Bruno Granichstaedten
Bruno Bernhard Granichstaedten ( born September 1, 1879 in Vienna, † May 30, 1944 in New York) was an Austrian composer.
His father, Dr. Emil Granichstaedten, was a lawyer and first worked as a lawyer, but later he turned his literary interests professionally and became a well-known theater critic and playwright. Since his son Bruno showed an early interest in music, he received a thorough education, including at Salomon Jadassohn (1831-1902) in Leipzig. After initial theatrical engagements in Erfurt and Mannheim, he was appointed in 1900 as the third musical director of the Munich Court Theatre. However, since he Frank Wedekind's work on Simplizissimus defended and also temporarily participated in the cabaret The Elf Executioner, he was soon released from the court theater.
1905 Granichstaedten returned back to Vienna and worked initially on different Kaberettbühnen. In 1908, he published his first operetta ( boy or girl, libretto by Felix Dormann and Adolf Altmann ), which had some success, he and other works could still outbid in the following years. His greatest successes were to command the Empress (1915 ) and his main work The Orlov (1925 ) at the Theater an der Wien, which was then made into a movie twice. In addition, he created music for five other sound films and some songs and chansons. After the "Anschluss " of Austria as a Jew he had to leave the country; with the help of singer Betty Fischer, he managed to emigrate over Luxembourg in 1940 to the United States. Here, however, he could not hold more foot, at times he earned his living as a pianist in nightclubs.
Bruno Granichstaedten created 16 operettas and musical comedies for which he partly also wrote the libretto himself. His music was in the early years of typical Viennese style, after the First World War, however, is clearly the influence of popular American music to listen to, especially with regard to the rhythmic design. His artistic success however, this was not beneficial, as his work so forfeited to independence.
His honorary devoted grave is located at the Hietzing Cemetery (Group 46, Number 31). 1955 named to the Granichstaedtengasse in Vienna Hietzing his honor.
His estate is located in the Vienna City Library.