Information AboutRichard Rodgers |
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Richard Charles Rodgers ( June 28 , 1902 – December 30 , 1979 ) was one of the great composers of musical Theater , best known for his song writing partnerships with Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II . He wrote more than 900 published songs, and forty Broadway musicals. Many of his compositions continue to have a broad appeal and have had a significant impact on the development of popular music. CAREER Born in New York City to a prosperous Jew ish family, Rodgers attended the same public school as Bennett Cerf . While studying at Columbia University , he met his writing partner, Lorenz Hart . After dabbling in amateur composition for the Varsity Show , a student-run production, Rodgers left Columbia University to seriously pursue music at the Institute of Musical Art, known today as Juilliard. Faced with great pressure, Rodgers considered quitting “the biz” to sell children’s underwear. However, following the success of ''The Garrick Gaieties'' Rodgers and Hart became a Broadway songwriting force. During the 1920s and 1930s , they produced numerous successful musical comedies, including ''Babes In Arms'', ''Pal Joey'' and The ''Boys From Syracuse''. Their partnership foundered over Hart's alcohol problems, finally coming to an end with the latter's death in 1943 . Anticipating the end of a partnership, Rodgers began working with , 15 Academy Awards , two Pulitzer Prizes , two Grammy Awards and two Emmy Awards. Rodgers worked without a lyricist to provide music for the groundbreaking World War II television documentary "Victory at Sea" (1952-53). This NBC production (26 half-hour episodes) pioneered the "compilation documentary"--programming based on pre-existing footage--and would be eventually syndicated for broadcast in dozens of countries worldwide. Just as with his musicals, Rodgers was credited as composer; his contribution, however, was limited to a dozen short piano compositions, which he characterized as "themes." Robert Russell Bennett, who orchestrated many of Rodgers's Broadway shows as well as the "Oklahoma!" film, transformed Rodgers's VAS themes to fit a variety of onscreen moods, and actually contributed more composed music than did Rodgers, while orchestrating the whole score and conducting the NBC Symphony for the recording sessions. After Hammerstein's death in 1960, Rodgers continued to write for the stage and screen. Other collaborators included Stephen Sondheim, Sheldon Harnick and Martin Charnin. A survivor of cancer of the jaw, a heart attack and a laryngectomy, Richard Rodgers died aged 77 in 1979. In 1990 he was honored posthumously when the 46th Street Theatre was renamed The Richard Rodgers Theatre. In 2002, his centennial was celebrated worldwide. HIS FAMILY Rodgers' daughter, Mary , is the composer of ''Once Upon A Mattress'' and an author of children's books. Rodgers' grandson, Adam Guettel , also a musical theatre composer, recently won the 2005 Tony Award for Best Score and Best Orchestrations for '' The Light In The Piazza .'' Peter Melnick, another grandson and composer, is currently receiving his world premiere production of ''Adrift In Macao'', debuting at the Philadelphia Theatre Company. Bobby Lee Rodgers of The Codetalkers, who is a prolific songwriter and master musician and accomplished singer with well over 100 songs in his repertoire, is reported to be Richard Rodgers' direct descendent (Bobby Lee's great aunt claimed direct descent from Richard but this is currently being verified.) http://thecodetalkers.com MAJOR WORKS
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REFERENCES Mentioned in the song ''Thru These Architect's Eyes'' on the album 1.outside by David Bowie. 1 |
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