ADDINSELL, RICHARD  

Born in London in 1904, Richard Addinsell studied there and in Berlin and Vienna. He made his career in England and America largely in music for the cinema and theatre, as well as serving as composer and accompanist for Joyce Grenfell in her revue songs.

Film and Stage Music

Addinsell’s best-known work for the cinema is the Warsaw Concerto. Written for the 1941 film Dangerous Moonlight, it is a less substantial reflection of the popular piano concertos of Rachmaninov. The Warsaw Concerto enjoyed contemporary popularity outside the cinema, becoming a well-known battleground for amateur pianists and a part of British light music repertoire. Addinsell provided music for other popular films of the time and for Christopher Fry’s stage play Ring around the Moon.