Hans J. Salter
Hans Julius Salter (born 14 January 1896 in Vienna, Austria, † July 23, 1994 in Studio City, Los Angeles, California, United States) was an Austrian - American conductor and film composer.
- 2.1 In Germany and Austria
- 2.2 In Hollywood
Life and work
Career and conducting career
Hans Julius Salter was born on January 14, 1896 in Vienna. As a high school student, he received his first piano lessons, which he had to finance themselves, since his parents did not support this interest. He began studying at the Music Academy in Vienna, where he had to stop in 1914, when he was drafted into military service. After four years at the front, he continued his studies begun in 1918. In addition, he earned his income by doing odd jobs since he received the family had after the death of his father and two of his brothers.
His teacher at the Music Academy were Felix Weingartner, Hans Gal, Franz Schreker and briefly also Alban Berg. In addition, Salter events attended " Society for Modern Music ," where the music of Richard Strauss and Gustav Mahler lasting impression left with him.
After studying Salter embarked on a conducting career because of financial reasons, a composer living initially did not seem possible. He was first accompanist, then Kapellmeister at various theaters, and finally at the Volksoper. On classical opera and operetta repertoire he learned how music affects the dramatization of a scene. In the theater the summer break of 1922, he first came in contact with the film: He conducted in several Viennese theaters accompanying orchestra of silent film operettas.
1924 Salter moved to Berlin, where he remained at first without a job and kept as samples pianist afloat. He eventually found employment at operetta performances, among others at the Berlin State Opera.
Change in the film industry
In 1928 he was awarded by Werner Schmidt- Boelcke an offer in the Berlin showpiece cinema of Emelka, the Capitol to conduct. There he fell from critics immediately positive, and in November 1928 he was at the Ufa -Palast am Zoo, the then largest cinema in Germany, obliged. There he created his first film Illustrations and refined as a result his compilation technique so that he could hinkomponieren in the short time between receipt of copy of the film and the first performance of musical sequences exactly on scene length and rehearse with the orchestra itself.
With the chapel Hans Salter, which was repeated in the guest entertainment program of the Berliner Rundfunk, his repertoire extended to the modern popular music and pop. The routine that he acquired thereby, it benefited to mute the sound film when upgrading from. Instead of the movies he conducted the orchestra is now in the movie studio. His work focus shifted more to the composition activity. Finally, he became the head of the music department of Ufa Until 1933 he worked as at 11 talkies with.
Emigration and career in Hollywood
After the seizure of power by the National Socialists in 1933 his work for Ufa was terminated because of his Jewish religion. He moved into Vienna and Budapest film industry. Early on, he recognized the threat posed by Germany and Austria was able, with the help of an already emigrated in the 1920s to New York schoolmates obtain the necessary affidavits and in 1937 emigrated to the United States.
When he arrived a little later in Hollywood, there was no immediate prospect of employment with the film, since the effects of the global economic crisis, the film industry would save personnel. He earned his first money with odd jobs until he his friends Joe Pasternak and Henry Koster 1938 procured a chance at Universal. Were missing four and a half minutes of music, which he should compose and orchestrate within three days of The Rage of Paris. The result was very satisfactory, but in the hope of finding a job at Universal was initially nothing and he had to make do with occasional small orders. Only in 1939 took him under contract and Universal Salter initially worked under the head of the Music Department, Charles Previn, as an orchestrator for Frank Skinner. In part, together with the two he created the musical backdrop for countless horror films, including House of Frankenstein and The Wolf Man.
1942 Salter received U.S. citizenship. In his career, he wrote the soundtrack for over 450 films, the majority of whom work in the United States. He ended his career in the late 60s.
Filmography (selection)
In Germany and Austria
In Hollywood
CDs
Several of Salter's work for Universal horror films ( along with Skinner, Dessau and Charles Previn ) were taken of William Stromberg for available also in Germany Naxos label in Moscow.