AP

Andre Previn

33quotes

Andre Previn: A Life of Music and Innovation


Full Name and Common Aliases


André Previn was born Andreas Ludwig Priwin on April 6, 1929, in Berlin, Germany. His family later changed the name to "Previn" to protect themselves from persecution during World War II.

Birth and Death Dates


April 6, 1929 - August 28, 2019

Nationality and Profession(s)


German-American composer, conductor, arranger, pianist, and music producer. Previn's work spanned multiple genres, including classical, jazz, film scores, and musical theater.

Early Life and Background


Previn was born into a Jewish family in Berlin, Germany, during the Weimar Republic era. His father, Jacob Priwin, was an engineer, and his mother, Erna Gollin, was a pianist. Previn began taking piano lessons at age six and soon developed a passion for music. In 1938, as the Nazi regime tightened its grip on Germany, Previn's family immigrated to the United States, settling in Los Angeles.

Major Accomplishments


Previn's remarkable career spanned over seven decades, with numerous accolades and achievements:

Conducted major orchestras worldwide, including the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
 Composed music for films, such as _Gigi_, _Porgy and Bess_, and _Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse_.
Arranged scores for films, television shows, and stage productions, including _My Fair Lady_ and _West Side Story_.
 Won four Academy Awards for Best Original Score and three Grammy Awards.

Notable Works or Actions


Some notable works and actions in Previn's career include:

Composing the score for the 1962 film _Two for the Road_, which showcased his ability to blend classical and jazz elements.
 Conducting the premiere of Samuel Barber's _Knoxville: Summer of 1915_ with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in 1948.
* Arranging the music for Leonard Bernstein's _Candide_, which premiered on Broadway in 1956.

Impact and Legacy


Previn's impact on the world of classical music, film scores, and popular culture is immeasurable. His innovative approach to composition and arrangement paved the way for future generations of musicians. His work continues to inspire new artists and audiences alike.

Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered


Andre Previn's contributions to music and his dedication to innovation have cemented his place as one of the most celebrated figures in 20th-century classical music.

Quotes by Andre Previn

I absolutely insist upon adequate rehearsal time - particularly for the pieces that orchestras know best. Because there, the tendency is not to take them apart - rediscover them - and you must.
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I absolutely insist upon adequate rehearsal time - particularly for the pieces that orchestras know best. Because there, the tendency is not to take them apart - rediscover them - and you must.
AP
I used to set myself little challenges to make the work more interesting.
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I used to set myself little challenges to make the work more interesting.
AP
It's been thrown up to me most of my life: Why don't I just concentrate on conducting or composing or my own playing or on jazz?
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It's been thrown up to me most of my life: Why don't I just concentrate on conducting or composing or my own playing or on jazz?
AP
The thing is that I'm naturally curious about a lot of different disciplines in music, and I enjoy doing them. And as long as people are nice enough to let me, I'll keep on trying.
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The thing is that I'm naturally curious about a lot of different disciplines in music, and I enjoy doing them. And as long as people are nice enough to let me, I'll keep on trying.
AP
Music critics have made it quite clear that any composer who ever contributed a four-bar jingle to a film was to be referred to as a 'Hollywood composer' from then on, even if the rest of his output were to consist solely of liturgical organ sonatas.
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Music critics have made it quite clear that any composer who ever contributed a four-bar jingle to a film was to be referred to as a 'Hollywood composer' from then on, even if the rest of his output were to consist solely of liturgical organ sonatas.
AP
I don't ever consciously change gears when I play jazz or classical. It's all music.
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I don't ever consciously change gears when I play jazz or classical. It's all music.
AP
There's a small group of music critics in the States who will forgive you anything - jazz, a long prison term, or what have you - anything but scoring a Hollywood musical.
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There's a small group of music critics in the States who will forgive you anything - jazz, a long prison term, or what have you - anything but scoring a Hollywood musical.
AP
I remain extraordinarily proud of the Vaughan Williams symphonies I recorded with the LSO, and in the 1980s and '90s, I made an almost complete cycle of orchestral works by Richard Strauss with the Vienna Philharmonic.
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I remain extraordinarily proud of the Vaughan Williams symphonies I recorded with the LSO, and in the 1980s and '90s, I made an almost complete cycle of orchestral works by Richard Strauss with the Vienna Philharmonic.
AP
The extraordinary mystique of hers made you think she lived on rose petals and listened to nothing but Mozart, but it wasn’t true. She was quite funny and ribald. She could tell a dirty joke. She played charades with a great sense of fun and vulgarity, and she could be quite bitchy.
"
The extraordinary mystique of hers made you think she lived on rose petals and listened to nothing but Mozart, but it wasn’t true. She was quite funny and ribald. She could tell a dirty joke. She played charades with a great sense of fun and vulgarity, and she could be quite bitchy.
AP
The basic difference between classical music and jazz is that in the former the music is always graver than its performance – whereas the way jazz is performed is always more important than what is being played.
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The basic difference between classical music and jazz is that in the former the music is always graver than its performance – whereas the way jazz is performed is always more important than what is being played.
AP
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