Elmer Bernstein
The mid-twentieth century saw Hollywood film scoring emerge as a distinct and serious compositional discipline, drawing on classical training and popular music traditions in equal measure. Elmer Bernstein, born on April 4, 1922, in New York City, became one of the practitioners who worked within that environment as a composer, conductor, pianist, music arranger, bandleader, songwriter, recording artist, music educator, and actor.
Bernstein pursued his education at New York University, the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, and the Juilliard School, grounding himself in formal musical study before building a career centered on film score composition. Working across several decades in American cinema, he contributed to the field not only as a film score composer but also in the broader roles of conductor and arranger, reflecting the varied demands placed on musicians operating within the studio system. His work as a music educator added yet another dimension to a professional life that extended well beyond performance and composition alone.
Bernstein received recognition from multiple institutions over the course of his career. He was awarded a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score and an Academy Award, acknowledgments from two of the industry's principal honors bodies. He also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In a more unusual distinction, he was additionally the recipient of a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Musical Score. A citizen of the United States throughout his life, Bernstein died in Ojai in August 2004.
Quotes by Elmer Bernstein
I made my way on to a grey list, a black list even. That’s something I’m very proud of, actually.
Victor Young had been hired to write the score for the dances of The Ten Commandments but he became very ill. You were then hired to write the score. But at the same time you’d written The Man with the Golden Arm score.
There’s no way I can compete with someone who can write rap or rock and roll. Nor do I wish to. But I’ve always kept up to date with music changes. I worked very hard not to type myself.
All of a sudden I found myself doing things like ‘Robot Monster’ and ‘Cat-Women of the Moon,’ and I didn’t know what the devil was going on. But if you’re going to do areally bad movie, at least you do one that is at the top of the all-time bad-movie list.
I’m generally pessimistic about the dumbing down of America – especially with summer movies.
All of a sudden I found myself doing things like 'Robot Monster' and 'Cat-Women of the Moon,' and I didn't know what the devil was going on. But if you're going to do areally bad movie, at least you do one that is at the top of the all-time bad-movie list.
Jerry Goldsmith is the #1 composer working now. He's open to new ideas and always inventing.
You wouldn't think it would but my parents were really balanced about that. When it came time for me to be out of the house and out on my own they were very supportive.
Victor Young had been hired to write the score for the dances of The Ten Commandments but he became very ill. You were then hired to write the score. But at the same time you'd written The Man with the Golden Arm score.
One of the things that happens in the business is that success is a very strange thing in that if you are involved in something very successful the next person wants you to repeat it.