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Benjamin Frankel

Benjamin Frankel

(1906 - 1973)

Born in London to parents of Polish-Jewish origin. His apprenticeship to a watchmaker at the age of 14 lasted for only about a year when his pianistic talents attracted the attention of the American pianist Victor Benham who persuaded his parents to allow him to study music full-time. Still in his teens, Frankel began to earn his living as a jazz pianist, violinist and arranger. By the early 1930's he was in great demand as an arranger and musical director in London's West End. Eventually he became one of England's best known film music composers, writing ultimately over 100 scores.

These things, especially in the the orthodox musical climate of England, obscured the fact that he had begun a substantial output of 'serious' music. At first mainly chamber music, the first major work to bring him to wider public attention was the Violin Concerto dedicated "In memory of 'the six million'", a reference to the Jews slaughtered in the Holocaust. It was commisioned for the 1951 Festival of Britain and first performed by Max Rostal.

During the last fifteen years of his life Frankel emerged as a leading symphonic composer, writing a cycle of eight Symphonies, other orchestral and chamber works and a three-act opera based on John Whiting's Marching Song. In this last creative period he came to his own unique view of 12-note composition that retained contact with tonality.

On his death, a twenty year long period of almost complete neglect was eventually terminated by the decision of a German record company, cpo, assisted by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, to record his entire output. This made it possible for the BBC to make him Composer of the Week in late 1996 and for such comments as the following to appear :

"Our neglect of Benjamin Frankel is not something we can be proud of …The two symphonies in this enterprising disc are outstanding examples of his work, colourfully scored and pungently concise…"

Michael Kennedy
Sunday Telegraph 5th June 1994

"His rediscovery now is as welcome as it is long overdue…"

Robert Layton
Penguin Guide to CDs Yearbook 1995/CPO 96

Publishers: Novello & Co., (also Chester Music Ltd., Augener Ltd.).

© 1997 Buxton Orr

Recommended Recordings

Chamber Music

Hyperion Helios CDH55105
Five String Quartets/CPO 999420-2
Nomos Quartet


Clarinet Quintet, Clarinet Trio, Early Morning Music, Pezzi Pianissimi, Bagatelles for 11 Instruments/CPO 999384-2
Paul Dean/Australian String Quartet/Queensland Symphony Chamber Players


Clarinet Quintet with Cooke, Holbrooke, Howells, Maconchy/Hyperion Helios CDH55105
Thea King/Britten String Quartet


Symphonies

CPO 999661-2
Symphonies #1-8; May Day Overture, Méphistophélès Serenade & Dance, Overture to a Ceremony, A Shakespeare Overture/CPO 999661-2
Werner Andreas Albert/Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Music for Strings/CPO 999221-2
Alun Francis/Northwest Chamber Orchestra Seattle

Film Music

label
Battle Of The Bulge/CPO 999696-2
Werner Andreas Albert/Queensland Symphony Orchestra


Excerpts from The Curse of the Werewolf, So Long at the Fair Medley, The Net, The Prisoner/Naxos 8.557850
Carl Davis/Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra


Music for the Movies Excerpts from The Importance of Being Earnest, The Curse of the Werewolf, The Night of the Iguana, Trottie True, The Years Between, Footsteps in the Fog/CPO 999809
Werner Andreas Albert/Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Silva Screen Film CD175


"Horror"including the 12-tone score for "Curse of the Werewolf" with Schurmann, Searle, Orr, Parker/Silva Screen Film CD175
Kenneth Alwyn/Westminster Philharmonic Orchestra




Trumpet