Benjamin Frankel

Short bio Benjamin Frankel

Birthday: 1906 in London, England

Died: 1973 in London, England

Active: 1920s - 1960s

Genre: Classical,Stage & Screen

Period: 20th Century, Modern

Full biography Benjamin Frankel

Benjamin Frankel was a British composer born on January 31st, 1906, in London, to parents of Polish-Jewish origin. He received his musical education in Cologne, Berlin, and London at the Guildhall School of Music. Frankel was also notable for writing over 100 film scores and working as a big band arranger and composer of music for films and reviews of mostly a flippant nature.

During World War II , he began writing for the concert hall , including chamber works such as Sonata for solo violin No. 1 and Trio for clarinet, cello, and piano. Frankel gradually became more prominent in the British musical landscape with highly personal and individual compositions that suited the aesthetic of the time.

Frankel's music can be described as eclectic, blending romantic and modernist elements. He composed in a wide range of genres, including orchestral works, chamber music, songs, choral music, and incidental music for theater and radio. His music is characteristically intense and deeply expressive, marked by a restless harmonic language and rhythmic vitality.

Some of his notable works include Symphony No. 1, Symphony No. 2, String Quartet No. 8, and the opera The Judgement of Paris. Frankel's music received international recognition, and his work is often compared to that of Shostakovich, Bartok, and Britten.

Frankel passed away on February 12th, 1973, leaving behind a rich legacy of music. His music continues to be performed and admired by musicians and audiences alike.

Compositions featuring Benjamin Frankel

#	Name	Duration	Genre	Year
1	Symphony No. 8, Op. 53	24:23 min	Symphony	1971
2	Symphony No. 7, Op. 50	28:16 min	Symphony	1970
3	Overture to a Ceremony Op. 51	7:35 min	Orchestral	1970
4	Symphony No. 6, Op 49	28:21 min	Symphony	1969
5	Symphony No. 5, Op 46	18:03 min	Symphony	1967
6	Symphony No. 4, Op 44	25:02 min	Symphony	1966
7	Quartet for strings, No 5, Op 43	22:02 min	Chamber Music	1965
8	Symphony No. 3, Op 40	17:24 min	Symphony	1964
9	Symphony No. 2, Op 38	35:55 min	Symphony	1962
10	Symphony No. 1, Op 33		Symphony	1958
11	Clarinet Quintet, Op. 28	19:07 min	Chamber Music	1956
12	A Kid For Two Farthings, film score		Film Score	1955
13	Mephistopheles' Serenade and Dance Op 25	6:09 min	Miscellaneous (Classical)	1952
14	Concertante Lirico, for string orchestra, Op. 27	10:41 min	Orchestral	1952
15	So Long at the Fair, film score		Film Score	1950
16	Overture "May Day", Op 22	9:31 min	Orchestral	1948
17	Sleeping Car to Trieste, film score		Film Score	1948
18	Sonata for violin solo, No 1, Op 13	15:38 min	Chamber Music	1946
19	Quartet for strings, No 2, Op 15	22:33 min	Chamber Music	1944
20	Youth Music, for string orchestra, Op. 12	7:18 min	Orchestral	1942
21	Solemn Speech and Discussion, for string orchestra, Op. 11	13:38 min	Orchestral	194?
22	Sketches (3) for string orchestra, Op. 2	10:56 min	Orchestral	193?
23	The Aftermath, for tenor, strings, off-stage trumpet & timpani, Op. 17	17:48 min	Vocal Music	1916
24	Bagatelles for Eleven Instruments, Op 35 (Cinq Pezzi Notturni)	9:45 min	Chamber Music	-
25	A Shakespeare Overture, for orchestra, Op. 29	10:08 min	Orchestral	-
26	Violin Concerto, Op. 24	26:01 min	Concerto	-
27	Viola Concerto, Op. 45	27:26 min	Concerto	-
28	Trottie True, film score		Film Score	-
29	Trio for clarinet, cello & piano, Op. 10	18:27 min	Chamber Music	-
30	The Years Between, film score		Film Score	-
31	The Prisoner, film score	30:30 min	Film Score	-
32	The Night of the Iguana, film score		Film Score	-
33	The Net, film score		Film Score	-
34	The Importance of Being Earnest, film score		Film Score	-
35	Battle of the Bulge, film score	59:48 min	Film Score	-
36	Carriage and Pair	2:47 min	Miscellaneous (Classical)	-
37	Curse of the Werewolf, film score	34:22 min	Film Score	-
38	Early Morning Music	5:11 min	Miscellaneous (Classical)	-
39	Footsteps in the Fog, film score		Film Score	-
40	Pezzi Pianissimi for Clarinet, Violoncello and Piano, Op 41	6:26 min	Chamber Music	-
41	Quartet for strings, No 1, Op 14	12:44 min	Chamber Music	-
42	Quartet for strings, No 3, Op 18	16:59 min	Chamber Music	-
43	Quartet for strings, No 4, Op 21	15:47 min	Chamber Music	-
44	Serenata Concertante, for piano trio & orchestra, Op. 37	12:32 min	Concerto	-

Albums featuring Benjamin Frankel

#	Name album	Year	Music label
1	Max Steiner, Hans J. Salter, Paul Dessau, Wojciech Kilar, Frank Skinner (2), Benjamin Frankel – Monster Music!: Classic Horror Film Scores(6×CD, Album)	2011	Naxos
2	Curse Of The Werewolf And Other Film Music(CD, Album)	2006	Naxos
3	Benjamin Frankel And Franz Waxman – Night And The City(2×CD, Album)	2003	Fox Music
4	Benjamin Frankel - Queensland Symphony Orchestra • Werner Andreas Albert – Complete Symphonies(4×CD, Album, Stereo, Box Set, Compilation)	2002	cpo
5	Benjamin Frankel / Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Werner Andreas Albert – Music For The Movies(CD, Album)	2002	cpo
6	Benjamin Frankel - Queensland Symphony Orchestra • Werner Andreas Albert – Symphonies 7 & 8(CD, Stereo)	2001	cpo
7	Benjamin Frankel / Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Werner Andreas Albert – Battle Of The Bulge(CD, Album)	2000	cpo
8	Benjamin Frankel - Hoelscher · Dean · Smith · Lale · Emmerson · Queensland Symphony Orchestra · Werner Andreas Albert – Violin Concerto In Memory Of The Six Million · Viola Concerto · Serenata Concertante(CD, Album, Stereo)	1998	cpo
9	Benjamin Frankel - Nomos-Quartett – Complete String Quartets(2×CD, Stereo)	1997	cpo
10	Clarinet Chamber Music(CD, )	1996	cpo
11	Benjamin Frankel - Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Werner Andreas Albert – Symphonies 4 & 6 / Mephistopheles Serenade(CD, Album, Stereo)	1996	cpo
12	Benjamin Frankel - Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Werner Andreas Albert – Symphonies 2 & 3(CD, Album, Stereo)	1994	cpo
13	Benjamin Frankel – Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Werner Andreas Albert – Symphonies 1 & 5 • May Day Overture Op. 22	1994	cpo
14	Benjamin Frankel - Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Werner Andreas Albert – Symphonies 2 & 3	1994	cpo
15	Benjamin Frankel, Northwest Chamber Orchestra Seattle, Alun Francis – Music For Strings	1994	cpo
16	Howells • Maconchy • Cooke • Frankel • Holbrooke - Thea King, Britten Quartet – English Clarinet Quintets	1991	Hyperion
17	John Mayer (2), Benjamin Frankel, The Lansdowne String Quartet With Diwan Motihar – Shanta Quintet For Sitar And Strings / String Quartet No. 5	1967	Columbia
18	バルジュ大作戦のマーチ = Panzerlied (The Tankmen's Song)	1966	Warner Bros. Records
19	Benjamin Frankel With The New Philharmonia Orchestra – Battle Of The Bulge - The Original Motion Picture Sound Track	1965	Warner Bros. Records
20	The Night Of The Iguana (Music From The Soundtrack)	1964	MGM Records
21	The Chiltern Hundreds / Give Us This Day(Shellac, 78 RPM, Promo)	1949	J. Arthur Rank Orgsanisation Ltd
22	Benjamin Frankel / New Philharmonia Orchestra Of London – Panzerlied (The Tankmen's Song)(7", 45 RPM, Single)	-	Warner Bros. - Seven Arts Records