Patrick Bade
Mischa Spoliansky
Summary
The lecture explores the life and musical contributions of Mischa Spoliansky (1898–1985), a prominent composer of the interwar period whose works have left an indelible mark on European music. Initially active in the vibrant cabaret scene of Weimar Berlin, Spoliansky’s career took a turn in 1933 with the rise of the Nazis, prompting his migration to Britain where he became a renowned film composer. The lecture delves into Spoliansky’s musical journey, from his first major hit “Morphium” to his collaborations with influential figures like Richard Tauber and his recording of Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” as well as others.
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.
It was just a Berlin band of the period.
It’s a fascinating phenomenon that Berlin was so exciting and so much more open and much more experimental than other places.
There’s been a number of books about film music in which they’re discussed and actually there’s a CD. I wrote about that brief period in the mid thirties when all those Berlin Jewish cabaret composers, they all came to Paris. That was the most receptive place for them.