Richard Rodgers [Hardcover]

Mr. William G. Hyland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 20, 1998

Richard Rodgers, whose Broadway career spanned six successful decades, composed more than 1000 songs for the American stage. Although he reaped wealth, success and recognition that included two shared Pulitzer Prizes, Rodgers found happiness elusive. In this biography of Rodgers, William G. Hyland tells the full story of the complex man and his music. Hyland's portrait of Rodgers (1902-79) begins with his childhood in an affluent Jewish family living in the Harlem neighbourhood of Manhattan. During college years at Columbia University and early work on the amateur circuit and Broadway, Rodgers entered into a historic collaboration with the lyricist Lorenz Hart. The team produced a dozen popular shows and such songs as "The Lady is a Tramp". Rodgers' next partnership, with Oscar Hammerstein II, led to the creation of the musical play, a new and distinctively American art form. Beginning with "Oklahoma!" in 1943, this pair dominated Broadway for almost 20 years with a string of hits that remain favourites: "Carousel", "South Pacific", "The King and I" and "The Sound of Music". When Hammerstein died in 1960, Rodgers began a new phase in his career, writing the lyrics to his own music, then joining lyricists Stephen Sondheim, Sheldon Harnick and Martin Charnin. Despite periods of depression, excessive drinking, hypochondria and illness at different points in his life, Rodgers's outpouring of music seemed little affected and he continued to compose until his death at age 77. An icon of the musical theatre, Rodgers left a legacy of songs that audiences return to hear over and over again.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Richard Rodgers is known to most people as just Rodgers as in Rodgers and Hammerstein and Rodgers and Hart. Inspired by the words of his legendary lyricist partners, Rodgers scored the music for many of Broadway's biggest musical hits--Carousel, The Sound of Music, The Boys from Syracuse, Oklahoma!--to name just a few. What this biography makes clear is that it was a far from simple man who composed the simple, infectious melodies that have kept generations of musical theatergoers humming long after the curtain closes. As a small child Rodgers had a knack for melody making and by the age of 17 heard his first song reverberate against the walls of Broadway. But his light, lilting melodies belied an often dark and brooding soul, a man who closed himself off even from those to whom he was closest. Oscar Hammerstein once remarked: "We've worked together all these years and I don't really know him."

Richard Rodgers is clearly a labor of love. Author William Hyland spent the majority of his professional life working at the CIA, the State Department, and the White House and later edited Foreign Affairs. The book reverentially analyzes Rodgers's evolutionary musical style and his contribution to American culture, yet Hyland seems loathe to broach subjects that might tarnish Rodgers's image--the moody, at times clinically depressed, difficult to work with Rodgers is assiduously kept in the wings. Still, the book offers insight into the creative process and is a pleasurable stroll for fans of musical theater.

From Publishers Weekly

Richard Rodgers "became extraordinarily successful in his work, enjoyed a privileged life, and shared two Pulitzer Prizes. He was also unhappy and depressed much of the time," says Hyland (The Song Is Ended: Songwriters and American Music, 1900-1950) in the preface to his thoroughly researched, if rather ploddingly explicatory, biography. Born in 1902 into a well-to-do New York Jewish family, Rodgers was musically gifted and gravitated to the theater, attending the "subway circuit" of successful Broadway shows at West Side theaters. There he heard Jerome Kern and, like George Gershwin, was inspired to write songs for Broadway. Fate seemed to agree with his career choice, throwing him into contact with his two greatest collaborators very early: 1919 saw Rodgers's first collaborative efforts with both Oscar Hammerstein and Lorenz Hart. Although charming (particularly with women) and thoroughly professional, Rodgers did suffer from bouts of depression and occasional alcoholism and he was thought by some to be distant and even difficult. After more than two decades with Hart, Rodgers severed their relationship and turned to Hammerstein, with whom he would write Oklahoma!, South Pacific and The Sound of Music, among others. Examining these two great teams as well as Rodgers collaborations with Sheldon Harnick, Martin Charnin and Stephen Sondheim, Hyland provides his most valuable insights, showing how teams draw on each other's strengths to create great work, but also how often unrealized weaknesses undermine a partnership. 17 b&w photos.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 376 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press (April 20, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300071159
• ISBN-13: 978-0300071153
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,514,378 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars It Seems I've Heard (Most of) This Song Before, October 9, 1998

By 

John Kenrick ([e-mail]) (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Richard Rodgers (Hardcover)

If you've never read a book about Richard Rodgers, this one may interest you -- otherwise, stay away. The trouble is that almost everything here is quoted from previous books, with the exception of some pretty basic discussions of Rodgers as a composer. There is practically no insight into Rodgers the man, and only a little into Rodgers the artist. You would do far better reading Rodgers autobiography MUSICAL STAGES (which is relied upon far too heavily in this book), or Hugh Fordin's Hammerstein bio GETTING TO KNOW HIM. All in all, this book is not awful -- just awfully dull.