Max Terr

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Max Terr
Born(1889-11-16)November 16, 1889
Odessa, Kherson Governorate, Russian Empire
DiedAugust 2, 1951(1951-08-02) (aged 61)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)
Instrument(s)Piano
Years active1918–1950
LabelsPerfect, Pathé

Maxwell J. Terr[1][2] (November 16, 1989 – August 2, 1951[3]) was a Russian-born American pianist, arranger, bandleader, and film composer, best known for his Oscar-nominated score for the 1942 version of Charlie Chaplin's The Gold Rush and for the march theme of MGM's Metro News.[4][1]

Early life and career[edit]

Born in Odessa, Terr was the child of Boruch Lozar Terr and Celia Pollach.[5] In the summer of 1990, having not yet reached his first birthday, Terr and his family emigrated to the United States,[6] arriving in New York City on August 15.[7]

As of August 1912, while residing on Manhattan's Upper East Side, Terr attended Columbia University.[8]

Beginning in the mid-1920s, Terr's radio career featured a longstanding collaboration—as choral director—with composer Meredith Willson; he also served as arranger for The A&P Gypsies,[9] bandleader and arranger for singer Lee Morse,[10] choir director on Shell Chateau and Good News of 1938,[11][12] and musical director on Family Theater.[13] He also provided one-on-one vocal coaching for performers such as Virginia Weidler.[14]

Commenting in August 1931 on what he perceived as the recent dumbing down of American dance music, bandleader Harry Horlick—Terr's fellow A&P Gypsies staffer—maintained that "[f]ar more effective dance music can be played by resorting to subtle harmonies and subtle syncopations. Schumann himself proved that syncopated rhythms could be beautiful to listen to. The dance music we will play will be specially arranged by Max Terr and will sparkle and scintillate, and flow along smoothly, melodiously, brilliantly."[15]

Personal life and death[edit]

Terr was wed at least three times, each of the first two marriages ending via divorce in five years or less. From 1916 until 1920, he was married to Jennie A. Itzkowitz[16][7] and, from 1925 to 1930, to Lena Snitz.[17][18] On June 6, 1934, he married Eva Pollack Altschuler,[19] and, as of April 1950, Terr's U.S. Census entry listed him as "divorced."[20]

On August 2, 1951, Terr died of lung cancer at age 61 in Santa Monica, California. On August 6, his cremated remains were interred at Rosedale Cemetery in Los Angeles.[21] Not quite three months later, at the request of his only surviving relative, half-sister Serafrina Harmon, Terr's remains were removed and re-interred at Mount Carmel Cemetery in Bell Gardens, California.[22][23]

Legacy[edit]

On May 7, 1952, composer Meredith Willson—on whose radio programs Terr had served as choir director for roughly two decades—appeared on the new Ed Murrow-hosted radio series This I Believe to pay tribute to his late friend and colleague, focusing especially on Terr's extraordinary dedication to finding or devising ergonomic improvements, as well as his exceeding generosity in sharing the fruits of his research. Shortly thereafter, Willson's statement was published in the Des Moines Register and—in slightly edited form—in the Los Angeles Times;[24][25][26] later that year it appeared—as "Maxie's Recipe for Happiness"—in a book-length compilation of TIB transcripts published by Murrow.

Many men feel a fervent need to leave a son to carry on their name; noncreative people envy the Shakespeares and the Beethovens [...] Maybe it's this kind of frustration that caused Henry Thoreau to remark, "The mass of men live lives of quiet desperation." Well, I had a friend by the name of Max Terr. and Max taught me that genius is by no means an essential for escape from this "quiet desperation." Max had been associated with me as choral director for the past 20 years or so. Max was interested in almost everything and, considering that he was also a perfectionist, his interest was always a very intense one ... even if it was only in a pencil. [...] Since Max has gone not a day passes that isn't a pleasanter day because of the things he left behind. [...] In every room of our apartment there are memories of Max Terr. And lots of our friends swear by his patiently discovered items ... passing them along to their friends ... praising "Maxie's cookies ... "Maxie's music paper" ... "Maxie's pencils...and piano light" without ever having known Max Terr. So I guess I believe pretty firmly that you don't have to be a Beethoven or a Rembrandt, or even a father to leave a heritage to the mortal world [...] Anyhow, I think if I leave behind me the kind of things that keep Max Terr alive in the hearts of his fellows, I will have justified my brief hour of strutting and fretting upon the stage.[27]

Partial filmography[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b McNamara, Daniel I., ed. (1952). The ASCAP Biographical Dictionary of Composers, Authors and Publishers. New York: Crowell. p. 497. LCCN 52-7038. "Terr, Max, composer; b. Odessa, Russia, Nov. 16, 1890; d. Los Angeles, Calif., Aug. 2, 1951. ASGAP 1947. U.S. citizen. Has scored motion pictures in Hollywood since 1943. Songs: 'The Lord Is My Shepherd'; 'Forever Free'; 'Joyful Hour'; also march theme of Metro News."
  2. ^ "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K6JM-XV7 : 26 December 2021), Maxwell J Terr, 1917-1918.
  3. ^ "United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6K44-5DMV : 11 February 2023), Max Terr, .
  4. ^ a b McDonald, Gerald D. (1974). The Films of Charlie Chaplin. Secaucus, N.J.: Citadel Press. p. 184. ISBN 9780806501970.
  5. ^ "California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGJS-PSDQ : Sat Mar 09 14:40:28 UTC 2024), Entry for Max Terr and Boruch Lazar Terr, 2 August 1951.
  6. ^ "Max Terr Directs Comedy Music". The Gold Rush (United Artists Pressbook). 1925. p. 12.
  7. ^ a b "New York, U.S. District and Circuit Court Naturalization Records, 1824-1991", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7VMB-KGMM : Sat Mar 09 07:30 :13 UTC 2024), Entry for Max Terr and Jennie, 1921.
  8. ^ Columbia University (August 1, 1912) Directory of Summer Session Students, 1912. p. 114. OCLC 50471793.
  9. ^ "Radio Chatter: East". Variety. July 26, 1932. p. 42. ProQuest 1529357067. Max Terr, arranger for the A & P Gypsies, picked a trip to Hollywood as a vacash.
  10. ^ "LEE MORSE". Variety. June 8, 1927. p. 26. ProQuest 1529412547. Many Thanks to Mr. Stanley Jones, Managing Director, Picadilly Hotel, Mr. Alexander Pantages, Eddie Milne, Abe Lastvogel and the William Morris Office, Harold Gumm, and my dear friend Max Terr (Arranger and Leader of my Orchestra), who has helped make my own songs a success.
  11. ^ "Whats on the Air?: President Roosevelt". Daily Boston Globe. October 10, 1936. p. 22. ProQuest 763096977. [T]he Chateau will present regularly a special production number by Victor Young, the Golden Shell Girls' Trio, the Max Terr motion picture chorus of 16 voices, and Tudor Williams, tenor.
  12. ^ Ackerman (September 10, 1938). "Radio-Reviews: Good News of 1939". Te Billboard. p. 8. ProQuest 1032176477. Good News ushered in its fall season with the program's strong regular cast enhanced by a line-up of Hollywood names. Backbone of Hollywood names. Backbone of show is the same, with Robert Young emceeing; talent including Frank Morgan, Fannie Brice, Hanley Stafford, Meredith Willson's Orchestra and Max Terr's chorus.
  13. ^ Taylor, Glenhall (1979). Before Television : The Radio Years. South Brunswick, NJ: A.S. Barnes. p. 138. ISBN 9780498022043.
  14. ^ Shaffer, George (December 16, 1936). "Here's Closeup of Scene on Sailing Ship: Huge Jacks Give 'Vessel' Its Sea Roll". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 24. ProQuest 181903236. Virginia Weidler, as accomplished a 9 year old as there is in movies, was taking time off from playing a steerage passenger to get a singing lesson out of camera range. Max Terr of the Paramount music department was coaching her in singing 'Polka Time,' which she is to give with accordion accompaniment in a coming sequence.
  15. ^ "Horlich Challenges Radio 'Jazz' Bands; New A & P Feature". Vineland Times. August 29, 1931. p. 6. ProQuest 2381924353. Horlich is convinced that the loud criticism of present-day dance music is due to the inability of many radio orchestras to play it well. Horlich blames the tiresome tom-tom type of dance rendition. 'The "hot stuff," "cha-cha" style in dance music was a temporary fad,' he says. 'There is too much of it on the air now. Far more effective dance music can be played by resorting to subtle harmonies and subtle syncopations. Schumann himself proved that syncopated rhythms could be beautiful to listen to. The dance music we will play will be especially arranged by Max Terr and will sparkle and scintillate, and flow along smoothly, melodiously, brilliantly.'
  16. ^ "District of Columbia Marriages, 1811-1950", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK9B-Y1JZ : Sat Mar 09 07:36:38 UTC 2024), Entry for Maxwell J Terr and Jennie A Itzkowitz, 23 Mar 1916.
  17. ^ "New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1938", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:247W-SX9 : Tue Feb 20 22:24:37 UTC 2024), Entry for Max Terr and Lee Snitz, 11 Mar 1925.
  18. ^ "New York, U.S. District and Circuit Court Naturalization Records, 1824-1991", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7VMB-KGW2 : Sat Mar 09 18:45:40 UTC 2024), Entry for Max Terr and Lena, 1925.
  19. ^ "New York, County Marriages, 1847-1848; 1908-1936", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZ9J-WYY : Sun Mar 10 17:31:26 UTC 2024), Entry for Max Terr and Mischa Terr, 16 June 1934.
  20. ^ "United States Census, 1950", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6XG7-9FRK : Wed Oct 04 01:51:05 UTC 2023), Entry for Sonya Pearlman and Max Terr, 10 April 1950.
  21. ^ "California, Los Angeles, Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery/Crematory Records, 1884-2002", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:DY12-K32M : Sat Mar 09 12:30:40 UTC 2024), Entry for Max Terr, 6 Aug 1951.
  22. ^ "California, Los Angeles, Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery/Crematory Records, 1884-2002", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:DBWJ-WYT2 : Thu Mar 07 23:43:22 UTC 2024), Entry for Max Terr, 30 Oct 1951.
  23. ^ "Authorizaton and Receipt for Delivery of Cremated Remains". FamilySearch. "This is to certify that I, Serafrina Harmon, am the half-sister of Max Terr, Deceased, and I do hereby request you to deliver the said remains to Mt. Carmel Cemetery, for the purpose of interment in Mt. Carmel Cemetery and I hereby promise and agree to hold Rosedale Cemetery harmless, and to indemnify it or its assigns from any and all claims, demands or damages which may be made or declared against said company ot its assigns, by reason of delivery of said remains as above requested, and further declare that I am the only surviving half-sister of the above-named Deceased."
  24. ^ Kirby, Walter (May 4, 1952). "Better Radio Programs for the Week; Wednesday, May 7". The Decatur Daily Review. p. 50.
  25. ^ Willson, Meredith (May 18, 1952). "This I Believe". The Des Moines Register. p. 4-A
  26. ^ Willson, Meredith (May 18, 1952). "This I Believe". Los Angeles Times. pt. II, p. 5.
  27. ^ Murrow, Edwin A.; Morgan, Edwin P., ed. (1952). This I Believe: the Personal Philosophies of One Hundred Throughtful Men and Women. New York: Simon and Schuster. pp. 191-192. OCLC 551901.
  28. ^ a b Lochner, Jim (2018). The Music of Charlie Chaplin. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 172. ISBN 978-0-7864-9611-2.
  29. ^ "Chatter: Broadway". Variety. August 29, 1973. p. 45. ProQuest 963289463. Bonnie Golub has joined Helen Harvey Assoc., and will be in charge of developing a commercials dept. as well as repping commercial and industrial film performers.
  30. ^ "Terr 'Dwarfs' Super". The Hollywood Reporter. September 1, 1937. p. 16. ProQuest 2297294623. Max Terr has been engaged by Walt Disney to supervise the singing and chorus work for 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.'
  31. ^ Flin. (November 10, 1937). "Film Reviews: Thrill of a Lifetime". Variety. p. 18. ProQuest 1505785949. vocal direction, Max Terr and Al Siegel;
  32. ^ "Terr Batons Calls". The Hollywood Reporter. October 14, 1937. p. 2. ProQuest 2298596827. Max Terr goes to Principal to direct choral sequences for 'Hawaii Calls,' Bobby Breen feature.
  33. ^ "'Sing' Surefire Boxoffice; 'Rich Man, Poor Girl' OK". The Hollywood Reporter. August 6, 1938. p. 3. ProQuest 2297248073. Vocal arrangements by Max Terr are unvaryingly good.
  34. ^ "'Idiot's Delight' Smash; 'Fisherman's Wharf' Charms". The Hollywood Reporter. January 24, 1939. p. 3. ProQuest 2297923874. Max Terr's handling of chorus work is good.
  35. ^ "Terr Waxes 'Life'". The Hollywood Reporter. May 6, 1939. p. 2. ProQuest 2297934714. Max Terr has begun recording ensemble vocal numbers for Paramount's 'What a Life,' Jackie Cooper picture.
  36. ^ "Hollywood Personnelities: Cleffers". Boxoffice. February 17, 1940. p. 18-B. ProQuest 1505904417. Louis Lipstone completes scoring of background music for 'Those Were the Days.' Victor Young conducted recording orchestra and Max Terr directed 26-voice ensemble.
  37. ^ a b c d e f g h i McCarty, Clifford (2000). Film Composers in America: A Filmography, 1911-1970. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 322. ISBN 0-19-511473-6.

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

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