Geoffrey Block is Professor of Music History at the University of Puget Sound. The author of Enchanted Evenings (OUP 1997) and three books on Charles Ives, he is now completing a book on Richard Rodgers's Broadway career.
"A comprehensive and informative overview of the life and music of
Richard Rodgers...For anyone curious about the life and works of
'the most successful, productive, diverse, and influential American
composer for the musical stage of the 20th Century,' Block's
collection is an excellent and comprehensive introduction...the
work will well reward serious readers interested in the American
musical theatre and one of its greatest
practitioners."--American
Music
"Excellent."--John Lahr, The New Yorker
"A great first look for those interested in learning more about
Rodgers and a must-have for the serious musical theatre
scholar."--MetroBeat
"A useful and informative anthology of essays, interviews, and
criticism drawn from a diversity of published and unpublished
sources...The Richard Rodgers Reader is like surfing the Internet.
One can dip into it or read it section by section."--Mel Gussow,
New York Times
"Just when you think The Richard Rodgers Reader is going to be
academic, it turns out to be as fascinating as a good novel. It's
not a whodunnit, but a how-dunnit. How did such a cranky, bourgeois
guy create those soaring melodies? By letting many people pay
respects or take shots, the book creates a three-dimensional
portrait of a complicated and brilliant man."--Playbill Readers'
Circle
"Block has assembled fascinating pieces of writing about the
popular American composer of Oklahoma! and The Sound of Music.... A
fine combination of anecdote, music criticism, and
biography."--Library Journal
"Editor Block drew on biographies, memoirs, letters, essays on the
musical theater, theatrical criticism, and interviews to amass this
collection...this reader depicts Rodgers as methodical, versatile,
outgoing, and a family man--'the most successful, productive,
diverse, and influential American composer for the musical stage of
the twentieth century.'"--Booklist
"Fabulous...One comes away from this volume with a solid feel for
his work and for the man himself." --DC Theatre Scene
"Block has assembled fascinating pieces of writing about the
popular American composer of Oklahoma! and The Sound of Music....A
fine combination of anecdote, music criticism, and
biography."--Library Journal
Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) was not only the composer of 1940s and '50s Broadway musicals like Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I and The Sound of Music (all in collaboration with Oscar Hammerstein II), but also the melodist for the witty, tender lyrics of Lorenz Hart in beloved songs like "My Funny Valentine," "The Lady Is a Tramp" and "Blue Moon." Block, a music theory and history professor at the University of Puget Sound and a composer of musicals himself, divides this survey of writings on Rodgers into four sections: "Rodgers and Hart (1929-1943)," "Rodgers and Hammerstein (1943-1960)," "Rodgers After Hammerstein (1960-1979)" and "The Composer Speaks (1939-1971)." The collection includes excerpts from recent scholarly works by musicologist Allen Forte and lyrics expert Philip Furia, as well as some letters from Rodgers to his wife, Dorothy, in the 1920s; contemporary commentary by theater critics like Eric Bentley; and reminiscences by performers who worked with Rodgers, such as Diahann Carroll. Block may overdo his enthusiasm about some of the more banal contributions, like the clichd entry by performer Mary Martin, but he also includes strong, entertaining pieces by informed music writers like Joshua Logan, Brooks Atkinson and George Jean Nathan. Rodgers's own tight-lipped comments paint a portrait of the man as vividly as anything else in this book. Good for serious performing arts readers, although a few pages of musicological analysis may be over the heads of some Broadway babies. (June) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
"A comprehensive and informative overview of the life and music of Richard Rodgers...For anyone curious about the life and works of 'the most successful, productive, diverse, and influential American composer for the musical stage of the 20th Century,' Block's collection is an excellent and comprehensive introduction...the work will well reward serious readers interested in the American musical theatre and one of its greatest practitioners."--American Music "Excellent."--John Lahr, The New Yorker "A great first look for those interested in learning more about Rodgers and a must-have for the serious musical theatre scholar."--MetroBeat "A useful and informative anthology of essays, interviews, and criticism drawn from a diversity of published and unpublished sources...The Richard Rodgers Reader is like surfing the Internet. One can dip into it or read it section by section."--Mel Gussow, New York Times "Just when you think The Richard Rodgers Reader is going to be academic, it turns out to be as fascinating as a good novel. It's not a whodunnit, but a how-dunnit. How did such a cranky, bourgeois guy create those soaring melodies? By letting many people pay respects or take shots, the book creates a three-dimensional portrait of a complicated and brilliant man."--Playbill Readers' Circle "Block has assembled fascinating pieces of writing about the popular American composer of Oklahoma! and The Sound of Music.... A fine combination of anecdote, music criticism, and biography."--Library Journal "Editor Block drew on biographies, memoirs, letters, essays on the musical theater, theatrical criticism, and interviews to amass this collection...this reader depicts Rodgers as methodical, versatile, outgoing, and a family man--'the most successful, productive, diverse, and influential American composer for the musical stage of the twentieth century.'"--Booklist "Fabulous...One comes away from this volume with a solid feel for his work and for the man himself." --DC Theatre Scene "Block has assembled fascinating pieces of writing about the popular American composer of Oklahoma! and The Sound of Music....A fine combination of anecdote, music criticism, and biography."--Library Journal
 |
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
