Joseph Carl Breil
Encyclopedia
Joseph Carl Breil was an American lyric tenor, stage director, composer
and conductor
. He was one of the earliest American composers to compose specific music for motion pictures. His first film was Les amours de la reine Élisabeth
(1912) starring Sarah Bernhardt
. He later composed and arranged scores for several other early motion pictures, including such epics as D. W. Griffith
's Birth of a Nation (1915) and Intolerance
(1916). His love theme for "Birth of a Nation", titled "The Perfect Song", was published by Chappell & Co.
in an arrangement for voice and keyboard. It was later used as the theme for the radio show "Amos and Andy".
(then the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost) in 1888. He later composed the alma mater
for the university, which was first performed in October 1920. He also pursued studies at St Fidelis College (Butler, Pennsylvania) and Curry College
before being sent by his family to the University of Leipzig
to study law. While in Leipzig he began to study music composition and singing at the Leipzig Conservatory. These were followed by singing lessons in Milan and Philadelphia (with Giuseppe del Puente).
He toured as principal tenor of the Emma Juch Opera Company
(1891–1892) before returning to Pittsburgh to teach singing and to direct the choir of St Paul’s Cathedral
(1892–1897). From 1897 to 1903 he was music director for several theatre companies. An article in The New York Times, dated 12 June 1914, noted that he "...will conduct the orchestra at the Illinois Theatre, Chicago
, during the engagement of the second presentation of Gabriele D'Annunzio
's Cabiria
, which opens on Thursday night." Between 1903 and 1910 he was employed by the music publisher Chappell, for whom he composed many instrumental pieces and songs in addition to his role there as a staff arranger and music editor. His first critical success as a composer came in 1909 with his incidental music, including Song of the Soul (recorded by Marguerite Dunlap for Victor Records in 1910), for Edward Lock's three-act play, The Climax, which premiered on 12 April, 1909, at Joseph W. Weber's Music Hall, New York City. After this he spent the next decade composing mostly film music. It is his work in this medium that his legacy rests. He also composed the one-act lyric opera, The Legend, one of the first such works by an American. The Legend, on which Breil had begun work in 1907, premiered at the Metropolitan Opera
on 12 March, 1919, to less than favorable reviews. He died of heart disease on 23 January, 1926, following a nervous breakdown suffered on account of the failure of his final opera, Der Asra. He is interred at Hollywood Forever Cemetery
.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
. He was one of the earliest American composers to compose specific music for motion pictures. His first film was Les amours de la reine Élisabeth
Les Amours de la reine Élisabeth
Les Amours de la reine Élisabeth , Les Amours d'Elisabeth, Reine d'Angleterre or La reine Élisabeth is a 1912 short 4-reel French silent film based on the love affair between Elizabeth I of England and the Earl of Essex...
(1912) starring Sarah Bernhardt
Sarah Bernhardt
Sarah Bernhardt was a French stage and early film actress, and has been referred to as "the most famous actress the world has ever known". Bernhardt made her fame on the stages of France in the 1870s, and was soon in demand in Europe and the Americas...
. He later composed and arranged scores for several other early motion pictures, including such epics as D. W. Griffith
D. W. Griffith
David Llewelyn Wark Griffith was a premier pioneering American film director. He is best known as the director of the controversial and groundbreaking 1915 film The Birth of a Nation and the subsequent film Intolerance .Griffith's film The Birth of a Nation made pioneering use of advanced camera...
's Birth of a Nation (1915) and Intolerance
Intolerance (film)
Intolerance is a 1916 American silent film directed by D. W. Griffith and is considered one of the great masterpieces of the Silent Era. The three-and-a-half hour epic intercuts four parallel storylines each separated by several centuries: A contemporary melodrama of crime and redemption; a...
(1916). His love theme for "Birth of a Nation", titled "The Perfect Song", was published by Chappell & Co.
Chappell & Co.
Chappell & Co. was an English company that published music and manufactured pianos.-History:It was founded in 1810 by Samuel Chappell in partnership with music professors Francis Tatton Latour and Johann Baptist Cramer. Cramer was also a well-known London composer, teacher and pianist...
in an arrangement for voice and keyboard. It was later used as the theme for the radio show "Amos and Andy".
Life
Breil graduated from Duquesne UniversityDuquesne University
Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a private Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened its doors as the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost in October 1878 with an enrollment of...
(then the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost) in 1888. He later composed the alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
for the university, which was first performed in October 1920. He also pursued studies at St Fidelis College (Butler, Pennsylvania) and Curry College
Curry College
Curry College is a private liberal arts-based institution in Milton, Massachusetts that started as the School of Elocution in 1879.-History:...
before being sent by his family to the University of Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
to study law. While in Leipzig he began to study music composition and singing at the Leipzig Conservatory. These were followed by singing lessons in Milan and Philadelphia (with Giuseppe del Puente).
He toured as principal tenor of the Emma Juch Opera Company
Emma Juch
Emma Juch was a popular soprano opera singer of the 1880s and 1890s from Vienna, Austria. Her married name was Emma Antonia Joanna Juch Wellman. Her name was more properly Von Juch.-Austrian family:...
(1891–1892) before returning to Pittsburgh to teach singing and to direct the choir of St Paul’s Cathedral
Cathedral of Saint Paul in Pittsburgh
The Cathedral of Saint Paul is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States...
(1892–1897). From 1897 to 1903 he was music director for several theatre companies. An article in The New York Times, dated 12 June 1914, noted that he "...will conduct the orchestra at the Illinois Theatre, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, during the engagement of the second presentation of Gabriele D'Annunzio
Gabriele D'Annunzio
Gabriele D'Annunzio or d'Annunzio was an Italian poet, journalist, novelist, and dramatist...
's Cabiria
Cabiria
Cabiria is a silent movie from the early years of Italy's movie industry, directed by Giovanni Pastrone . The movie is set in ancient Sicily, Carthage, and Cirta during the period of the Second Punic War . It follows a melodramatic main plot about an abducted little girl, Cabiria, and features...
, which opens on Thursday night." Between 1903 and 1910 he was employed by the music publisher Chappell, for whom he composed many instrumental pieces and songs in addition to his role there as a staff arranger and music editor. His first critical success as a composer came in 1909 with his incidental music, including Song of the Soul (recorded by Marguerite Dunlap for Victor Records in 1910), for Edward Lock's three-act play, The Climax, which premiered on 12 April, 1909, at Joseph W. Weber's Music Hall, New York City. After this he spent the next decade composing mostly film music. It is his work in this medium that his legacy rests. He also composed the one-act lyric opera, The Legend, one of the first such works by an American. The Legend, on which Breil had begun work in 1907, premiered at the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
on 12 March, 1919, to less than favorable reviews. He died of heart disease on 23 January, 1926, following a nervous breakdown suffered on account of the failure of his final opera, Der Asra. He is interred at Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Hollywood Forever Cemetery, originally called Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery, is one of the oldest cemeteries in Los Angeles, California. It is located at 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard in the Hollywood...
.
Operas
- Orlando of Milan (c. 1888)
- Love Laughs at Locksmiths (27 October 1910, Portland, MainePortland, MainePortland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
) - Prof. Tattle (1913)
- The Seventh Chord (1913)
- The LegendThe Legend (opera)The Legend is a one-act tragic opera composed by Joseph Breil to an English libretto by Jacques Byrne. It premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City on March 12, 1919 in a triple bill with two other one-act operas, John Hugo's The Temple Dancer and Charles Cadman's Shanewis...
(12 March 1919, Metropolitan OperaMetropolitan OperaThe Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
) - Der Asra (24 November 1925, Los Angeles OperaLos Angeles OperaThe Los Angeles Opera is an opera company in Los Angeles, California. It is the fourth largest opera company in the United States. The company's home base is the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, part of the Los Angeles Music Center.-Current leadership:...
)
External links
- Joseph Carl Breil (IMDb)
- Joseph Carl Breil (SoundtrackNet)
- Joseph Carl Breil (US Opera)
- Opera Glass