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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very good reading, May 28, 2008
This review is from: Jerome Kern/a Biography (Paperback)
Sometimes, the best way to learn about America, it to read about people that have had a major influence on American culture. Kern is a good example of a composer that produced a unique collection of show tunes that eventually became some of the most loved standards of all time. The interesting facts exposed in this book are: Kern had one of the better literary book collections and also collected coins and eventually silver antiques. The author documents his success in New York, his dominance in musicals, his success in Great Britain, and how he eventually lands in Hollywood where he does a few movie sound tracks and works with movie greats like Fred Astaire, Ginger Rodgers, Bob Hope, and others.
Kern loved Irvin Berlin and had somewhat of a falling with George Gershwin who apparently idolized Jerome Kern early on in his career. Jerome Kern also worked with some of the best lyricists of all time.
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Prolific Music Maker., March 27, 2008
This book was first printed in Great Britain in 1978; this edition was printed in Hungary. He was one of our best immigrants, among other composers of his time. He worked with Ira Gershwin on "Cover Girl." Rita Hayworth and Gene Kelly was in "Long Ago and Far Away." His best-known show was the January, 1946 Showboat at the Ziegfield Theater in New York. In it, Helen Morgan was Julie and sang a mean "Why Was I Born." Alan Jones was terrific as Gaylord singing "Only Make Believe." Paul Robeson was spectacular in this show and appeared in the movie version, singing the symphonic poem "Ole Man River" and "I Still Suits Me," recorded with Druary Lane Orchestra in London, now a collector's item. The movie version had Ava Gardner and Howard Keel. It had a long run at London's Adelphia Theater, and later a revival.
In his heyday, he and wife Eva gave small dinner parties at the Beverly Hills, California, but grew tired of the L.A. life and returned to New York where his blood pressure was too high and he collapsed near his old stomping grounds of New York City and later died on November 11, 1945. He had been a master of turning popular music into an art form. Unlike George Gershwin, he had no ambitions to write a concerto, a symphony, or an opera. He stuck to his venue and became a legend. At a "Vaudeville Cabaret" by a local group, the host JN present an evening of hilarity and music from the '30s. Some of Kern's best known compositions include Till the Clouds Roll By, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, Look for The Silver Lining, Long Ago and Far Away, All The Things You Are, and had planned to do the score for 'Annie Get Your Gun'.
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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
the real story, January 10, 2007
it is fasinating to lean the true story of his life as oposed to the movie story in till the clouds roll by.
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