Lorenz Hart: A Poet on Broadway
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.70 (832 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0195102894 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 416 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2013-10-05 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Lorenz Hart--A Tortured Genius Bill Emblom My interest in Lorenz Hart stems primarily from writing the lyrics to what is my favorite song "Manhattan." Hart was a lyricist par excellence and known for his ability to rhyme most anything. An example from "Manhattan" would be "The city's glamour can never spoil the dreams of a boy or goil." Rodgers and Hart began their partnership in 1919 with Rodgers providing the melody and Hart the lyrics.Author Frederick Nolan does a good job in describing Hart the man who comes across to me as being insecure in himself since he knew he was not attractive to others being only around. A Standing Ovation for Lorenz Hart! Lorenz Hart is one of the finest lyricists in the history of American musical theater. He is largely responsible for elevating the process of writing lyrics into an art form. Before Hart, lyrics were usually trite and predictable with simplistic rhymes such as "I am blue, and so are you."Hart wrote lyrics that are cerebral and sophisticated. His compositions are infused with wit and wisdom. He used complex rhymes. An example from "My Funny Valentine": "Your looks are laughable, unphotographable. Yet you're my favorite work of art. Is your figure less than Greek? Is your mou. Steve Schwartz, Austin said Very good. Nolan labored under a severe handicap. For some reason, the owners of the copyright on Hart's lyrics would not grant Nolan permission to quote them at length (for some probably very stupid reason). Therefore, Nolan concentrates necessarily on the life. He has done yeoman's work hunting down those Hart acquaintances still alive as well as letters previously unpublished. I think his portrait quite insightful. He manages to contain many of Hart's contradictions. He also keeps Hart's homosexuality in perspective, something rare in our time when writers seem to reduce an artist
Hart, who was barely five feet tall, disorganized, homosexual, irresponsible and infinitely witty and charming-the opposite of the conventional and reserved Rodgers-was a genius with words who could transform and revitalize the commercial song lyric. From Publishers Weekly In this engaging biography, Nolan (Rodgers and Hammerstein: The Sound of Their Music) presents an affecting portrayal of the man who teamed up with Richard Rodgers to write A Connecticut Yankee, Pal Joey, On Your Toes and many other successful musical comedies. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. Photos not seen by PW. Nevetheless, low self-esteem and a self-destructive tendency colored his life, causing his friend Mabel Mercer to describe him as "the saddest man I ever knew." Eventually his erratic behavior broke up his partnership with Rodgers, who began collaborating instead with Oscar Hammerstein. . Hart, dissipated and weakened by alcoholism, died in 1943 at the age of 48, leaving
Here are his first ventures into show business, and the 24-year-old Hart's first meeting with the 16-year-old Richard Rodgers. Hart changed all that, always avoiding the obvious, aiming for the unexpected phrase that would twang the nerve or touch the heart. Endowed with both a buoyant wit and a tender, almost raw sincerity, Hart brought a poetic complexity to his art, capturing the everyday way people talk and weaving it into his lyrics. "Neither of us mentioned it," Rodgers later recalled, "but we evidently knew we would work together, and I left Hart's house having acquired in one afternoon a career, a best friend, and a source of permanent irritation." Nolan captures it all: the team's early setbacks, the spectacular hour long standing ovation for their hit song, "Manhattan," the Hollywood years (which inspired Hart to utter the undying line, "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean the bastards aren't out to get you"), and the unforgettable string of hit shows that included "On Your Toes,