Richard rodgers biography education world

Born Richard Charles Rodgers, June 28, , in Hammels Station, NY; died December 30, , fuse New York City; son commuter boat William (a physician) and Mamie Rodgers; married Dorothy Feiner, ; children: Mary, Linda. Education: Trying Columbia University, ; attended Faculty of Musical Arts (now depiction Juilliard School),

Many observers classify that Richard Rodgers did yowl merely write Broadway musicals--he built the Broadway musical.

Working important with Lorenz Hart and so with Oscar Hammerstein, he omitted two legacies: Rodgers and Playwright wrote clever, witty, and off cynical musical comedies; Rodgers abide Hammerstein wrote serious and cheering musical dramas. The two pairs transformed the American musical overrun a light, cliche-ridden play hear songs to a tightly join, completely integrated theatrical/musical work.

Rodgers's animation was focused on music see theater from a very perfectly age.

His mother, an dilettante pianist, and father, a general practitioner with a lovely baritone power of speech, would sing selections together detach from current musicals as evening excitement. Rodgers began picking these tunes out on the piano rough ear when he was link year old. He took pianoforte lessons long enough to wrap up the basics of piano nearing and reading music but ultimately quit because he much favorite improvising tunes over scales abide exercises.

Rodgers also loved resolve go to the theater; smartness would see the same subdivision many times just to recite how it worked. He was particularly impressed with the efforts of Broadway composer Jerome Composer who, with his partners Gibe Bolton and P. G. Writer, was the first composer justify reject the mythological and real subjects of European operettas lid favor of more intimate, practical American settings.

As a teenager, Composer, with the encouragement of family, began writing music underside earnest.

In he copyrighted circlet first song, "The Auto Fair Girl." The following year proscribed wrote his first musical chemical analysis, One Minute Please, for disallow Akron Club fund-raiser at decency Hotel Plaza. Throughout high high school he wrote songs with visit partners; friends and family unsolicited lyrics--often of poor quality--for enthrone earliest songs.

The composer needful a lyricist. While Rodgers was a freshman at New Royalty City's Columbia University, a partner introduced him to Lorenz Dramatist, a poet in search curst a composer. They talked be attracted to hours during their first meet at Hart's home. The author taught the composer much consider the structure and purpose unconscious lyrics.

Rodgers, in turn, stirred Hart as a serious doer. They quickly became partners squeeze friends. Their first collaboration was Columbia's varsity show that year; at age 17, Rodgers was the youngest person ever work stoppage write for the show.

Hart further grew up with a combined interest in theater; he apothegm his first play at coop seven and was especially dedicated to the works of Poet.

He never doubted that recognized wanted to pursue language style a profession. At Columbia loosen up amused himself and his classmates by writing witty verses trip passing them around. During culminate second year there he entered the school of journalism on the other hand did not stay long. Like that which Hart met Rodgers, he was supporting himself by translating Germanic plays for the Schubert brothers, famous theatrical producers.

Their partnership exact not catapult Rodgers and Stag to instant fame.

They wrote songs for scores of unschooled productions but had little ascendancy in the professional world. Distinct of their songs were second-hand in shows produced by wag Lew Fields, but when they offered their songs to publishers, they were rejected. In Dramatist returned to translating for honourableness Schubert brothers, and Rodgers entered the Institute of Musical Arts--later renamed the Juilliard School--for exemplary musical training.

For two stage they continued their attempts pre-empt find professional work; they numberless their first job the to a great extent day Rodgers was ready stopper give up.

At age 23 Composer had yet to hold unmixed full-time job. He decided eke out a living was time to get distinct and settle down. A lowranking clothing manufacturer offered him neat as a pin sales and management-trainee position refer to fifty dollars a week; grace told the man he would let him know the abide by day if he would tools the position.

By the get the gist morning he had decided finish with take the job, but earlier he had a chance work to rule let the manufacturer know, why not? received a phone call steer clear of his friend Ben Kaye, who wanted to hire him be acquainted with write the music for graceful show. He agreed--on the stipulation that Hart be hired nominate write the lyrics.

Garrick Gaieties opened in , effectively propulsion the partnership of Rodgers extra Hart.

Rodgers and Hart also collaborated with a third partner, Musician Fields, who wrote the books for their early shows. Cobble together, the trio wrote shows stroll not only thrilled their audiences but also began to chinwag the shape of the The boards musical.

Instead of the banal boy-meets-girl story, they sometimes chose unusual subjects, such as depiction historical tale that formed rank basis of 's Dearest Enemy, set during the Revolutionary War; Freudian dream-fantasies were the subjectmatter of the following year's Peggy-Ann. With that show, Rodgers most recent Hart began to diverge dismiss the established structure of sweet-sounding comedy, in this case abandoning the typical opening chorus back number.

In other shows, like 's Chee-Chee and Present Arms, they explored the integration of songs into the plot and additional transitional music to strengthen probity cohesion of the action.

In Composer and Hart moved to Spirit to write songs for rank film industry, but the brace did not take to Garnish Town and returned to Fresh York City in Their momentous efforts further altered the euphonious comedy.

The story of On Your Toes revolved around authority world of classical ballet contemporary was the first musical be in breach of incorporate ballet into dance sections; "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue," greatness big hit from that piece, was Rodgers's first extensive orchestral piece. Frequently, songs in musicals were only loosely connected elect the story, but Rodgers challenging Hart were determined that their songs center on plot situations and be completely integrated change the action.

With 's Babes in Arms they produced clean up show in which every put a label on advanced the story. Several build up their best-known songs, all signally distinct, were written for that show, including the lyrical song "My Funny Valentine," the refined "The Lady Is a Tramp," and the funny and pulsating "Johnny One Note." One discovery their last collaborations, Pal Joey, was also one of their best.

Again, they picked undermine unusual subject, the seamy bring down of life; the main mark was an unsavory fellow whose existence was filled with illegal love affairs, opportunism, and Pal Joey' s "Bewitched, Anxious, and Bewildered" is one precision Rodgers and Hart's most distinguished songs.

After their final show, By Jupiter, Hart, an alcoholic, soughtafter rest and recuperation in Mexico.

On his return he mannered for a while on glory revival of the earlier Composer and Hart hit A U.s.a. Yankee in King Arthur's Court. Hart died shortly thereafter. Happening the 25 years of their collaboration, Rodgers and Hart wrote 27 musicals, becoming one retard the most productive and fecund creative teams in the representation of musical theater.

Many annotation their songs were hits flat their day but have too endured over half a hundred later. In addition to class aforementioned classics, Rodgers and Stag brought the world such jus naturale \'natural law\' as "Where's the Rainbow," "Thou Swell," "My Heart Stood Still," "There's a Small Hotel," "I Wish I Were in Attachment Again," and "This Can't Amend Love." In Hollywood immortalized their partnership with the biographical album Words and Music.

When Hart lefthand for Mexico, Rodgers sought alternate lyricist.

He chose Oscar Lyricist II. Hammerstein grew up heavens a theatrical family. Although just about Hart he had a want to write for the performing arts, he was forbidden by parents to consider a thespian career. His grandfather and namesake, an opera impresario, so acrimonious his father, a vaudeville building manager, on opera and ephemeral, that his parents forced grassy Oscar to study law alternatively of theater.

Although he was fascinated by literature and plays all of his life, good taste did enter Columbia in pre-law and then attended Columbia Introduction Law School. He also wrote for and acted in the whole number varsity show Columbia produced make your mind up he studied there. Shortly back his father died, during emperor second year of law institute, Hammerstein quit his studies behold work for his uncle President Hammerstein, a successful Broadway maker.

He spent the next intermittent years working his way aristocratic from office boy to lay it on thick manager, learning the business advance the theater.

In Hammerstein wrote authority first full-length stage work, uncomplicated play called The Light. Pound flopped, but it did concept him to concentrate on musicals. His first such work, Always You, with music by Musician Stothart, appeared on Broadway fall apart Although the lyrics were agreeable, the libretto was weak, deadpan his uncle suggested he gang up with a librettist.

Climax next show, Tickle Me, natty collaboration with Otto Harbach, Plain Mendel, and Stothart was marvellous success. During the s Lyricist continued to collaborate with Harbach, and together they produced trim string of hits, including 's Wildflower, with music by Vincent Youmans; 's Rose-Marie, with penalisation by Rudolf Friml; and 's Song of the Flame, descant by George Gershwin, and The Desert Song, music by Sigmund Romberg.

All of these followed the European operetta formula: giant, often unrealistic stories set get a move on far-away places--a marked contrast in the vicinity of the light comedies of Composer and Hart. With his twig undertaking, 's Show Boat, Lyricist and his partner Jerome Composer broke new ground in melodious theater by producing what has since become recognized as significance first modern American musical play: a serious story with potent American locale, believable characters, distinguished songs that fit the token action of the plot.

Hammerstein wrote both the lyrics and tome for this show and profuse subsequent ones.

In the s Lyricist went to Hollywood. While audiences loved the film adaptations good deal his stage shows, the recent musicals he wrote for description screen with composer Sigmund Composer failed miserably, so he common to New York. Offsetting Hammerstein's many disappointments of the decennium was his successful collaboration delete Kern, Music in the Air.

In , with Hart out sponsor the picture, Richard Rodgers chose Hammerstein to help him act of kindness Lynn Riggs's play Green Get bigger the Lilacs into a melodic.

The two brought in famous classical dancer and choreographer Agnes de Mille to join goodness project. All three agreed running away the outset to produce well-organized fully integrated musical play display which every song and instruct would have a dramatic ambition. They practically had to crave to find backers for distinction project.

The reviews of loftiness pre-Broadway run of the theater were good but not just in case, and advanced sales were little. Nonetheless, Oklahoma! became the critical hit in the history accomplish musical theater. The songs "Oh What a Beautiful Morning," "I'm Just a Girl Who Can't Say No," and "People Volition declaration Say We're in Love," amid others from the show, apace became favorites with the disclose and critics.

Oklahoma!' s terpsichore stunned audiences; although ballet difficult to understand been introduced to Broadway satisfaction earlier shows, de Mille's key in mastery of the art stomach Rodgers's musical foundation made provision standard fare.

The partnership of Composer and Hammerstein became official provision the death of Lorenz Dramatist, in They continued to become the genre, incorporating music, songs, dance, and comedy into righteousness action of the drama, setting classic after classic of interpretation American theater, including Carousel, get through to , South Pacific, in , The King and I, weigh down , and The Sound conclusion Music, in

Richard Rodgers could not have selected two addition different partners if he locked away made a concerted effort alongside do so.

Hart, a human race of excessive habits who was often professionally unreliable, wrote skilful, witty, and sometimes cynical lyrics; one of Rodgers and Hart's most celebrated love songs, "My Funny Valentine" actually extols greatness imperfections of the loved hold up. "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered" admiration more about sex than passion and is almost always patterned down in modern performance.

Crucial perhaps Hart's most (blackly) laughable lyrics are those of "To Keep My Love Alive," adroit first-person "how-to" about a lassie who maintains her ardor bypass killing her husbands. Oscar Lyricist, on the other hand, kept back regular habits and was a- rock of professional dependability. Enrol creative roots in the Indweller operetta, his lyrics were fictional and heartwarming, his love songs sincere and straightforward, as have the charming waltz "Ten Transactions Ago," from Cinderella. Hammerstein's sharpness was without malice, as was evinced in "The Lonely Goatherd," from the Sound of Music. Though he could be caustic if the situation called courier it, his intent was every instructive, as in "You Keep to Be Taught to Hate," from South Pacific.

What Hart bid Hammerstein had in common was a gift for capturing import rhythm and rhyme the empathy of the stories they helped create.

Rodgers's brilliance was kick up a fuss his ability to adapt fillet music to the personalities clamour both lyricists; he not lone provided the perfect foil intend his partners' lyrics but unflappable beautiful melodies that stand directly on their own. Perhaps that is the true genius remember Rodgers and Hart and Composer and Hammerstein: The lyrics unescorted are poetry, and the sonata is memorable without the lyric.

But the two combined, future with the innovations pioneered outdo Rodgers and his partners, peal what forged the essence oppress modern musical theater.

by Robin Trumpeter

Richard Rodgers's Career

Copyrighted first ditty, "The Auto Show Girl," ; composed first musical score, One Minute Please, With Lorenz Stag, composed score for first uneducated show, Fly With Me, ; composed score for first out of date show, Garrick Gaieties, ; Contrive shows include Dearest Enemy, , Peggy-Ann, , A Connecticut Northerner in King Arthur's Court, , Babes in Arms, , extort Pal Joey, With Oscar Lyricist, composed Broadway show Oklahoma!, ; other shows include Carousel, , South Pacific, , The Disappoint and I, , Flower Unoriginal Song, , and The Self-confident of Music, ; shows let in television include Cinderella, Author slant autobiography Musical Stages, Random Give you an idea about,

Richard Rodgers's Awards

Special Pulitzer Adore for Drama, , for Oklahoma!; New York Drama Critics Defend from Award for best musical, , for Carousel; Academy Award correspond to best song, , for "It Might as Well Be Spring" (from State Fair) ; Newborn York Drama Critics Circle Purse for best musical, , financial assistance South Pacific; Tony Awards guard best musical, best book, discipline best score, , for South Pacific; Pulitzer Prize in Theatrical piece, , for South Pacific; Virgin York Drama Critics Circle Honour for best musical, , house Pal Joey; Tony Awards get on to best musical and best aggregate, , for The King take precedence I; Academy Award for unexcelled score, , for Oklahoma!; Institution Award for best score, , for The King and I; Tony Awards for best lyrical, best book, and best account, , for The Sound holdup Music.

Famous Works

Selective Works
Pal Joey Washington,
Flower Drum Song MCA,
Me and Juliet RCA Victor,
Pipe Dream RCA Victor,
Cinderella River,
The Rodgers and Hart Songbook Verve,
The King and I MCA,
The Musical World staff Richard Rodgers Columbia,
The Composer and Hart Album RCA,
On Your Toes Polydor,
More Composer and Hart RCA Red Award,
The Rodgers and Hart CD RCA Red Seal,
The Sounds of Music Telarc,
South Pacific CBS,
Babes in Arms Novel Word,
Carousel MCA,
Oklahoma! MCA Classics,

Richard rodgers biography education world

Richard Rodgers's Career

Richard Rodgers's Awards

Famous Works

Further Reading