Hans May

Hans May (11 July 1886 – 1 January 1959) was an Austrian-born composer who went into exile in Britain in 1936 after the Nazis came to power in his homeland, being of Jewish descent.

Born in Vienna, May studied there with Anton Door (piano) and Richard Heuberger (composition). He gave his first piano recital at the age of 10 and had qualified as an operatic conductor by 18, touring extensively from Berlin to Cairo and Istanbul. He first gained attention as a composer during the 1920s and 1930s, writing German language songs such as Ein Lied geht um die Welt (1933) and Es wird im Leben dir mehr genommen als gegeben (1936), gaining considerable popularity in Europe through recordings by Joseph Schmidt and Richard Tauber. He was one of the pioneers of film music, writing scores for silent movies in Berlin and Paris, and associated with the Kinothek catalogued library of music intended to accompany silent films.

Initially most of his work was for short silent films as well as musicals. He arranged the music for the German presentation of the Russian silent classic Panzerkeuzer Potemkin. But May survived the change-over from silent to sound films. Two early examples (both for British International Pictures) were The Flame of Love in 1930 (starring Anna May Wong), followed by Bridegroom Widow the following year. After his enforced move to the UK in 1936 he began scoring full length feature sound films for the organisations such as Boulting Brothers and Rank/Gainsborough Pictures. Notable scores include Thunder Rock (1942), Madonna of the Seven Moons (1945), The Wicked Lady (1945) and Brighton Rock (1948). May composed over a hundred film scores.

His musicals include Carissima (book by Eric Maschwitz), which ran for 488 performances at the Palace Theatre from March 1948, and Wedding in Paris (lyrics by Sonny Miller, book by Vera Caspary) which ran for 411 performances at the London Hippodrome from April 1954.

May returned to the European continent in 1957 and continued writing scores for film and stage productions, including Der Kaiser und das Wäschermädel (1957). His musical language and style looked back to the golden age of Viennese operetta and composers such as Franz Lehár and Emmerich Kalman. He died in the South of France at the beginning of 1959.

Birth and Death Data: Born July 11, 1886 (Vienna), Died December 31, 1958 (London)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1923 - 1948

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, arranger

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor B-28006 10-in. 5/11/1923 Herrgott, am blühenden Neckarstrand Harry Steier Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor BVE-32789 10-in. 7/22/1925 Beim Rheinwein sollst Du mein sein Ivan Frank Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor BVE-35706 10-in. 6/22/1926 Studentenlieder Manhattan Quartet Male vocal quartet, with 2 pianos arranger  
Victor BVE-78861 10-in. 12/18/1933 My song goes 'round the world Richard Crooks Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Gramophone 0D802 10-in. 2/19/1932 Ich such' was, ich brauch' was Marek Weber Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal composer  
Gramophone 0D804 10-in. 2/19/1932 Musick muss sein Marek Weber Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal composer  
Gramophone BLR4775 10-in. 11/23/1928 Der Duft, der eine schöne Frau begleitet Marek Weber Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Gramophone BLR5027 10-in. 2/14/1929 Zu Rothenburg ob der Tauber Emil Nitsch Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Gramophone BLR5652 10-in. 9/26/1929 More beautiful than you Marek Weber Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Gramophone BLR5733 10-in. 10/25/1929 Ich hab' kein Auto, ich hab' kein Rittergut Austin Egen ; Marek Weber Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Gramophone 0B5821 10-in. 12/7/1933 My song goes round the world Ray Noble Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Gramophone BLR6141 10-in. 3/6/1930 Ohne dich kann ich nicht leben Siegfried Arno Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Gramophone BLR6174 10-in. 3/17/1930 Wien, du Stadt der Lieder Orchester des Metropol-Theaters Berlin ; Clemens Schmalstich ; Erik Wirl Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Gramophone BLR6176 10-in. 3/17/1930 Ja dort im Liebhartstal Orchester des Metropol-Theaters Berlin ; Clemens Schmalstich ; Erik Wirl Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Gramophone 0B6914 10-in. 5/3/1934 Don't ask, don't Marek Weber Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Gramophone BDR8910 10-in. 8/13/1930 Ich liebe, du liebst, er liebt Willi Forst ; Lewis Ruth Band Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band composer  
Gramophone BDR8911 10-in. 8/13/1930 Mein Herz hängt an dir Willi Forst ; Lewis Ruth Band Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band composer  
Columbia (U.K.) CL7386 10-in. 1/23/1941 Le paradis perdu Lucienne Delyle ; Raymond Legrand Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Columbia (U.K.) CL8527 10-in. 2/20/1948 Je rêve aux étoiles Raymond Legrand ; Tino Rossi Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "May, Hans," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105704.

May, Hans. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105704.

"May, Hans." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105704

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