One of the premier film composers of the Golden Age of cinema, Franz Waxman, like many of his contemporaries, studied classical music in Europe before immigrating to America. Waxman was born in what is now Poland, studying music in Dresden and orchestrating music for the nascent German film industry. After moving to Hollywood, Waxman made a splash with his scores for The Bride of Frankenstein and Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca. He later collaborated with Hitchcock on Suspicion, The Paradine Case, and Rear Window; although the last film doesn't contain a conventional underscore, Waxman still provided jazzy, upbeat music for the main title and a piano tune played by of the neighbors James Stewart spies on. (Incidentally, said neighbor is played by Ross Bagdasarian, creator of Alvin and the Chipmunks). Other highlights include The Spirit of St. Louis, Peyton Place, and the epic Taras Bulba. Waxman became the first film composer to earn a Best Score Oscar in two consecutive years for Sunset Boulevard and A Place in the Sun.
The Silver Chalice
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