EISLER, HANNS

EISLER, HANNS (1898–1962), German composer; son of rudolf eisler . Eisler, born in Leipzig, was a pupil of arnold schoenberg and Anton von Webern in Vienna. His early compositions were in an advanced idiom, but Eisler soon adapted to the demands of "socialist realism." He went to Berlin in 1924 and wrote the music for some of Bertolt Brecht's plays, including Die Rundkoepfe und die Spitzkoepfe and the incidental music for Galileo. In 1937 he immigrated to the United States where he lectured at the New School for Social Research, New York, and then went to Hollywood. He was musical assistant to Charlie Chaplin (1942–47) and also composed scores for other filmmakers. He left in 1948 under "voluntary deportation" because of his political past. Settling in East Berlin, he became one of the ideological leaders of musical activity in East Germany. He taught at the Akademie der Kuenste and received a state prize for his compositions in 1950. He composed the national anthem of the German Democratic Republic (to a text by Johannes Becher). He wrote an opera, Johannes Faustus (1953), which was criticized for its mysticism. His works include symphonies (e.g., Deutsche Symphonie, 1937), chamber music, cantatas, a Suite for Orchestra with Capriccio based on Jewish folksongs, operas, oratorios, and songs. -BIBLIOGRAPHY: Baker's Biog Dict; Grove's Dict; MGG; Komponisten und Musikwissenschaftler der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik (19592), 47–50. (Dora Leah Sowden)