Here is something I would like to share with you all. In this morning's Breakfast programme we had the pleasure of hearing the famous piece Smile from Charlie Chaplin's movie Modern Times. Chaplin was not really a composer, but he was able to realize his musical ideas because he had some very fine collaborators around him. One of these collaborators was Mr David Raksin.

David Raksin did not only work with Charlie Chaplin, but also with George Gershwin, Coleman Hawkins, Arnold Schoenberg, Leopold Stokowski and many other famous musicians. He also wrote the famous theme from Laura. On December 13, 1998 he was a guest in the lovely programme Reiziger in Muziek, made by Mr Han Reiziger, who sadly passed away last year. In an one-hour programme Raksin talked about his long career in music. Marvelous stories and lovely anecdotes (Schoenberg in Hollywood!).

After Raksin died in August 2004, just one week after he became 92 years old, the Dutch television put the programme of Mr Reiziger online. You can watch it here:

http://www.vpro.nl/programma/vrijegeluiden/artikelen/18781272/

The (moving) link is on the right. Click on it to open it. For small band you choose "langzaam internet", for broadband you choose "snel internet". I would advice to choose the Real player and broadband. After the programme starts, you can open it in your Real player on full size.

The first two minutes are in Dutch, the rest of the programme is in English.

Do have a nice time with this lovely film.

Thank you, reiner_torheit. I will post more programmes like this one in the future!

Your'e welcome, trained-pianist. I will post more in the future.

How can they compose like it is Raksin describes Chaplin would tell him if he wanted the melody to go up or down, etc. And everything had to be done quickly and much of arrangements are in ink right away. It is a husling job in Holliwood.
Thanks again

I suppose if one person is not musician, but he just says something like,- I don't like this, can we shorten the section or do this or that, then he is a contrubuter and co-composer.

reiner_torheit,

There isn't any material of Korngold promised in the Dutch text. It says only that Raksin was active in Hollywood even before Korngold went there.

Thank you, pim-derks.   I, too. will follow-through.

I'm trying to recall whether Stage & Screen - already much missed - did a commemorative programme on David Raksin with interviews by Tommy Pearson?  I'll check my MD collection.

# 9     Tony Watson's recommendation for Andre Previn's memoir, covering his Hollywood years, "No Minor Chords", as composer and orchestrator, is a must; a real hoot.    Published 1992 by Doubleday (a division of Transworld Publishers Ltd).                Bws, Stanley

Hi Stanley,

Just caught up with your post. I did record an interview with David Raksin, very early on in Stage and Screen, and it was broadcast - I think! - in 2002. I went to his house in the Valley, just outside LA, and although he was at least 90 by then, David was in fine form and as tough-talking as ever. He had a fearsome reputation in Hollywood during the 40s, daring to square up to mega-producers and directors when everyone else (reasonably thinking of their futures) was sycophantic and quiet. There's a great story about how he got the Laura job (which made him famous as a composer) : Preminger, the director, wanted to use Ellington's Sophisticated Lady as the main theme but Raksin thought it was a stupid idea and said so (to gasps from the yes-men). Raksin was given the weekend to come up with an alternative, original theme. At the very moment he also got a letter from his wife effectively ending their marriage, Raksin sat at the piano and found the Laura theme. The rest was history.

Meeting David and spending the day with him was fascinating; hearing all the old stories, looking at photographs (there's a wonderful one of him standing with Chaplin and Arnold Schoenberg) and talking about  all those great artists he knew. Over lunch at his favourite deli, he told me about working with Stravinsky - and proudly announced (rightly) that he was the only person to ever orchestrate a piece for Stravinsky (Circus Polka). He also LOVED travelling in my hire car, a convertible, which he thought was the height of luxury!


When he died, I played the Laura theme in Stage and Screen as a tribute - but it was, bizarrely, the week when both Elmer Bernstein and Jerry Goldsmith also died. They represented 3 ages of film music : Raksin was there at the centre of the golden age, working with Chaplin, creating lush scores of his own, fighting for composers' rights. Elmer came in at the end of the golden age and brought a new approach, often using jazz, with tremendous and influential scores in the 50s and 60s. And Jerry Goldsmith, slightly younger, represented another generation - one that embraced the old but knew the new; the generation that started in television and then dominated movies of the late 60s and 70s.

Raksin was not only important as a composer and arranger. He was also one of film music's greatest advocates, often popping up on TV documentaries to talk about other composers (especially Bernard Herrmann, who he knew well) as well as lecturing about film music and writing books and articles. He was the last great connection with the golden age and his experiences were unique. His enthusiasm, his no-nonsense style, and his gifts as a raconteur are much missed. It was a privilege to meet him.

It's such a shame Stage and Screen was axed, I miss it (even though I left well before it's demise). I'm afraid Radio 3 has no film music enthusiasts now, so all we'll get is the obvious stuff (like Iain Burnside's programme a few weeks ago 'celebrating' the Oscars), usually connected with mainstream classical composers. But watch this space. Something's coming, just around the corner, that may just satisfy people who miss Stage and Screen. It won't be on Radio 3 (perish the thought) but I can't say more than that at this stage.

bws,

Tommy Pearson