Remigius "Remi" Gassmann, son of Peter Gassmann & Margaret Seitz, was born 30 August 1908 St. Marys, Kansas. He died 2 March 1982 in Strasbourg, France.
A composer, critic, educator, and pianist, Gassmann is best-known for his ballet scores and the edgy electronic sounds he created. He was a pioneer in electronic sound and music. Remi Gassmann and along with Oskar Sala created the "screeching, whistling, chattering, flapping cacophony" of bird sounds throughout the movie using a Trautonium, an early electronic musical instrument.
He was appointed professor of theory and composition at the Orchestral Hall Preparatory School of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 1940 to 1946.
In 1946, Gassmann was commissioned by Ruth Page, choreographer for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carloto, to create the score the well-known ballet Billy Sunday, which premiered in New York City on 2 March 1948.
The Gassmann Electronic Music Studio at the University of California at Irvine is named after Remi Gassmann.
Gassman's parents were both born in the Volga German colony of Mariental. Remi's grandfather, Nikolaus Gassmann, and several of his father's siblings immigrated to Argentina.
- Papers of American Composer Remi Gassmann (UCI Libraries) - Finding Aid
- Remi Gassmann Biography [Online]
- Remigius Ostwalt "Remi" Gassmann (FindAGrave)
Remi Gassmann.
Source: Discogs.
Screen shot from Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds".
Source: Denise Grau