Alain Romans (original) (raw)
ALAIN ROMANS
1905-1988
Though born in Poland, Alain Romans was a French jazz composer who began his film career in the early 1930s. A child prodigy on piano, Romans attended universities in Leipzig, Berlin, and Paris where he was a pupil of Vincent d'Indy. Though he pursued a successful concert career, Romans became enamored of ragtime and bebop which led him into the world of jazz. He worked with such noted artists as Josephine Baker and jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt.
When war threatened Europe, Romans turned his energies to fighting with the French Resistance. Following the war, he resumed his scattered composing and performing career. In the mid-1950s, Romans' jazz background served him well on his two most famous films with director Jacques Tati: Mr. Hulot's Holiday (1953) and the Academy Award-winning Mon Oncle (1958).
Having composed music for only twelve films, Alain Romans is known today mainly for his film with Jacques Tati and among the most serious of jazz cognoscenti.
ELIGIBLE
1955
MUSIC SCORE OF A DRAMATIC OR COMEDY PICTURE
Mr. Hulot's Holiday