Emmerich Kálmán Explained

Emmerich Kálmán (Hungarian: Kálmán Imre; 24 October 1882 – 30 October 1953) was a Hungarian composer of operettas and a prominent figure in the development of Viennese operetta in the 20th century. Among his most popular works are Die Csárdásfürstin (1915) and Gräfin Mariza (1924). Influences on his compositional style include Hungarian folk music (such as the csárdás), the Viennese style of precursors such as Johann Strauss II and Franz Lehár, and, in his later works, American jazz. As a result of the Anschluss, Kálmán and his family fled to Paris and then to the United States. He eventually returned to Europe in 1949 and died in Paris in 1953.

Biography

Kálmán was born Imre Koppstein in Siófok, then in Austria-Hungary, on the southern shore of Lake Balaton, to a Jewish family. Kálmán initially intended to become a concert pianist, but because of early-onset arthritis, he focused on composition instead. He studied music theory and composition at the National Hungarian Royal Academy of Music (then the Budapest Academy of Music), where he was a fellow student of Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály under Hans Kössler.

His early symphonic poems Saturnalia and Endre és Johanna were well-received, although he failed to achieve publication. He also composed piano music and wrote many songs: a song cycle on poems by Ludwig Jacobowski and a song collection published under the title Dalai.However, the popularity of his humorous cabaret songs led him towards the composition of operettas. His first great success was Tatárjárás – Ein Herbstmanöver in German, meaning Autumn maneuver, although the English title is The Gay Hussars, which was first staged at the in Budapest, on 22 February 1908. Thereafter he moved to Vienna, where he achieved worldwide fame through his operettas Der Zigeunerprimas, Die Csárdásfürstin, Gräfin Mariza, and Die Zirkusprinzessin.Kálmán and Franz Lehár were the leading composers of what has been called the "Silver Age" of Viennese operetta during the first quarter of the 20th century. He became well known for his fusion of Viennese waltz with Hungarian csárdás. Even so, polyphonically and melodically, Kálmán was a devoted follower of Giacomo Puccini, while in his orchestration methods he employed principles characteristic of Tchaikovsky's music.

In 1929, his first child (with Vera Mendelsohn), Charles Kalman (1929–2015) was born and would later on be also a composer.[1]

Despite his Jewish origins he was one of Adolf Hitler's favorite composers. After the Anschluss, he rejected Hitler's offer to become an 'honorary Aryan' and was forced to move first to Paris, then to the United States, settling in California in 1940.[2]

Last years and death

Following his emigration, performances of his works were prohibited in Nazi Germany. He emigrated back to Vienna from New York in 1949 before moving in 1951 to Paris, where he died.

Popular culture

In 1958 a West German biopic The Csardas King was made of his life, starring Gerhard Riedmann in the lead role.

The supporters of both the national football and handball team of Iceland use his composition Das Veilchen vom Montmartre as their anthem.

Operettas

References

Notes

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: A Great Loss: Charles Kálmán Dies Aged 85. 24 February 2015. 2 May 2022. Kevin Clarke. Operetta Research Centre. operetta-research-center.org.
  2. http://www.lyricoperasandiego.org/resource_library/PeopleKalman.htm Lyric Opera San Diego
  3. Web site: The Gay Hussars . IBDB.com . .
  4. Web site: Her Soldier Boy . IBDB.com . .
  5. Web site: Sari . IBDB.com . .
  6. Web site: Miss Springtime . IBDB.com . .
  7. Web site: The Riviera Girl . IBDB.com . .
  8. Web site: The Yankee Princess . IBDB.com . .
  9. Web site: Countess Maritza . IBDB.com . .
  10. Web site: The Philadelphia Inquirer 25 Apr 1926, page Page 67 . 2022-10-21 . Newspapers.com . en.
  11. Web site: The Circus Princess . IBDB.com . .
  12. Web site: Golden Dawn . IBDB.com . .
  13. Web site: Marinka . IBDB.com . .

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