Biography

Born in London on 31st January, 1906 (d. 12th February, 1973) Benjamin Frankel was a composer, conductor, and pianist who gained widespread recognition for his serious compositions and his use of “tonal serialism”, most most notably in the eight symphonies. Prolific in the cinema, as well as the concert hall, Frankel had also composed a vast number of film and television scores, with over 100 commercial scores to his credit.

Having studied the methodology of serial composition with proponent Hans Keller he produced his first symphony in 1958, followed by a further seven during the last years of his life. His last completed work was “Marching Song” , an opera with a libretto by Keller.
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This section of the web site reproduces and updates a detailed biography of Benjamin Frankel, originally published in the Journal of The British Music Society, and is divided into five parts:

Part 1 - Frankel’s formative years

Part 2 - Marriage and the outbreak of war

Part 3 - The composer and communism

Part 4 - The Violin Concerto

Part 5 - His latter years