Nico Dostal
Encyclopedia
Nico Dostal (27 November 1895–27 October 1981) was an Austria
n operetta
and film music composer
.
, Lower Austria
, and was the nephew of composer Hermann Dostal. He initially studied law
at the University of Vienna
, but turned to studying music at the Academy for Church Music in Klosterneuburg
, and made a name for himself when his Great Mass in D major premiered in Linz
in 1913.
After participating in World War I
, Dostal worked as the theatre Kapellmeister
in Innsbruck
, St. Pölten, Vienna
, Chernivtsi
and Salzburg
, before moving to Berlin
in 1924, where he turned his hand to secular music. He worked in music publishing and as a freelance arranger for Oscar Straus
, Franz Lehár
and Robert Stolz
, among others.
Whilst working as a Kapellmeister and composer, Dostal wrote the music for the film Kaiserwalzer (Emperor's Waltzes) and enjoyed great success with his first operetta Clivia. This was followed by Die Vielgeliebte (1934) (The Much-Loved), Die ungarische Hochzeit (1939) (The Hungarian Wedding), and numerous pieces of film music.
In 1946 Dostal moved to Vienna, then in 1954 to Salzburg, where he continued to devote himself to composition, writing there among other pieces the chamber musical So macht man Karriere (1961) (How To Make a Career). Dostal also composed church music along with operettas and film music.
In 1942 he married the opera singer Lillie Claus
, by whom he had one son, Roman Dostal, later a conductor
. Dostal died in Salzburg, where he is buried in a grave of honour in the main cemetery, the Salzburger Kommunalfriedhof.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n operetta
Operetta
Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...
and film music composer
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...
.
Life
Dostal was born in KorneuburgKorneuburg
Korneuburg is a town in Austria. It is located in the state Lower Austria and is the administrative center of the district of Korneuburg. Korneuburg is situated on the left bank of the Danube, opposite the city of Klosterneuburg, and is 12 km northwest of Vienna...
, Lower Austria
Lower Austria
Lower Austria is the northeasternmost state of the nine states in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria since 1986 is Sankt Pölten, the most recently designated capital town in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria had formerly been Vienna, even though Vienna is not officially part of Lower Austria...
, and was the nephew of composer Hermann Dostal. He initially studied law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
, but turned to studying music at the Academy for Church Music in Klosterneuburg
Klosterneuburg
Klosterneuburg is an attractive small town in Lower Austria, Austria with a population of 24,442.It is located on the Danube, immediately north of Vienna, from which it is separated by the Kahlenberg and Leopoldsberg hills...
, and made a name for himself when his Great Mass in D major premiered in Linz
Linz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...
in 1913.
After participating in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Dostal worked as the theatre Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister is a German word designating a person in charge of music-making. The word is a compound, consisting of the roots Kapelle and Meister . The words Kapelle and Meister derive from the Latin: capella and magister...
in Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
, St. Pölten, Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Chernivtsi
Chernivtsi
Chernivtsi is the administrative center of Chernivtsi Oblast in southwestern Ukraine. The city is situated on the upper course of the River Prut, a tributary of the Danube, in the northern part of the historic region of Bukovina, which is currently divided between Romania and Ukraine...
and Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
, before moving to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in 1924, where he turned his hand to secular music. He worked in music publishing and as a freelance arranger for Oscar Straus
Oscar Straus
Oscar Straus may refer to:*Oscar Straus , Viennese composer of operettas*Oscar Straus , United States Secretary of Commerce and Labor from 1906 to 1909...
, Franz Lehár
Franz Lehár
Franz Lehár was an Austrian-Hungarian composer. He is mainly known for his operettas of which the most successful and best known is The Merry Widow .-Biography:...
and Robert Stolz
Robert Stolz
Robert Elisabeth Stolz was an Austrian songwriter and conductor as well as a composer of operettas and film music.- Biography :...
, among others.
Whilst working as a Kapellmeister and composer, Dostal wrote the music for the film Kaiserwalzer (Emperor's Waltzes) and enjoyed great success with his first operetta Clivia. This was followed by Die Vielgeliebte (1934) (The Much-Loved), Die ungarische Hochzeit (1939) (The Hungarian Wedding), and numerous pieces of film music.
In 1946 Dostal moved to Vienna, then in 1954 to Salzburg, where he continued to devote himself to composition, writing there among other pieces the chamber musical So macht man Karriere (1961) (How To Make a Career). Dostal also composed church music along with operettas and film music.
In 1942 he married the opera singer Lillie Claus
Lillie Claus
-Biography:She received a musical education in her youth . When she was 16 she entered the Vienna Academy of Music. She debuted as Papagena in Mozart's Magic Flute at the Vienna State Opera....
, by whom he had one son, Roman Dostal, later a 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...
. Dostal died in Salzburg, where he is buried in a grave of honour in the main cemetery, the Salzburger Kommunalfriedhof.
Operettas
- Die exzentrische Frau, 1922 (The Eccentric Woman)
- Lagunenzauber, 1923 (Lagoon Magic)
- Clivia, 1933
- Die Vielgeliebte, 1934 (The Much-Loved)
- Prinzessin Nofretete, 1936 (Princess Nefertiti)
- Extrablätter, 1937 (Extra Sheets)
- Monika, 1937
- Die ungarische Hochzeit, 1939 (The Hungarian Wedding)
- Die Flucht ins Glück, 1940 (The Flight into Happiness)
- Die große Tänzerin, 1942 (The Great Dancer)
- Eva im Abendkleid, 1942 (Eva in Evening Dress)
- Manina, 1942
- Verzauberte Herzen, 1946 (Enchanted Hearts)
- Ein Fremder in Venedig, 1946 (A Stranger in Venice)
- Süße kleine Freundin, 1949 (Sweet Little Girlfriend)
- Zirkusblut, 1950 (Circus Blood)
- Der Kurier der Königin, 1950 (The Queen's Courier)
- Doktor Eisenbart, 1952 (Dr. Eisenbarth)
- Der dritte Wunsch, 1954 (The Third Wish)
- Liebesbriefe Operette, 1955 (Love Letters Operetta)
- So macht man Karriere, 1961 (How To Make A Career)
- Rhapsodie der Liebe, 1963 (Rhapsody of Love)
- Der goldene Spiegel (The Golden Mirror)
- Don Juan und Figaro oder Das Lamm des Armen, 1990 (Don Juan and Figaro, or the Lamb of the Poor)
Film music
- Jedem seine Chance, 1930 (To Each, His Chance)
- Drei Tage Mittelarrest, 1930, with Max AdalbertMax AdalbertMax Adalbert was a German stage and movie actor.- Biography :Adalbert was born in Danzig , Imperial Germany as Maximilian Adalbert Krampf to a Prussian Officer. He used his firstnames as his stagename from the start of his career and debuted at the age of 19 at the theater of Lübeck and in 1894 at...
(Three Days of Interrupted Supplies) - Kopfüber ins Glück, 1931 (Headfirst into Happiness)
- Kaiserwalzer, 1933, with Paul HörbigerPaul HörbigerPaul Hörbiger was an Austrian theatre and film actor.-Life and work:Paul Hörbiger was born in Budapest, the son of Hans Hörbiger, an engineer who wrote Welteislehre on glacial cosmology, and elder brother of actor Attila Hörbiger. In 1902 the family returned to Vienna, while Paul attended the...
(The Emperor's Waltzes) - Fiakerlied, 1936, with Paul HörbigerPaul HörbigerPaul Hörbiger was an Austrian theatre and film actor.-Life and work:Paul Hörbiger was born in Budapest, the son of Hans Hörbiger, an engineer who wrote Welteislehre on glacial cosmology, and elder brother of actor Attila Hörbiger. In 1902 the family returned to Vienna, while Paul attended the...
(Carriage Song) - Der Optimist, 1938, with Theo LingenTheo LingenTheo Lingen , born Franz Theodor Schmitz, was a German actor, director and screenwriter. He appeared in over 230 films between 1929 and 1978, and directed 21 films between 1936 and 1960.-Life and career:...
(The Optimist) - Mordsache Holm, 1938 ("The Holm Murder Case)
- 13 Stühle, 1938, with Hans MoserHans Moser (actor)Hans Moser was an Austrian actor who, during his long career, from the 1920s up to his death, mainly played in comedy films. He was particularly associated with the genre of the Wiener Film...
, Heinz RühmannHeinz RühmannHeinrich Wilhelm "Heinz" Rühmann was a popular German film actor.-Life and work:Rühmann was born in Essen, Westphalia. His role in the 1930 movie Die Drei von der Tankstelle led him to film stardom. He remained highly popular as a comedic actor throughout the 1930s and early 1940s...
(13 Chairs) - Heimatland, 1939, with Wolf Albach-RettyWolf Albach-RettyWolf Albach-Retty was a Vienna-born Austrian actor. He had a daughter with German actress Magda Schneider named Romy Schneider....
(Homeland) - Das Lied der Wüste, 1939, with Zarah LeanderZarah LeanderZarah Leander was a Swedish actress and singer.Leander began her career in the late 1920s, and by the mid 1930s her success in Europe, particularly in Germany and the Scandinavian countries, led to invitations to work in the United States...
, Gustav KnuthGustav KnuthGustav Knuth was a German film actor. He appeared in 128 films between 1935 and 1982.-Selected filmography:* Friedemann Bach * Das Grosse Spiel * Die Mücke * Sissi...
(The Desert SongThe Desert SongThe Desert Song is an operetta with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel. It was inspired by the 1925 uprising of the Riffs, a group of Moroccan fighters, against French colonial rule. It was also inspired by stories of Lawrence of...
) - Die Geierwally, 1940, with Heidemarie HatheyerHeidemarie HatheyerHeidemarie Hatheyer was an Austrian film actress. She appeared in 43 films between 1938 and 1988.-Selected filmography:* Dr. Holl * Desires * Sauerbruch – Das war mein Leben...
(The Vulture Wally) - Schwarz auf weiß, 1943, with Hans MoserHans Moser (actor)Hans Moser was an Austrian actor who, during his long career, from the 1920s up to his death, mainly played in comedy films. He was particularly associated with the genre of the Wiener Film...
, Paul HörbigerPaul HörbigerPaul Hörbiger was an Austrian theatre and film actor.-Life and work:Paul Hörbiger was born in Budapest, the son of Hans Hörbiger, an engineer who wrote Welteislehre on glacial cosmology, and elder brother of actor Attila Hörbiger. In 1902 the family returned to Vienna, while Paul attended the...
, Hans HoltHans HoltHans Holt was an Austrian film actor. He appeared in over 100 films between 1935 and 1990.-Selected filmography:* Florentine * Dir zuliebe * 1. April 2000 * Almost Angels...
, Annie RosarAnnie RosarAnnie Rosar was an Austrian stage and film actress who is best remembered today for her appearances in many Austrian comedy films from the 1930s to the early 1960s...
(Black on White) - Glück bei Frauen, 1944, with Johannes HeestersJohannes HeestersJohan Marius Nicolaas "Johannes" Heesters is a Dutch actor, singer and entertainer with a -year career, almost exclusively in the German-speaking world. In Germany and Austria, Heesters is mainly known for his acting career...
(Luck/Happiness with Women) - Kind der Donau, 1950, with Marika RökkMarika RökkMarika Rökk was an Austrian-German singer, dancer and actress of Hungarian descent, who became famous in German films, notably in the Nazi era.- Life and work :...
, Fred Liewehr, Fritz MuliarFritz MuliarFritz Muliar, born as Friedrich Ludwig Stand , was an Austrian actor who, due to his huge popularity, is often referred to by his countrymen as Volksschauspieler.- Biography :...
, Annie RosarAnnie RosarAnnie Rosar was an Austrian stage and film actress who is best remembered today for her appearances in many Austrian comedy films from the 1930s to the early 1960s...
(Child of the Danube) - Frühling auf dem Eis, 1951, with Eva PawlikEva PawlikEva Pawlik was an Austrian figure skater , a show star, an actress and the first European figure skater to be a TV figure skating commentator .-Childhood:Born in 1927, Pawlik was regarded as a child prodigy, able to jump a single axel and do a large number of spins...
, Hans HoltHans HoltHans Holt was an Austrian film actor. He appeared in over 100 films between 1935 and 1990.-Selected filmography:* Florentine * Dir zuliebe * 1. April 2000 * Almost Angels...
, Oskar SimaOskar SimaOskar Sima was an Austrian actor who is best remembered for appearing in supporting roles in countless comedy films from the 1930s to the 1960s.Born in Hohenau an der March, Lower Austria, Sima attended high school in Vienna...
, Erich Auer, Heinz Conrads (Spring on the Ice) - Das Herz einer Frau, 1951 (The Heart of a Woman)
- Seesterne, 1953 (Sea Stars)
- Eine Nacht in Venedig, 1953 (A Night in Venice)
- Die Ungarische Hochzeit, 1969, with Maria SchellMaria SchellMaria Margarethe Anna Schell was an Austrian/Swiss actress, who won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival in 1956 for Gervaise....
(The Hungarian Wedding)