Mischa Spoliansky
1898 - 1985
Russian
Summary
Spoliansky was born into a musical family in Białystock and after the birth of his sister the family moved to Warsaw, and later Kalisz. After the early death of his mother, the family relocated to Vienna.
Spoliansky's early musical education in piano, violin and cello was continued in Dresden and at the age of ten he made his public debut. Shortly thereafter his father died and Spoliansky moved to Königsberg (Prussia). In 1914 however as a result of the war he had to flee to Berlin.
Spoliansky worked in a coffeehouse as a pianist in order to continue his musical education and in addition he worked as a composer and pianist in a Russian émigré cabaret.
In 1933 Spoliansky emigrated to London, where he continued his career as a film composer. His naturalisation as a British national succeeded in large part thanks to schlager "Heute Nacht Oder Nie" from the film Das Lied einer Nacht (1932), which made Spoliansky world renowned.
Among his very best songs were those he wrote for Marene Dietrich and also Paul Robeson, featured in the films Sanders of the River (1935) and King Solomon's Mines (1937).
The Akademie der Künste in Berlin holds an impressive library of all his work including manuscripts, photos and contracts. Spoliansky is also featured in a permanent exhibition in the Jewish Museum in Berlin.
In 1985 Mischa Spoliansky died peacefully in his own home in London.
Biography
Mischa Spoliansky was born in Bialystock (Russia) on the 28th December 1898 to a musical family. His father was a baritone with the opera in Bialystock, his brother Alexander became a cellist in the Warsaw Symphony Orchestra and his sister Lisa became a concert pianist after being a master pupil of Artur Schnabel’s.
When Mischa was six years old his mother died and his brother and sister moved to Berlin to continue their musical careers. Mischa stayed with his father, eventually settling in Dresden where he was introduced to Professor and Mrs Mark Guinsberg, both renowned concert pianists. Impressed by his musical talent, the Guinsberg’s took Mischa as a pupil.
Orphaned at age 11 Mischa went to Königsberg to live with friends of his father. In 1914, he was sent to Berlin to join his sister. He studied at the Stern'sches Konservatorium. Later he joined his brother’s trio as pianist at the famous Café Schön, Unter den Linden.
Spoliansky played in the Chamber orchestra of the UFA Theatre in the Friedrichstrasse and the Mozartsaal at the Nollendorfplatz. Victor Hollaender, the father of Friederich, was impressed by Mischa’s music and piano playing and with Werner Richard Heymann asked him to join them at the literary cabaret Schall und Rauch based in the cellar of the Grosses Schauspieilhaus. There Spoliansky composed for lyricists including Walter Mehring, Kurt Tucholsky, Klabund and Joachim Ringelnatz.
In 1922 Spoliansky met the writer Marcellus Schiffer and began a successful partnership and close friendship. On his return to Schall und Rauch, Spoliansky met Max Reinhardt for whom he wrote the music for Victoria, based on Somerset Maugham’s Home and Beauty. It was a great success in Berlin, Vienna and Salzburg. He also wrote the show Es liegt in der Luft for Reinhardt, with book and lyrics by Marcellus Schiffer. Mischa’s close friend Marlene Dietrich made her stage debut in this show.
In 1928 Robert Klein commissioned Spoliansky and Georg Kaiser to write a revue Zwei Krawatten. It starred Marlene Dietrich. Joseph von Sternberg was in the audience at the premiere and immediately signed Dietrich for the film The Blue Angel. Two years later Spoliansky’s musical, Wie werde ich reich und Glücklich ("How Will I Become Rich and Happy”) was produced at the Komödie playhouse on the Kurfürstendam in Berlin. It is said that Richard Strauss and Arturo Toscanini both knew and loved this show.
Between 1931 and 1933 and in collaboration with Schiffer, Spoliansky wrote Alles Schwindel, Rufen Sie Herrn Plim, Das Haus Dazwischen and 100 Meter Glück. In 1933 with his wife and three small daughters, Spoliansky was forced to leave Germany. They arrived in London and became British citizens.
Spoliansky’s output includes more than 75 film scores as well as numerous one-off songs within films. Among these film scores are Sanders Of The River and King Solomon’s Mines, both starring Paul Robeson; The Ghost Goes West, North West Frontier, Trouble In Store with Norman Wisdom; Wanted For Murder with Eric Portman; The Happiest Days Of Your Life with Alistair Simm and Margaret Rutherford; Otto Preminger’s Saint Joan, and The Best House In London with David Hemmings.
In 1978, at the invitation of the Berlin Arts Festival and at nearly 80 years old, Spoliansky performed a concert of his music with his Margo Lion, the widow of Marcellus Schiffer. Acclaimed by a packed audience of all ages, he was invited to make a return visit the following year.
The Akademie der Künste in Berlin has an impressive library of his work up to 1933. Spoliansky is also featured in a permanent exhibition in the Jewish Museum in Berlin.In 1985 Mischa Spoliansky died peacefully in his own home in London.