Library Journal
Robert Russell Bennett (1894-1981) orchestrated all or part of more than 300 Broadway musicals between 1920 and 1975, but this impressive statistic only hints at his importance. Collaborating with the likes of Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Frederick Loewe, and Richard Rodgers, he often worked from single melody lines and sketchy harmonies, and although his name is not well known, he produced much of what defined the style of American musical theater. His output was enormous; after hearing a song once, he could produce an arrangement. His career brought him wealth and prominence, but what he really wanted was to be taken seriously as a composer (he produced 175 original works). His writing has an old-fashioned charm and elegance, revealing both the genius and the gentleman. Included are eight essays on aspects of orchestral arranging, published between 1933 and 1967. Carefully edited and annotated, with a complete discography and lists of compositions, arrangements, and stage and film credits, this book succeeds both as biography and musical theater history. Highly recommended for academic libraries and large music collections.--Kate McCaffrey, Onondaga Cty. P.L., Syracuse, NY Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.
"The Broadway Sound": The Autobiography and Selected Essays of Robert Russell Bennett
by Robert Russell BennettView All Available Formats & Editions
The previously unpublished autobiography and additional essays by the orchestrator-composer of some of America's most important musical theatre productions.See more details below
Overview
The previously unpublished autobiography and additional essays by the orchestrator-composer of some of America's most important musical theatre productions.
Editorial Reviews
From the Publisher
His ear for what the audience wanted to hear. . . was responsible for the lush, plangent scores. . . Crammed with fascinating anecdote about working with Porter, Berlin, Rodgers, Hammerstein, Hart et al... the immensely likeable personality of the man himself shines through. . . This is an important book for musical theatre scholars and students of 20th-century American classical music alike. GRAMOPHONE (UK) Carefully edited and annotated, with a complete discography and lists of compositions, arrangements, and stage and film credits, this book succeeds both as biography and musical theater history. Highly recommended for academic libraries and large music collections. LIBRARY JOURNAL A warm, witty man emerges from every page of this marvellous autobiography. . . a remarkable portrait of musical life in the United States during most of last century. CLASSICAL MUSICProduct Details
- ISBN-13:
- 9781580460828
- Publisher:
- Boydell & Brewer, Limited
- Publication date:
- 01/01/2002
- Series:
- Eastman Studies in Music, #12
- Pages:
- 375
- Product dimensions:
- 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.78(d)
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