Henry Mancini is one of the most famous composers of the 20th century. The maestro has been nominated more than 100 times for prestigious awards in the field of music and cinema. If we talk about Henry in numbers, we get the following:
- He wrote music for 500 films and TV series.
- His discography consists of 90 records.
- The composer received 4 Oscars.
- He has 20 Grammy awards on his shelf.
He was adored not only by fans, but also by recognized geniuses of cinema. His musical works were mesmerizing.
Childhood and youth
Enrico Nicola Mancini (real name of the maestro) was born on April 16, 1924 in the town of Cleveland (Ohio). He was born into the most ordinary family.
Music attracted him from early childhood. He still could not read and write, but he adored the musical works of recognized classics. For this, he is obliged to thank the head of the family, who, although he did not belong to the creative profession, loved to listen to operettas and ballet.
The father did not expect that his son's love for the classics would result in something more. When the parents suspected that Enrico definitely had musical abilities, they started looking for a teacher.
By adolescence, he mastered playing several musical instruments at once. In particular, he fell in love with the piano, which, according to Enrico, sounded especially. Some works of the classics inspired the young maestro to compose his first pieces of music. But, the young man dreamed of more - composing musical works for cinema.
After receiving his Abitur, he became a student at Carnegie University. Somewhat later, he persisted and transferred to the Juilliard School. Note that this is one of the most significant educational institutions in the United States of America in the field of music and arts. A year later he was called to the front, so he was forced to leave school.
Enrico was lucky because he got into the air force band. Thus, he did not leave the love of his life. Even in the army he was accompanied by music.
The creative path of Henry Mancini
He came to building a professional career in 1946. During this period of time, he joined the Glenn Miller Orchestra. He was entrusted with the role of pianist and arranger. It is also interesting that the musical orchestra continues to be active to this day, despite the death of the leader. In the same period of time, Enrico takes on the creative pseudonym Henry Mancini.
In the early 50s, he became part of Universal-International. At the same time, Henry takes on the realization of a childhood dream - the composer began writing musical works for films and TV shows. In just 10 years, he will be able to compose over 100 soundtracks for top-rated films.
Based on his works, melodies were created for the tapes "It Came from Space", "The Thing from the Black Lagoon", "The Thing Walks Among Us", etc. In 1953, he composed the musical accompaniment for the biopic "The Glenn Miller Story".
After that, the composer was nominated for the first time for the highest award - the Oscar. It was an undeniable success. In total, Henry was nominated 18 times for an Oscar. Four times he held the figurine in his hands.
Henry continued to break records. Over a long creative career, he created more than 200 soundtracks for films and TV shows. The works of the immortal maestro can be heard in the following top films:
- "Pink Panther";
- "Sunflowers";
- "Victor / Victoria";
- "Singing in the Blackthorn";
- "Charlie's Angels".
The maestro not only composed soundtracks for films, but also wrote music. He released 90 "juicy" longplays. Henry never adjusted his works to any framework. That is why his collections are a kind of assortment consisting of jazz, pop music and even disco.
Out of 90 LPs, music critics and fans singled out only 8. The fact is that these records have reached the so-called platinum status. It's all about good sales.
Recall that Henry was remembered as a talented conductor. He created an orchestra that performed at festive events. And once his musicians performed at the opening ceremony of the Oscars. The conductor's piggy bank includes 600 symphonic performances.
Details of the composer's personal life
In his interviews, the maestro repeatedly mentioned that he was monogamous. There was only room in his heart for one woman, Virginia Ginny O'Connor. They met in the Glenn Miller Orchestra, and at the end of the 40s, the couple decided to legalize their relationship.
5 years after the wedding, the couple had charming twins. One of the sisters chose a creative profession for herself. She followed in the footsteps of a charming mother, and became a singer.
Interesting facts about Henry Mancini
- His name is immortalized on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and in the Composers Hall of Fame.
- Henry's most recognizable tune is "The Pink Panther". It was released as a single in 1964, topping the Billboard Contemporary Music Chart.
- It is featured on a US 37 cent stamp.
Death of a maestro
He died on June 14, 1994. He died in Los Angeles. The maestro died of pancreatic cancer.
