Robert Hupka
Encyclopedia
Robert Hupka was a recording engineer for RCA
and later for Columbia Records and, until his retirement, a cameraman for CBS Television in New York. He was born in Vienna
, and emigrated to the U.S. at the onset of World War II to escape the Nazi persecution which took his parents' lives. His grandfather was the composer Ignaz Brüll
, who was a friend of Brahms.
Hupka took thousands of photographs, secretly or not, of conductor
Arturo Toscanini
while Toscanini was leading the NBC Symphony Orchestra
. The greatest of these were published in the book This Was Toscanini, (1963) accompanying an uncompleted essay by Samuel Antek
, a violin
ist in the NBC Symphony. Later, those and more photos were used as cover art for Toscanini reissues on LPs and CDs.
Photos of Toscanni, taken by Hupka, were used as set pieces in the television show, THE ODD COUPLE; the photos can be seen in Felix Unger's bedroom.
In the late 1980s, he worked with engineers at NBC International on the audio/video synchronization of the Toscanini telecasts, which were finally issued by BMG/RCA in the early 1990s.
Hupka was also the author of Michelangelo: Pieta, a collection of a hundred photographs, from various angles and with different lighting, of Michelangelo
's Pieta, taken in 1964 when this sculpture was exhibited at the New York World's Fair.
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
and later for Columbia Records and, until his retirement, a cameraman for CBS Television in New York. He was born in 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...
, and emigrated to the U.S. at the onset of World War II to escape the Nazi persecution which took his parents' lives. His grandfather was the composer Ignaz Brüll
Ignaz Brüll
Ignaz Brüll was an Austrian pianist and composer.Ignaz Brüll was born the eldest son of a prosperous Jewish merchant family in the Moravian provincial town of Prostějov . In 1850 he moved with his parents to Vienna, which became the centre of his life and work...
, who was a friend of Brahms.
Hupka took thousands of photographs, secretly or not, of 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...
Arturo Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini was an Italian conductor. One of the most acclaimed musicians of the late 19th and 20th century, he was renowned for his intensity, his perfectionism, his ear for orchestral detail and sonority, and his photographic memory...
while Toscanini was leading the NBC Symphony Orchestra
NBC Symphony Orchestra
The NBC Symphony Orchestra was a radio orchestra established by David Sarnoff of the National Broadcasting Company especially for conductor Arturo Toscanini...
. The greatest of these were published in the book This Was Toscanini, (1963) accompanying an uncompleted essay by Samuel Antek
Samuel Antek
Samuel Antek was a violinist in the NBC Symphony Orchestra under conductor Arturo Toscanini. He joined at the orchestra's inception in 1937 and played with it until its dissolution in 1954....
, a violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist in the NBC Symphony. Later, those and more photos were used as cover art for Toscanini reissues on LPs and CDs.
Photos of Toscanni, taken by Hupka, were used as set pieces in the television show, THE ODD COUPLE; the photos can be seen in Felix Unger's bedroom.
In the late 1980s, he worked with engineers at NBC International on the audio/video synchronization of the Toscanini telecasts, which were finally issued by BMG/RCA in the early 1990s.
Hupka was also the author of Michelangelo: Pieta, a collection of a hundred photographs, from various angles and with different lighting, of Michelangelo
Michelangelo
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni , commonly known as Michelangelo, was an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and engineer who exerted an unparalleled influence on the development of Western art...
's Pieta, taken in 1964 when this sculpture was exhibited at the New York World's Fair.