Scott Bradley

Scott Bradley (* November 26, 1891 in Russellville, Arkansas, † April 27, 1977 in Chatsworth, California ) was an American composer, pianist and conductor. Bradley is best known for his music for the Metro -Goldwyn -Mayer (Metro -Goldwyn- Mayer) cartoons. These included central roles Tom and Jerry ( Hanna -Barbera Years 1940-1958, 113 of 114 episodes), Droopy Dog ( all 24 episodes), Barney Bear (All 26 episodes), and many one-shot cartoons.

Life

Bradley was educated at Konversatorium the English horn as well as a composer and pianist. He learned some time with Mario Castelnuovo- Tedesco, and was also an admirer of Arnold Schoenberg. 1934 Bradley began composing for Hugh Harman and Rudy Ising. This produced at the time animated films for Metro -Goldwyn- Mayer. In 1937 he founded his own studio and was hired permanently. He remained at Metro -Goldwyn -Mayer until his retirement in 1957.

His early style shaped fragments of popular and traditional melodies, as was common practice in scores for animations. But in the late 1940s designed Bradley original and complex compositions and orchestrations, even occasionally using the twelve-tone technique. Further influences were Bela Bartok, Igor Stravinsky and Paul Hindemith. " Scott writes the most blank -blank- blank difficult fiddle music in Hollywood," concertmaster Lou Raderman was quoted as saying. In Sight & Sound magazine, he added yet good-naturedly: "He is going to break my fingers. "

Bradley expressed considerable pride in his " fun music ". He believed that the animation the serious composer far more possibilities than live-action films. About his contribution to Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer's Puttin 'on the Dog Bradley later wrote:

"I hope Dr. Schoenberg will forgive me that I have his system used to produce funny music, but even the orchestra musicians had to laugh during the recording. "

His music was originally released with the signature "red cape songs".

Bradley was in 1957 at Metro -Goldwyn -Mayer retired and closed his cartoon department. He died on April 27, 1977 in Chatsworth, California.

Swell

• Goldmark, Daniel ( 2006): "Cartoon Concerto". Liner Notes for Tom and Jerry & Tex Avery Too! Volume 1: The 1950s. Film Score Monthly CD Vol 9, No. 17
• Goldmark, Daniel ( 2005): " Tunes for ' Toons: . Musical and Hollywood Cartoons " University of California Press.
• Goldmark, Daniel and Yuval Taylor ( ed.) ( 2002): The Cartoon Music Book. A Capella Books.
• Maltin, Leonard (1987 ): Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons. Penguin Books.
• McCarty, Clifford (2000): Film Composers in America: A Filmography, 1911-1970. Oxford University Press.
• Morris, Peter ( 2007): Playing Cat and Mouse in BBC Music Magazine, March 2007 p44 -48. . British Broadcasting Corporation.