Philip Braham
Encyclopedia
Philip Braham was an English composer of the early twentieth century, chiefly associated with theatrical work.
s (several produced by André Charlot) and musical comedies
, collaborating with Reginald Arkell
, Eric Blore
, Sydney Blow, G. H. Clutsam, Noël Coward
, Max Darewski, Kenneth Duffield, Herbert Haines
, Douglas Hoare, Ronald Jeans, Donovan Parsons, Howard Talbot
, Fred Thompson and Frank Tours.
In World War I
, Braham volunteered for medical work, being unfit for active service. He began to compose music for the theatre in 1914. The best-remembered show on which he worked was probably London Calling!
(1923) on which he collaborated with Coward. He also contributed additional music to the hit musical Theodore & Co
(1916) and wrote the music for the hit revue Tails Up! (1918), which played at the Comedy Theatre in London for 467 performances. In 1925, he collaborated with Coward in On with the Dance
and John Hastings Turner on Bubbly, starring Cyril Ritchard
. His best-known song is the jazz standard
"Limehouse Blues
", which he co-wrote with Douglas Furber
. It was introduced by Teddie Gerard
in the 1921 West End
revue A To Z, but was soon closely associated with Gertrude Lawrence
, for whom it became something of a signature tune.
In the early 1930s, Braham turned to film music, working as musical director at Wembley Studios. He was managing director of Philip Braham and Campbell and was on the board of directors of the London Pavilion
. He was known in the theatrical world as "Pa" and was noted for his hospitality. He died suddenly in his office in London, aged 52.
Biography
Braham studied at Cambridge University before beginning a musical career in the theatre. He wrote for revueRevue
A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century American popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own during its golden years from 1916 to 1932...
s (several produced by André Charlot) and musical comedies
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
, collaborating with Reginald Arkell
Reginald Arkell
Reginald Arkell was a British script writer and comic novelist who wrote many musical plays for the London theatre. The most popular of those was an adaptation of the spoof history book 1066 and All That: 1066—and all that: A Musical Comedy based on that Memorable History by Sellar and Yeatman...
, Eric Blore
Eric Blore
Eric Blore was an English comic actor. Blore was born in Finchley , England.Aged eighteeen, he worked as an insurance agent for two years. He gained theatre experience while touring Australia. Originally enlisting into the Artists Rifles he was commissioned in the South Wales Borderers in World...
, Sydney Blow, G. H. Clutsam, Noël Coward
Noël Coward
Sir Noël Peirce Coward was an English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what Time magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise".Born in Teddington, a suburb of London, Coward attended a dance academy...
, Max Darewski, Kenneth Duffield, Herbert Haines
Herbert Haines
Herbert Haines was a British composer of musicals and songs, including some pieces for silent films, in the early years of the 20th century.Haines's musicals, most by Seymour Hicks, with lyrics by Charles H...
, Douglas Hoare, Ronald Jeans, Donovan Parsons, Howard Talbot
Howard Talbot
Richard Lansdale Munkittrick, better known as Howard Talbot , was an American-born, English-raised conductor and composer of Irish descent...
, Fred Thompson and Frank Tours.
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...
, Braham volunteered for medical work, being unfit for active service. He began to compose music for the theatre in 1914. The best-remembered show on which he worked was probably London Calling!
London Calling!
London Calling! was a musical revue, produced by André Charlot with music and lyrics by Noël Coward, which opened at London's Duke of York's Theatre on September 4, 1923. It is famous for being Noël Coward's first publicly produced musical work and for the use of a 3-D stereoscopic shadowgraph as...
(1923) on which he collaborated with Coward. He also contributed additional music to the hit musical Theodore & Co
Theodore & Co
Theodore & Co is an English musical comedy in two acts with a book by H. M. Harwood and George Grossmith, Jr. , with music by Ivor Novello and Jerome Kern and lyrics by Adrian Ross and Clifford Grey. It was produced by Grossmith and Edward Laurillard, opening at the Gaiety Theatre on 19 September...
(1916) and wrote the music for the hit revue Tails Up! (1918), which played at the Comedy Theatre in London for 467 performances. In 1925, he collaborated with Coward in On with the Dance
On With the Dance (musical)
This article is about the 1925 musical revue. For the 1920 film, see On with the Dance . For the 1975 Upstairs, Downstairs episode, see On With the Dance....
and John Hastings Turner on Bubbly, starring Cyril Ritchard
Cyril Ritchard
Cyril Ritchard was an Australian stage, screen and television actor, and director. He is probably best remembered today for his performance as Captain Hook in the Mary Martin musical production of Peter Pan....
. His best-known song is the jazz standard
Jazz standard
Jazz standards are musical compositions which are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive list of jazz standards, and the list of songs deemed to be...
"Limehouse Blues
Limehouse Blues
Limehouse Blues is a world famous jazz standard , as well as a 1934 crime film is set in London's Chinese district and starring George Raft and Anna May Wong. The film is named after the tune...
", which he co-wrote with Douglas Furber
Douglas Furber
Douglas Furber was a British lyricist and playwright.Furber is best known for the lyrics to the 1937 song The Lambeth Walk and the libretto to the musical Me and My Girl, composed by Noel Gay, from which it came. This show made broadcasting history when in 1939 it became the first full length...
. It was introduced by Teddie Gerard
Teddie Gerard
Teddie Gerard was an Argentine film actress and entertainer of the early 20th century. Her real name was Teresa Cabre. She was born in Buenos Aires.-Actress, Dancer, and Singer:...
in the 1921 West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
revue A To Z, but was soon closely associated with Gertrude Lawrence
Gertrude Lawrence
Gertrude Lawrence was an English actress, singer and musical comedy performer known for her stage appearances in the West End theatre district of London and on Broadway.-Early life:...
, for whom it became something of a signature tune.
In the early 1930s, Braham turned to film music, working as musical director at Wembley Studios. He was managing director of Philip Braham and Campbell and was on the board of directors of the London Pavilion
London Pavilion
The London Pavilion is a building located on the corner of Shaftesbury Avenue and Coventry Street on the north-east side of, and facing, Piccadilly Circus in London...
. He was known in the theatrical world as "Pa" and was noted for his hospitality. He died suddenly in his office in London, aged 52.