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Herbert Kretzmer

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Herbert Kretzmer
OBE
Born(1925-10-05)5 October 1925
Kroonstad,Union of South Africa
Died14 October 2020(2020-10-14)(aged 95)
London,England
Occupation(s)Journalist, lyricist
Spouses
  • Elisabeth Margaret Wilson
    ​
    ​
    (m.1961;div.1973)​
  • Sybil Sever
    ​
    (m.1988)​
Children2

Herbert KretzmerOBE(5 October 1925 – 14 October 2020) was a South African-born English[citation needed]journalist andlyricist.He was best known as the lyricist for the English-language musical adaptation ofLes Misérables[1]and for his collaboration with French singer and songwriterCharles Aznavour.[2]

Early life

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Kretzmer was born inKroonstad,South Africa on October 5, 1925.[3]He was one of four sons ofLithuanian Jewishimmigrants William and Tilly Kretzmer, who fled thepogromsofTsarist Russiato settle in small-town South Africa early in the 20th century.[4]His parents ran a furniture store.[4]Kretzmer's oldest brother, Elliot, flew as part of a bomber crew in theSouth African Air Forceduringthe Second World War,eventually becoming theMayor of Johannesburgin 1991.[3][5]Kretzmer matriculated at Kroonstad High School and then attendedRhodes University.[6]: 12 

Journalist

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Kretzmer began his professional career writing documentary films and the commentary for a weekly cinemanewsreel.[3][7]However, he soon moved on to print journalism, initially as a reporter and feature writer for theJohannesburg Sunday Express.[3]He subsequently relocated toLondonin 1954,[3]and pursued twin careers as journalist and lyric writer.[8]

After several years as a feature writer on theDaily Sketch,Kretzmer became a profile writer on theSunday Dispatchin 1959 and theDaily Express,interviewingJohn Steinbeck,Truman Capote,Tennessee Williams,[3]Sugar Ray Robinson,[9]Louis Armstrong,[10]Henry Miller,[9]Cary Grant,andDuke Ellington.[10]He became senior drama critic of theDaily Expressin 1962.[6]: 12 He held this post for 16 years, covering approximately 2,500 first nights during this time.[3][11]

From 1979 to 1987, he wrote television criticism for theDaily Mail,winning two national press awards,[3]including TV Critic Of The Year in 1980.[7]

Lyricist

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Kretzmer wrote lyrics for theBBC's 1960s televisedsatireThat Was the Week That Was,including the racial satire "Song of Nostalgia for an All-American State" and the much-recorded tribute toJohn F. Kennedy,"In the Summer of His Years",co-written by Kretzmer and performed byMillicent Martinwithin hours of hisassassination.

Kretzmer won anIvor NovelloAward for thePeter SellersandSophia Lorencomedy hit "Goodness Gracious Me",co-composed withDavid Lee.[1][12]Other award-winning Kretzmer lyrics include the English translation of "Hier Encore"into" Yesterday When I Was Young "(which was a major hit in North America forRoy Clark),[13]and the chart-topping “She”,both written with and for the French singerCharles Aznavour.[14]

Kretzmer wrote the lyrics forAnthony Newley's musical filmCan Hieronymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness,whose score included "When You Gotta Go", often used as a closing song by singers includingBarbra Streisand.[15]

Kretzmer wrote the book and lyrics of theWest Endmusical,Our Man Crichton,composed by David Lee and based onJ M Barrie's satirical playThe Admirable Crichton.The musical starredKenneth Moreand Millicent Martin.[16]Kretzmer later wrote (with composerLaurie Johnson) the lyrics for a large-scale comedy parody,The Four Musketeers,which ran for more than a year at theTheatre Royal, Drury Lane,starringHarry Secombeas the swordsmand'Artagnan.[17]

Kretzmer's songs for Aznavour andOur Man Crichtoncame to the attention of producerCameron Mackintoshin 1984. The latter thought highly of the musical's lyricism, and invited him to write an English version of a French musicalLes Misérables(byAlain BoublilandClaude-Michel Schönberg).[18]Kretzmer's lyrics extended the two-hour Paris original into a three-hour show.[19]The all-sung"Les Mis"opened at theBarbican Theatreon 8 October 1985 and is still running in theWest End,the longest-runningWest Endmusical.[3]The score includes such well-covered ballads as "I Dreamed a Dream","Bring Him Home "," On My Own ","Master of the House",and" Empty Chairs at Empty Tables ". For his work on theLes Misérableslyrics, Kretzmer receivedTonyandGrammyawards.[20]Kretzmer earned a total of approximately $20 million fromLes Miserablesroyalties.[3]

Kretzmer wrote the lyrics forMargueritein 2008 from an original text byAlain Boublil.It was a musical set inNazi-occupied Paris,to music byMichel Legrand.The show was part of aJonathan KentSeason at theHaymarket Theatrebefore moving on to a season in Japan.[21]Margueritewas shortlisted in the Best Musical category in theEvening Standard Drama Awards2008.[22]

Kretzmer's last musical project wasKristina,based onVilhelm Moberg’s epic suite of novels about Swedish emigrants toMinnesotain the 19th century. The show, originally conceived and written by lyricistBjörn Ulvaeusand composerBenny AnderssonfromABBA,was presented and recorded in a concert version over two nights atCarnegie Hall,New York in September 2009.[23]

Honours

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Kretzmer was appointed a Chevalier of theOrdre des Arts et des Lettresin 1988.[22]He received the Jimmy Kennedy Award (a division of the Ivor Novello Awards) for services to songwriting. In 1996, he was elected an Honorary Doctor of Letters atRichmond College.Kretzmer received an Honorary Doctorate fromRhodes Universityin South Africa on 7 April 2011.[24]

Kretzmer was appointed anOfficer of the Order of the British Empire(OBE) in the2011 New Year Honoursfor services to music.[25]

He was nominated for Best Original Song at the85th Academy Awardsand the70th Golden Globe Awardsfor the song "Suddenly"from the 2012 film version ofLes Miserables.[26]

Personal life

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Kretzmer married Elisabeth Margaret Wilson in 1961; the couple had one son (Matthew) and one daughter (Danielle). They divorced in 1973. His second marriage was to Sybil Sever in 1988.[3]Kretzmer was anatheist.[18]

Kretzmer suffered fromParkinson's disease.[27]He died on 14 October 2020, at his home in London, nine days after his 95th birthday.[3]

References

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  1. ^abBarraclough, Leo (14 October 2020)."Herbert Kretzmer, 'Les Miserables' Lyricist & 'She' Songwriter, Dies at 95".Variety.Retrieved14 October2020.
  2. ^Langer, Emily (19 October 2020)."Herbert Kretzmer: Lyricist behind stage phenomenon 'Les Misérables'".The Independent.
  3. ^abcdefghijklMcFadden, Robert D. (14 October 2020)."Herbert Kretzmer, Who Wrote Lyrics for 'Les Misérables,' Dies at 95".The New York Times.Retrieved14 October2020.
  4. ^ab"Herbert Kretzmer dreamed a dream – and Les Misérables never looked back".The Daily Telegraph.Retrieved4 July2014.
  5. ^Wren, Christopher S. (10 November 1991)."Trip by Dinkins Elicits Confusion".The New York Times.p. 42.Retrieved14 October2020.
  6. ^abNagel, Andrea (25 October 2020). "A power that can mobilise millions, silence guns...".Sunday Times (South Africa).The Daily Telegraph.
  7. ^ab100 Years of British Music.Omnibus Press. 10 November 2014. p. 76.ISBN9781783235650.
  8. ^Jonze, Tim (14 October 2020)."Les Misérables lyricist Herbert Kretzmer dies aged 95".The Guardian.London.Retrieved14 October2020.
  9. ^abKretzmer, Herbert (2014).Snapshots: Interviews with Twentieth Century Legends.Biteback Publishing.ISBN9781849547178.
  10. ^ab"Herbert Kretzmer on Les Miserables".Rhodes University. 21 January 2013.Retrieved14 October2020.
  11. ^"Les Misérables turns 30".Times of Malta.PA Media. 4 October 2015.Retrieved14 October2020.
  12. ^Womack, Kenneth (1 September 2017).Maximum Volume: The Life of Beatles Producer George Martin, The Early Years, 1926–1966.Chicago Review Press. p. 96.ISBN9781849547178.
  13. ^"Herbert Kretzmer: Les Misérables lyricist dies aged 95".BBC News. 14 October 2020.Retrieved14 October2020.
  14. ^Savage, Mark (1 October 2018)."Six of the best Charles Aznavour songs".BBC News.Retrieved14 October2020.
  15. ^Vallance, Tom (16 April 1999)."Obituary: Anthony Newley".The Independent.London.Retrieved14 October2020.
  16. ^"'Our Man Crichton' in London Premiere'".The New York Times.23 December 1964. p. 21.Retrieved14 October2020.
  17. ^Coveney, Michael (14 October 2020)."Herbert Kretzmer obituary".The Guardian.London.Retrieved14 October2020.
  18. ^abTims, Anna (19 February 2013)."How we made Les Misérables".The Guardian.London.Retrieved14 October2020.
  19. ^Behr, Edward (1 January 1993).The Complete Book of Les Miserables.Arcade Publishing. pp. 87, 90.ISBN9781559701563.
  20. ^Sullivan, Lindsey (14 October 2020)."Les Misérables' Tony-Winning Lyricist Herbert Kretzmer Dies at 95".Broadway Buzz.Retrieved14 October2020.
  21. ^Hurwitz, Nathan (1 September 2016).Songwriters of the American Musical Theatre: A Style Guide for Singers.Taylor & Francis. p. 267.ISBN9781317428336.
  22. ^abKabatchnik, Amnon (2012).Blood on the Stage, 1975–2000: Milestone Plays of Crime, Mystery, and Detection: an Annotated Repertoire.Rowman & Littlefield. p. 285.ISBN9780810883543.
  23. ^"ABBA's English-language 'Kristina' coming to N.Y."Deseret News.Salt Lake City. Associated Press. 24 May 2009.Retrieved14 October2020.
  24. ^"Herbert Kretzmer: journalist and lyricist".Rhodes University. 9 April 2011.Retrieved14 October2020.
  25. ^"No. 59647".The London Gazette(Supplement). 31 December 2010. p. 11.
  26. ^"70th Golden Globe Awards Nominations".Deadline.13 December 2012.Retrieved4 July2014.
  27. ^Herbert Kretzmer, Lyricist of 'Les Miserables,' Dies at 95,Associated Press, 15 October 2020
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