Elmer Bernstein | Artist
Elmer Bernstein was an American composer and conductor born 1922 in New York City. He was widely regarded as one of the greatest film music composers of the 20th century. Born to a Jewish family, with a Ukrainian mother and an Austrian-Hungarian father, Elmer demonstrated an innate aptitude for music and learned to play the piano by the age of five. He was not related to the celebrated composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein, although the two later became friends. After studying piano, conducting, and composition at the Walden School and the New York College of Music, he attended the Juilliard School, where his classical training laid a foundation for his future film composition. Stylistically, Bernstein was influenced by Aaron Copland, plus his early works demonstrate strong jazz influences from the likes of Count Basie and Duke Ellington. In the 1950s, Bernstein began film-scoring, contributing to movies such as "Saturday's Hero" and "Sudden Fear." However, it was his collaboration with director Cecil B. DeMille on "The Ten Commandments" that catapulted him to prominence. This monumental score showcased Bernstein's ability to create grand, epic compositions that perfectly complemented the visual storytelling on screen. Along with many artists in Hollywood, Bernstein faced censure during the McCarthy era of the early 1950s. He was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee when it was discovered he had written music reviews for a Communist newspaper. After he refused to name names, pointing out that he had never attended a Communist Party meeting, he found himself composing music for B-movies such as Robot Monster and Cat-Women of the Moon, a step down from his earlier successes. Throughout his career, Bernstein exhibited remarkable versatility, composing music for westerns (The Magnificent Seven), comedies (Animal House), dramas (To Kill a Mockingbird), and everything in between. His ability to capture the essence of a film through music, enhancing emotional depth and narrative impact, solidified his reputation with many of Hollywood's leading directors, including Martin Scorsese, John Landis, John Sturgess, George Roy Hill, John Frankenheimer and Henry Hathaway. His scores possessed a timeless quality, capable of evoking a wide range of emotions, from joy and triumph to sorrow and introspection. Bernstein's outstanding body of work earned him numerous accolades and honours, including multiple Academy Award nominations and a Grammy Award for his score to Thoroughly Modern Millie. In recognition of his contributions to the art of film scoring, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Bernstein was a prolific recording artist, with a catalogue of over 147 albums to his name. A selection of recommended works includes The Man With the Golden Arm (1956), Sweet Smell of Success (1957), Staccato (1959), Blues & Brass (1960), The Magnificent Seven (1960), Walk on the Wild Side (1962), To Kill a Mockingbird (1963), The Great Escape (1963), The Silencers (1966), Heavy Metal: The Score (1981), and Ghostbusters (2006).
Artist Website: elmerbernstein.com
Featured Albums: Elmer Bernstein
Related Artists: Aaron Copland
