Manuel Klein
Encyclopedia
Manuel Joachim Klein was an English-born composer of musical theatre
and incidental music
who worked primarily in New York City.
. Once in Norwich, Hermann became a professor of foreign languages at the King Edward VI Grammar School, and Adelaide taught dance. The younger Klein's five brothers included Max, a violinist; Charles
, a playwright; Herman
, a music critic and music teacher; Alfred, an actor; and Philip. They had a sister, Adelaide. He was the uncle of producer Philip Klein (1888–1935). Klein was educated in London and at Tivoli House Academy, Gravesend, Kent
, England.
's theatre company in New York City for several years before devoting himself to composing. His first Broadway success was the musical Mr. Pickwick, starring De Wolf Hopper. Grant Stewart wrote the lyrics, and Klein's brother Charles wrote the book. He also conducted for Charles Frohman
, with whom Klein's brother, Charles, was later killed on the RMS Lusitania
, among others.
Tin Pan Alley
songwriter and publisher Gus Edwards helped Klein to obtain the position of musical director of the prestigious New York Hippodrome
theater in 1905. Klein was soon composing songs and music for numerous spectacles presented at the Hippodrome consisting of different acts, each one with their own thematic musical concept. He collaborated with L. Frank Baum
on The Tik-Tok Man of Oz
, beginning in 1909, which was finally produced in 1913 without Klein's music. He left the Hippodrome in 1915 after a disagreement with its manager, Jacob J. Shubert
, over the orchestra. Shubert asked Klein to send some drums, trumpets and other instruments over to the Winter Garden Theater, where he was producing another show. Klein refused to send them, as he needed them for his own orchestra. After an argument, Klein offered his resignation and Shubert accepted it. The Hippodrome company sided with Klein, and Shubert was forced to sell his interest. Klein went back to England the same year and became music director of the Gaiety Theatre, London
. He suffered a trauma at the bombing of the theatre during World War I
by the Zeppelins and never fully recovered.
Klein returned to New York and died in Yonkers, New York
on June 1, 1919, as a result of the earlier trauma. After his death, the Klein family sued the German government for the loss of Manuel and his brother Charles (a victim of the sinking of the RMS Lusitania
).
), in approximately in 1905. They had a daughter, Marjorie, born March 28, 1909 and a son, Gerald, born March 18, 1912. Klein became a naturalized American citizen on August 9, 1910.
As of the 1930 United States Federal Census, the family had moved to Beverly Hills, California
. Helen was working as a teacher, Marjorie as a stenographer for the movie industry, and Gerald as a radio repairman.
remains in manuscript. Since he worked "for hire" at the Hippodrome, Charles Frohman and later R. H. Burnside retained his music manuscripts. They now form part of the Burnside collection of American theater music manuscripts in the Music Division of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
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...
and incidental music
Incidental music
Incidental music is music in a play, television program, radio program, video game, film or some other form not primarily musical. The term is less frequently applied to film music, with such music being referred to instead as the "film score" or "soundtrack"....
who worked primarily in New York City.
Biography
Klein was born in London, England, to parents Herman and Adelaide (née Soman). Apparently, the elder Klein emigrated from Riga, LatviaRiga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
. Once in Norwich, Hermann became a professor of foreign languages at the King Edward VI Grammar School, and Adelaide taught dance. The younger Klein's five brothers included Max, a violinist; Charles
Charles Klein
Charles Klein was an English-born playwright and actor who emigrated to America in 1883. Among his works was the libretto of John Philip Sousa's operetta, El Capitan. Klein's talented siblings included the composer Manuel and the critic Herman Klein...
, a playwright; Herman
Herman Klein
Herman Klein was an English music critic, author and teacher of singing. Klein's famous brothers included Charles and Manuel Klein...
, a music critic and music teacher; Alfred, an actor; and Philip. They had a sister, Adelaide. He was the uncle of producer Philip Klein (1888–1935). Klein was educated in London and at Tivoli House Academy, Gravesend, Kent
Gravesend, Kent
Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. It is the administrative town of the Borough of Gravesham and, because of its geographical position, has always had an important role to play in the history and communications of this part of...
, England.
Career
Klein moved to the U.S. on April 11, 1896. He was the music director for David BelascoDavid Belasco
David Belasco was an American theatrical producer, impresario, director and playwright.-Biography:Born in San Francisco, California, where his Sephardic Jewish parents had moved from London, England, during the Gold Rush, he began working in a San Francisco theatre doing a variety of routine jobs,...
's theatre company in New York City for several years before devoting himself to composing. His first Broadway success was the musical Mr. Pickwick, starring De Wolf Hopper. Grant Stewart wrote the lyrics, and Klein's brother Charles wrote the book. He also conducted for Charles Frohman
Charles Frohman
Charles Frohman was an American theatrical producer. Frohman was producing plays by 1889 and acquired his first Broadway theatre by 1892. He discovered and promoted many stars of the American theatre....
, with whom Klein's brother, Charles, was later killed on the RMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania was a British ocean liner designed by Leonard Peskett and built by John Brown and Company of Clydebank, Scotland. The ship entered passenger service with the Cunard Line on 26 August 1907 and continued on the line's heavily-traveled passenger service between Liverpool, England and New...
, among others.
Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley is the name given to the collection of New York City music publishers and songwriters who dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century...
songwriter and publisher Gus Edwards helped Klein to obtain the position of musical director of the prestigious New York Hippodrome
New York Hippodrome
The Hippodrome Theatre, also called the New York Hippodrome, was a theatre in New York City from 1905 to 1939, located on Sixth Avenue between 43rd and 44th Streets in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan. It was called the world's largest theatre by its builders and had a seating capacity of...
theater in 1905. Klein was soon composing songs and music for numerous spectacles presented at the Hippodrome consisting of different acts, each one with their own thematic musical concept. He collaborated with L. Frank Baum
L. Frank Baum
Lyman Frank Baum was an American author of children's books, best known for writing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
on The Tik-Tok Man of Oz
The Tik-Tok Man of Oz
The Tik-Tok Man of Oz is a musical play with book and lyrics by L. Frank Baum and music by Louis F. Gottschalk that opened in Los Angeles, California on March 31, 1913. It is loosely inspired by Baum's book, Ozma of Oz , and the basis for his 1914 novel, Tik-Tok of Oz. It was promoted as "A...
, beginning in 1909, which was finally produced in 1913 without Klein's music. He left the Hippodrome in 1915 after a disagreement with its manager, Jacob J. Shubert
Jacob J. Shubert
Jacob J. Shubert was naturalized American theatre owner/operator and producer and a member of the famous theatrical Shubert family....
, over the orchestra. Shubert asked Klein to send some drums, trumpets and other instruments over to the Winter Garden Theater, where he was producing another show. Klein refused to send them, as he needed them for his own orchestra. After an argument, Klein offered his resignation and Shubert accepted it. The Hippodrome company sided with Klein, and Shubert was forced to sell his interest. Klein went back to England the same year and became music director of the Gaiety Theatre, London
Gaiety Theatre, London
The Gaiety Theatre, London was a West End theatre in London, located on Aldwych at the eastern end of the Strand. The theatre was established as the Strand Musick Hall , in 1864 on the former site of the Lyceum Theatre. It was rebuilt several times, but closed from the beginning of World War II...
. He suffered a trauma at the bombing of the theatre during 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...
by the Zeppelins and never fully recovered.
Klein returned to New York and died in Yonkers, New York
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
on June 1, 1919, as a result of the earlier trauma. After his death, the Klein family sued the German government for the loss of Manuel and his brother Charles (a victim of the sinking of the RMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania was a British ocean liner designed by Leonard Peskett and built by John Brown and Company of Clydebank, Scotland. The ship entered passenger service with the Cunard Line on 26 August 1907 and continued on the line's heavily-traveled passenger service between Liverpool, England and New...
).
Family Life
Klein married his wife, Helen (born September 16, 1884 in Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
), in approximately in 1905. They had a daughter, Marjorie, born March 28, 1909 and a son, Gerald, born March 18, 1912. Klein became a naturalized American citizen on August 9, 1910.
As of the 1930 United States Federal Census, the family had moved to Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
. Helen was working as a teacher, Marjorie as a stenographer for the movie industry, and Gerald as a radio repairman.
List of works
- 1899 ZazaZaza (play)Zaza is a play, originally written by French playwrights Pierre Berton and Charles Simon, but probably best known in the English-speaking world in the 1898 adaptation by David Belasco. The title character is a prostitute who becomes a music hall entertainer and the mistress of a married...
- 1899 Hope On!
- 1903 Mr. Pickwick (including "Boys Will Be Boys")
- 1903 Captain Barrington
- 1905 A Yankee Circus on Mars / The Raiders / Tomorrowland
- 1905 A Society Circus (including "Moon Dear"). Words by Manual Klein
- 1905 "I Want to Go Home Now". Words by John Kendrick BangsJohn Kendrick BangsJohn Kendrick Bangs was an American author, editor and satirist.-Biography:He was born in Yonkers, New York. His father was a lawyer in New York City....
- 1906 The Man from Now (including "The Dainty Music Maid"), starring De Wolf Hopper. Words by Bangs
- 1906 Pioneer Days / Circus Events
- 1906 Neptune's Daughter including "Lucia" ("My Italian Maid"). Words by Manuel Klein
- 1906 The Only Way to Love
- 1907 The Top O' Th' World
- 1907 The Auto Race. Words by Manuel Klein
- 1907 O'Neill of Derry
- 1907 If You Are True to Me
- 1907 Starlight Maid
- 1908 Sporting Days. Words by Manuel Klein
- 1908 The Battle in the Skies. Words by Manuel Klein
- 1908 The Pied Piper, starring De Wolf Hopper (including "I'm Looking For a Sweetheart, and I Think You'll Do" and "Tell Me, Whose Little Girl Are You"?)
- 1909 A Ballet of Jewels
- 1909 A Trip to Japan
- 1909 "Meet Me When the Lanterns Glow", words and music by Klein.
- 1910 Ragged Robin
- 1910 The International Cup / Ballet of Niagra / The Earthquake
- 1910 "Love is Like a Rainbow", words and music by Klein
- 1910 Loving ("Love Comes at Morning, Love Comes at Noon")
- 1911 It's a Long Lane That Has No Turning
- 1911 Bow Sing
- 1911 Around the World
- 1911 Undine
- 1912 Under Many Flags (including "Sweetheart (Let's Go A-Walking)"), words and music by Klein.
- 1912 "Home is Where the Heart Is", words and music by Klein
- 1912 Fishing
- 1913 The Hippodrome Tango
- 1913 America (including "The Girl in the Gingham gown")
- 1913 Hop o' My Thumb, starring De Wolf Hopper
- 1914 The Wars of the World
- 1914 "In Siam", words and music by Klein
- 1914 You're Just the One I've Waited For
- 1919 High and Dri
- 1920 It's Up to You (revised version of High and Dri)
Legacy
Although many individual songs by Klein were published, much of his incidental musicIncidental music
Incidental music is music in a play, television program, radio program, video game, film or some other form not primarily musical. The term is less frequently applied to film music, with such music being referred to instead as the "film score" or "soundtrack"....
remains in manuscript. Since he worked "for hire" at the Hippodrome, Charles Frohman and later R. H. Burnside retained his music manuscripts. They now form part of the Burnside collection of American theater music manuscripts in the Music Division of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.