 March 1939 it became the first musical to be broadcast directly from a theatre and shown on television BBC TV 5 6 In 1946 he published his compilation The Timetables of History adapted from Werner Stein s Kulturfahrplan presenting human history since 5000 BC in tabular form Each century then decade then year is presented with its major events if known divided under the seven headings Influential leaders and political events Literature amp Theater Religion Philosophy Learning Visual Arts Music Scientific and technological inventions Daily Life innovations trends It has been in constant publication with the most recent update in 2005 7 In the postwar period Grun continued writing film music for titles such as White Cradle Inn 1947 Balalaika The Blind Goddess and Brass Monkey all from 1948 8 In 1952 Broken Wings a song which Grun co wrote was published 9 Grun was credited as a composer alongside John Jerome which was a collaborative pseudonym for Harold Cornelius Fields Howard Ellington Barnes and Joseph Dominic Roncoroni 10 9 11 The song entered the UK Singles Chart in a recording by The Stargazers a British vocal group in February 1953 12 The same month two other recordings of the song also entered the UK chart an American recording by Art and Dotty Todd which peaked at number 6 and one by British singer Dickie Valentine which reached number 12 The Stargazers recording climbed to number 1 in April 1953 13 The song also made number 1 on the UK s sheet music sales chart in February 1953 where it stayed for six weeks 14 Over the course of his life Grun served as the musical director of theatres in Prague Vienna Berlin and London 3 including His Majesty s Theatre In addition to his own output he was also responsible for adapting various musical works including Bizet s Carmen Lehar s Count of Luxembourg Millocker s Dubarry and Benatzky s White Horse Inn 15 Personal life and death editGrun married the British fashion designer Edith Hart 16 He died on of a heart attack on 28 December 1972 in London aged 71 2 3 Works editPrint edit Grun authored the books 15 The Timetables of History 1946 Private Lives of the Great Composers Conductors and Musical Artistes of the World 1954 Prince of Vienna The Life the Times and the Melodies of Oscar Straus 1955 The Golden Quill 1956 Fanny Beloved 1959 Die Leichte Muse Kulturgeschichte der Operette 1961 Aller Spass dieser Welt 1965 Gold und Silber Franz Lehar und Seine Welt translated as Gold and Silver The Life and Times of Franz Lehar 1970 Alban Berg Letters to His Wife 1971 editor and translator Bernard Grun s Beste Musiker Anekdoten 1974 Mit Takt und Taktstock Musikeranekdoten 1979 Music edit Grun composed the music for over 30 musicals 3 including Bohmische Musikanten 1929 2 Musik um Susi 1932 2 Marlenes Brautfahrt 1933 Die Tanzerin Fanny Elssler 1934 2 Gaby 1936 Balalaika 1936 musical with George Posford 3 17 Madame Sans Gene 1937 2 Old Chelsea 1943 in part 3 18 Summer Song 1956 arrangement of Dvorak Filmography edit This list is incomplete you can help by adding missing items February 2017 Grun s work featured in over 60 films mainly in the 1930s and 40s 3 including 19 Die Erlebnisse der Beruhmten Tanzerin Fanny Elssler 1920 writer An Auto and No Money 1932 composer Balalaika 1939 17 amp 1948 composer Magyar Melody 1939 composer White Cradle Inn 1947 released as High Fury in US composer arranger amp conductor Brass Monkey 1948 composer The Blind Goddess 1948 composer References edit a b c Roder Werner Biographisches Handbuch der Deutschsprachigen Emigration nach 1933 Vol II in German a b c d e f g h i Kornberger Monika Bernhard Grun Bernard Grun Oesterreichisches Musiklexikon Online Osterreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften a b c d e f g Bernard Grun composer Dies Sarasota Herald Tribune 29 December 1972 Portrait of the filmcomposer Bernard Grun by Thomas Staedeli www cyranos ch Retrieved 27 June 2021 Portrait of the filmcomposer Bernard Grun by Thomas Staedeli www cyranos ch Retrieved 27 June 2021 Magyar Melody The Guide to Musical Theatre www guidetomusicaltheatre com Retrieved 27 June 2021 The Timetables of History Books Simon amp Schuster Portrait of the filmcomposer Bernard Grun by Thomas Staedeli www cyranos ch Retrieved 27 June 2021 a b Catalog of Copyright Entries Third series United States n p 1952 p 107 Jerome John and Bernard Grun Broken Wings John Jerome Bernhard Grun London John Fields Music Co Ltd 1952 Catalog of Copyright Entries Third series United States n p 1958 p 1716 Stargazers UK Top 10 hits Chartwatch 25 August 2006 Archived from the original on 1 July 2003 Retrieved 27 June 2021 Songwriter Bernard Grun www chartwatch co uk Retrieved 27 June 2021 Henson Brian 1989 First hits 1946 1959 Colin Morgan London Boxtree ISBN 1 85283 268 1 OCLC 19389211 a b Bernard Grun WorldCat Identities OCLC Grun 1970 a b Traubner Richard 2004 Operetta A Theatrical History Castle Charles et al 1971 This Was Richard Tauber p 148 Bernard Grun Internet Movie Database External links editBernard Grun at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bernard Grun amp oldid 1173719058, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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