Friml (actually, Frimel), (Charles) Rudolf

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Friml (actually, Frimel), (Charles) Rudolf

Friml (actually, Frimel), (Charles) Rudolf, famous Bohemian-American operetta composer; b. Prague, Dec. 2, 1879; d. Los Angeles, Nov. 12, 1972. He was a pupil at the Prague Cons, of Juranek (piano) and Foerster (theory and composition). He toured Austria, England, Germany, and Russia as accompanist to Kubelik, the violinist, going with him to the U.S. in 1900 and again in 1906. He remained in the U.S. after the 2nd tour, gave numerous recitals, appeared as soloist with several orchs. (played his piano concerto with the N.Y. Sym. Orch.), and composed assiduously. He then lived in N.Y. and Hollywood, composing for motion pictures. In 1937 M-G-M made a film of his operetta The Firefly (Syracuse, Oct. 14, 1912), the popular Donkey Serenade being added to the original score.

Works

DRAMATIC peretta : The Firefly (Syracuse, Oct. 14, 1912); High Jinks (Syracuse, Nov. 3, 1913); Katinka(Morristown, N.Y., Dec. 2, 1915); You’re in Love, musical comedy (Stamford, Conn., 1916); Glorianna (1918); Tumble In (1919); Sometime (1919); Rose Marie (N.Y., Sept. 2, 1924; very popular); Vagabond King (N.Y., Sept. 21, 1925; highly successful). OTHER: A great number of piano pieces in a light vein.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire

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