9/17/2015

MischaSpolianskyLongBiographyMusicSalesClassical

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Composers
Mischa Spoliansky
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Mischa Spoliansky
Born: 1898
Died: 1985
Nationality: Russian
Publisher: Chester Music
MischaSpolianskywasborninBialystock(Russia)onthe28thDecember1898toa
musicalfamily.HisfatherwasabaritonewiththeoperainBialystock,hisbrother
AlexanderbecameacellistintheWarsawSymphonyOrchestraandhissisterLisa
becameaconcertpianistafterbeingamasterpupilofArturSchnabels.
WhenMischawassixyearsoldhismotherdiedandhisbrotherandsistermovedto
Berlintocontinuetheirmusicalcareers.Mischastayedwithhisfather,eventually
settlinginDresdenwherehewasintroducedtoProfessorandMrsMarkGuinsberg,
bothrenownedconcertpianists.Impressedbyhismusicaltalent,theGuinsberstook
Mischaasapupil.

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Orphanedatage11MischawenttoKonigsbergtolivewithfriendsofhisfather.In
1914,hewassenttoBerlintojoinhissister.HestudiedattheStern'sche
Conservatorium.LaterhejoinedhisbrotherstrioaspianistatthefamousCaf
Schn,UnterdenLinden.
SpolianskyplayedintheChamberorchestraoftheUFATheatreinthe
FriedrichstrasseandtheMozartSaalattheNollendorfplatz.VictorHollaender,the
fatherofFriederich,wasimpressedbyMischasmusicandpianoplayingandwith
WernerRichardHeymannaskedhimtojointhemattheliterarycabaretSchallund
RauchbasedinthecellaroftheGrossesSchauspieilhaus.ThereSpoliansky
composedforlyricistsincludingWalterMehring,KurtTucholsky,Klabundand
JoachimRingelnatz.
In1922SpolianskymetthewriterMarcellusSchifferandbeganasuccessfulpartnershipandclosefriendship.Onhisreturnto
SchallundRauch,SpolianskymetMaxReinhardtforwhomhewrotethemusicforVictoria,basedonSomersetMaughams
HomeandBeauty.ItwasagreatsuccessinBerlin,ViennaandSalzburg.HealsowrotetheshowEsliegtinderLuftfor
Reinhardt,withbookandlyricsbyMarcellusSchiffer.MischasclosefriendMarleneDietrichmadeherstagedebutinthis
show.
In1928RobertKleincommissionedSpolianskyandGeorgKaisertowritearevueZweiKrawatten.ItstarredMarleneDietrich.
JosephvonSternbergwasintheaudienceatthepremiereandimmediatelysignedDietrichforthefilmTheBlueAngel.Two
yearslaterSpolianskysmusical,Wiewerdeichreichundglcklich(HowWillIBecomeRichandHappy)wasproducedat
theKomdieplayhouseontheKurfrstendaminBerlin.ItissaidthatRichardStraussandArturoToscaninibothknewand
lovedthisshow.
Between1931and1933andincollaborationwithSchiffer,SpolianskywroteAllesSchwindel,RufenSieHerrnPlim,Das
Hausdazwischenand100MeterGlck.In1933withhiswifeandthreesmalldaughters,Spolianskywasforcedtoleave
Germany.TheyarrivedinLondonandbecameBritishcitizens.
Spolianskysoutputincludesmorethan50filmscores.AmongthemareSandersOfTheRiverandKingSolomonsMines,
bothstarringPaulRobesonTheGhostGoesWest,NorthWestFrontier,TroubleInStorewithNormanWisdomWantedFor
MurderwithEricPortmanTheHappiestDaysOfYourLifewithAlistairSimmandMargaretRutherfordOttoPremingersSaint
Joan,andTheBestHouseInLondonwithDavidHemmings.
In1978,attheinvitationoftheBerlinArtsFestivalandatnearly80yearsold,Spolianskyperformedaconcertofhismusicwith
hisMargoLion,thewidowofMarcellusSchiffer.Acclaimedbyapackedaudienceofallages,hewasinvitedtomakeareturn
visitthefollowingyear.
YorkUniversityholdsaconcisearchiveofMischasEnglishworksincludinganumberoforiginaldocuments.TheAkademie
derKnsteinBerlinhasanimpressivelibraryofhisworkupto1933.Spolianskyisalsofeaturedinapermanentexhibitionin
theJewishMuseuminBerlin.In1985MischaSpolianskydiedpeacefullyinhisownhomeinLondon.

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