Rodgers & Hart — An Overview
Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart were the premiere collaborators in the early years of American musical theater. In fact, they were the first team in which the lyricist received equal billing with the composer. Now Decca Broadway presents a wonderful overview of their illustrious career on a new CD.
Rodgers and Hart were the perfect songwriting team. Their fame was enduring and well-deserved. Their music and lyrics were superbly integrated in a sophisticated whole. Although their personal relationship was somewhat stormy, their songs never reflected the problems they were having. Most importantly for lovers of musical theater, Rodgers and Hart’s shows abounded in humor, emotion and class. Rodgers’ melodies, alternately playful and plaintive and Hart’s always witty and sometimes poignant lyrics had a depth of emotion, both high and low, rarely exhibited by their contemporaries. Listening to a Rodgers and Hart song always involved the mind as well as the heart.
Lorenz Hart was born in New York City on May 2, 1895. His parents, Max and Frieda Hart, were immigrants who instilled in their son a love of language and literature. He attended his first play when he was seven and was permanently hooked on the theater. Richard Rodgers wrote of their first meeting: “Neither of us mentioned it, but we evidently knew we'd work together, and I left Hart's house having acquired in one afternoon a career, a partner, a best friend and a source of permanent irritation.”
Richard Rodgers was born in New York City on June 28, 1902. This is where Rodgers and his parents, William and Mamie, lived and where his father practiced medicine. Rodgers showed an early gift for music. He could play the piano when only four years old.
Rodgers and Hart honed their talents in a series of amateur show musicals for Columbia University and various charities. When they finally hit Broadway they never looked back, enjoying success after success.
Though the majority of their shows are seldom revived, their songs have endured for over 75 years. They are still staples of pop and jazz singers throughout the world. 1925’s "Manhattan" was their first great hit and is now a standard in the jazz repertoire. They quickly followed it with such future standards as "The Blue Room," "Mountain Greenery," "My Heart Stood Still," "With a Song in My Heart," "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World," "My Romance" and "Little Girl Blue."
The 1936 show On Your Toes was an important step in the evolution of the American musical. In addition to the popular hits it spawned, such as "There's a Small Hotel," the title song and "Glad to Be Unhappy," Rodgers also penned two ballets, La Princesse Zenobia and the classic Slaughter on Tenth Avenue. Both were choreographed by the legendary George Balanchine.
They followed that triumph with Babes in Arms, which boasted a host of great hits, including "Where or When," "I Wish I Were in Love Again," "My Funny Valentine," "Johnny One Note" and "The Lady Is a Tramp."
The Boys from Syracuse was the first musical based on a play by Shakespeare. Rodgers and Hart were obviously inspired by the Bard with a terrific score including "Falling in Love with Love" and "This Can't Be Love."
Pal Joey was unappreciated in its time but the score was among the team's most sophisticated and adult. "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" was the big hit. It was followed by By Jupiter, the last full-scale collaboration between Rodgers and Hart.
Rodgers was a disciplined man used to working regular hours with great determination and single-mindedness. Hart was exactly the opposite. Whereas Rodgers knew exactly where he stood in the world, Hart was insecure and unstable, becoming increasingly more difficult as the partnership progressed. Often, he would disappear for days, forcing Rodgers to halt production or even write lyrics himself. Hart's insecurities led to more missed deadlines and more drinking. Rodgers reached the end of his patience during By Jupiter and began quietly to inquire about other partnerships.
The result was the pairing of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. But that’s the story of another compilation. Rodgers and Hart went on to one more production, a very successful revival of A Connecticut Yankee. Shortly thereafter, Hart disappeared. He remained missing for two days until he was found unconscious in a hotel room. He was taken to Doctor's Hospital, where it was determined he had pneumonia. On November 22, 1943, Lorenz Hart died.
The team of Rodgers and Hart was the most successful musical pairing of the first half of the twentieth century. Their smart, sophisticated and sometimes silly songs have become a part of the American lexicon.
8/15/2006
Rodgers and Hart were the perfect songwriting team. Their fame was enduring and well-deserved. Their music and lyrics were superbly integrated in a sophisticated whole. Although their personal relationship was somewhat stormy, their songs never reflected the problems they were having. Most importantly for lovers of musical theater, Rodgers and Hart’s shows abounded in humor, emotion and class. Rodgers’ melodies, alternately playful and plaintive and Hart’s always witty and sometimes poignant lyrics had a depth of emotion, both high and low, rarely exhibited by their contemporaries. Listening to a Rodgers and Hart song always involved the mind as well as the heart.
Lorenz Hart was born in New York City on May 2, 1895. His parents, Max and Frieda Hart, were immigrants who instilled in their son a love of language and literature. He attended his first play when he was seven and was permanently hooked on the theater. Richard Rodgers wrote of their first meeting: “Neither of us mentioned it, but we evidently knew we'd work together, and I left Hart's house having acquired in one afternoon a career, a partner, a best friend and a source of permanent irritation.”
Richard Rodgers was born in New York City on June 28, 1902. This is where Rodgers and his parents, William and Mamie, lived and where his father practiced medicine. Rodgers showed an early gift for music. He could play the piano when only four years old.
Rodgers and Hart honed their talents in a series of amateur show musicals for Columbia University and various charities. When they finally hit Broadway they never looked back, enjoying success after success.
Though the majority of their shows are seldom revived, their songs have endured for over 75 years. They are still staples of pop and jazz singers throughout the world. 1925’s "Manhattan" was their first great hit and is now a standard in the jazz repertoire. They quickly followed it with such future standards as "The Blue Room," "Mountain Greenery," "My Heart Stood Still," "With a Song in My Heart," "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World," "My Romance" and "Little Girl Blue."
The 1936 show On Your Toes was an important step in the evolution of the American musical. In addition to the popular hits it spawned, such as "There's a Small Hotel," the title song and "Glad to Be Unhappy," Rodgers also penned two ballets, La Princesse Zenobia and the classic Slaughter on Tenth Avenue. Both were choreographed by the legendary George Balanchine.
They followed that triumph with Babes in Arms, which boasted a host of great hits, including "Where or When," "I Wish I Were in Love Again," "My Funny Valentine," "Johnny One Note" and "The Lady Is a Tramp."
The Boys from Syracuse was the first musical based on a play by Shakespeare. Rodgers and Hart were obviously inspired by the Bard with a terrific score including "Falling in Love with Love" and "This Can't Be Love."
Pal Joey was unappreciated in its time but the score was among the team's most sophisticated and adult. "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" was the big hit. It was followed by By Jupiter, the last full-scale collaboration between Rodgers and Hart.
Rodgers was a disciplined man used to working regular hours with great determination and single-mindedness. Hart was exactly the opposite. Whereas Rodgers knew exactly where he stood in the world, Hart was insecure and unstable, becoming increasingly more difficult as the partnership progressed. Often, he would disappear for days, forcing Rodgers to halt production or even write lyrics himself. Hart's insecurities led to more missed deadlines and more drinking. Rodgers reached the end of his patience during By Jupiter and began quietly to inquire about other partnerships.
The result was the pairing of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. But that’s the story of another compilation. Rodgers and Hart went on to one more production, a very successful revival of A Connecticut Yankee. Shortly thereafter, Hart disappeared. He remained missing for two days until he was found unconscious in a hotel room. He was taken to Doctor's Hospital, where it was determined he had pneumonia. On November 22, 1943, Lorenz Hart died.
The team of Rodgers and Hart was the most successful musical pairing of the first half of the twentieth century. Their smart, sophisticated and sometimes silly songs have become a part of the American lexicon.
8/15/2006
