Perhaps it all came too easily for Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897-1957). When the composer was barely out of short trousers, Mahler proclaimed him a genius. So did Richard Strauss. Puccini called him "the greatest hope of modern German music". For a long time, though, Korngold got no respect.
It's Hitler's fault. A Jew who called Vienna home, Korngold was stranded in the US when Germany annexed Austria in 1938. He settled in California and composed sumptuous scores for swashbuckling movies including The Sea Hawk and The Adventures of Robin Hood, which earned him an Oscar but made him an Untouchable among the European musical cognoscenti. They considered film music beneath them, even when it was as clever and well-written as Korngold's.
Denne historien er fra July 8 - 14, 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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Denne historien er fra July 8 - 14, 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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First-world problem
Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.
Applying intelligence to AI
I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.
Nazism rears its head
Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.
Staying ahead of the game
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Grasping the nettle
Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.
Hangry? Eat breakfast
People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.
Chemical reaction
Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.
Me and my guitar
Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.
Time is on my side
Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?
The kids are not alright
Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.
