No Minor Chords: My Days in Hollywood

by André Previn

Not many people remember that Andre Previn started his career as a film score composer in Hollywood - arriving at the age of 18. He was a quick learner, and he went on to win several Academy Awards and to fashion the scores of such films as "Gigi", "Porgy and Bess" and "My Fair Lady". In this memoir Previn recalls his years in Hollywood in the Golden Age from 1948 to 1964. Andre Previn is the author of "Music Face to Face" and "Andre Previn's Guide to Music".

Genres: Music, Memoir, Biography, Nonfiction

145 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

André George Previn, KBE (/ˈprɛvɪn/; born Andreas Ludwig Priwin; April 6, 1929 – February 28, 2019) was a German-American pianist, conductor, and composer. Previn won four Academy Awards for his film work and ten Grammy Awards for his recordings (and one more for his Lifetime Achievement). Over his entire film career, Previn was involved in the music for over 50 movies as composer, conductor or performer.

~ Wikipedia

Reviews

[Sandy Sexton · Rating 5 out of 5]

After his family fled Germany and settled in California, Previn finished school and then went to work for MGM at the age of 16. In a self deprecating way, Previn tells of his experiences: the work he did and the people he met. Some of his experiences were quite eye opening, but throughout he looks at those years in a positive way, appreciating how much he learned. the book gives insight into an industry and a time in history that has engaged us all. He writes in a clear, accessible style; you can feel the twinkle in his eye as he recalls the good, bad and ugly of his Hollywood years. This book will appeal to music lovers, but anyone who enjoys film will appreciate the insights into filmmaking contained in this entertaining book.

[Tony Fitzpatrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even if, to be honest, I believe half of these stories are made up, this is a wonderfully entertaining book. The author, who died earlier this year, worked in Hollywood (from the age of 17!) for about twenty four years as an in-house orchestrator, composer, conductor, and general musical dogsbody for the big studios. He learnt enormous amounts about being under pressure, conducting, working with musicians, and probably the art of self-publicity. The names of Hollywood's golden age drip from this book - Mayer, Goldwyn, actors and actresses like Errol Flynn, Rex Harrison, Judy Garland and Elizabeth Taylor, producers and directors like Billy Wilder and Arthur Freed, and lots and lots of composers and other musicians. He worked on scores of films, many of them very famous, like Gigi and My Fair Lady. Many notable names from the classical world such as Haifitz, and Copland, and many people from Jazz, including the great Shelly Maine, appear in these pages thanks to Previn's eclectic musical tastes and interests. Previn plainly had lots of friends, and was greatly admired in Hollywood - he was nominated for an Oscar 14 times, and won four Academy Awards. He did seem throughout these years to be thoroughly enjoying himself, although a small note of musical aloofness and snobbery does sink in. Eventually he left Hollywood to lead the Philadelphia, the LPO, and eventually the LSO, mainly because he felt he was not being challenged enough - in his words the film work didn't frighten him, and his love of classical music was too strong to ignore any further. A lovely book.

[Joe Rodeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

*No Minor Chords* is an entertaining reflection on a career that spanned employment during Hollywood’s Studio system, where Andre Previn got his start as a teenager, through the San Francisco jazz scene in the 40’s, to an international career as a film maker and orchestra conductor in Europe.

Previn humbly puts the emphasis on the people he has met and worked with, not on himself.

I loved the nostalgia and am thankful that, more often than not, he recalls the weirder and funnier episodes of working with the greats. Lots of inside stuff. Who knew Fred Astaire’s tapping was all over-dubbed?

I was also impressed with his facility with the English language, him being a German born migrant. They skipped ESL and put him straight in regular public school where he picked up the vernacular.


Recommended for scholars of film and music.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some stories. Lenny Bruce shop-lifted the 3 volumes of Emily Anderson's translation of Mozart's Letters for Andre Previn. "You mustn't do that," I sputtered. "Stealing!! I can't accept these, I know you meant well but you were wrong, Lenny, really!"

"You're not thinking straight, man," he hissed at me. "If I had ninety bucks and spent it in order to give you a present, what would be the big deal in that? It wouldn't even make a dent in me! But to steal 'em for you--I'm already on parole, man, and if I had got caught, I would have gone back to jail! Now that's what I call giving you a present!!" (132-133).

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Music lovers will enjoy reading about Mr. Previn's early career in the good old days in Hollywood.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

The kind of book and stories that could easily be a Woodie Allen movie. It made me feel nostalgic of an era in which I never lived.

[Gary Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable read - lots of interesting & funny little stories.

[Ella Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable easy read about the incredibly talented Andre Previn. Easy to put down and pick up right where you left off days or weeks later.

[San · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I was Previn's age, these anecdotes would seem like less of a cinematic fantasy to me.. and I suppose I would've spent less time imagining it as fiction and thus taking away the satisfaction I felt after reading this book. The chapter topics are vague at first and almost always need a re-read, and the people are not well-defined in relation to their positions and relationships with Previn. (But there were a few that struck a chord with me, but it's most likely because they had a 5-page memoir dedicated to them.)

Otherwise, I quite enjoyed it. I'm just astounded by the musical diversity that this man found in life.

[Fiddlypb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating look at the days in Hollywood when film music was run by non-musicians and composers just wrote tunes, leaving things like arranging and orchestration to people like Previn. Lots of very amusing anecdotes as well as a fascinating look at how films were made back then. A very easy read.

[Poindextra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very engaging - an easy read.

[Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent!

[Les Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't usually go in for biographies, but I'm glad I made the exception in this case. A very informative, interesting and enjoyable book. Not quite 5*