Product Description
Lorenz Hart singlehandedly changed the craft of lyric writing, transforming the commerical song lyric from one of tired cliches and cloying sentimentality to one with unexpected phrases that would twang the nerves or touch the heart. Endowed with both a buoyant wit and a tender sincerity, Hart brought a poetic complexity to his art penning such memorable hits as My Funny Valentine, Isn't It Romantic?, The Lady is a Tramp, and Blue Moon.

Lorenz Hart: A Poet on Broadway presents the public triumphs of a true genius of the American musical theatre, and the personal tragedies of a man his friend Mabel Mercer described as "the saddest man I ever knew." A veritable who's who of Broadway's golden age, including Joshua Logan, Gene Kelly, George Abbott, and many more, recall their uncensored, often hilarious, sometimes poignant memories of the cigar-chomping wordsmith who composed some of the best lyrics ever concocted for the Broadway stage, but who remained forever lost and lonely in the crowds of hangers-on he attracted.

Skillfully pulling together the chaotic details of Hart's remarkable life, beginning with his bohemian upbringing in turn-of-the-century Harlem, through his early success with Richard Rodgers, and life in Hollywood in the Thirties. He goes on to look at Hart's final decade as one of the undisputed kings of Broadway while simultaneously his personal life disintegrated into a madness of alcohol and self-loathing. This rich work captures the excitement, the achievement, the dizzying heights, and the crushing lows of and American original. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

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on the life.He has done yeoman's work hunting down those Hart acquaintances still alive as well as letters previously unpublished.I think his portrait quite insightful.He manages to contain many of Hart's contradictions.He also keeps Hart's homosexuality in perspective, something rare in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 to his sexual preference.They focus so strongly on the juicy details that they forget the person.Put crudely, I doubt any two homosexuals are alike even in their homosexuality and there are more homosexuals than there are poets of the caliber of Hart.Furthermore, Hart's "natural" homosexuality was hardly yea or nay.He proposed to at least two women who knew of his sexual activities.They turned him down, not because he was homosexual, but because he was alcoholic.

Hart's sex life was undoubtedly a mess (although not necessarily because he was gay).His great fear of loneliness made the rest of his entire life even messier.He was physically unappealing - extremely short, with a head too large for his body and coarse features.With alcohol came oblivion - he drank enough to pass out.Gradually, the drinking caught up with him, and he died in his 40s.Nolan makes it quite clear that Hart had been pursuing passive suicide for several years.

Nevertheless, this is just one side of Hart, and not really the side that makes us, years later, care about him.He was, as Nolan points out, a poet on Broadway.His songs contain some of the finest lyric poetry of the century.His range wasn't particularly great and he wasn't quite the innovator some think him (P. G. Wodehouse and Ira Gershwin did precede him as writers of sophisticated lyrics), but within his emotional bailiwick, he was a master.Nolan shows us that aspect as well.Despite the obstacles thrown in his way, Nolan gives us a sense of Hart's genuine individuality - an attitude, really, of loneliness and realism.Offhand, I can't think of a straight "I love you/You love me" in any of Hart's songs."I Wish I Were in Love Again," "Falling in Love with Love," "It Never Entered My Mind," "Isn't It Romantic," "Spring is Here," "Blue Moon," and "Glad to be Unhappy" concern love lost, love dreamed about, and love maybe.Undoubtedly, Hart had a viewpoint toward the subject skewed a certain way - worried about the fragility of human relations, despite all the surface dazzle of wit.

Nolan makes all of this clear.Indeed, his inability to spend much time with the lyrics themselves pushed him to dig all the deeper into the core of the songs.I really like this book.

Lorenz who????
If I wanted a book about the Broadway Stage during the period that Larry Hart and Dick Rodgers wrote together I would have highly recommended this book. If I wanted to know about all the goings on of all the actors in all the plays and musicals that occured at that time, again this would have been the book of choice. What I WANTED was to read about Mr. Hart. To read bits and pieces about his personal life throughout the book was to say the least, a dissapointment. Do I feel like I know the man any better? Sure. But I also know as much about Mr. Rodgers. Gene Lee's book on Johnny Mercer, now that was a book about the man and his lyrics! Nuff said.

Good Read
The book was an exhaustive research on his works, I would have preferred a bit more about what made him as a person and a little more on his hidden life.

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 mouth a little weak?When you open it to speak, are you smart?"

Another example from "Bewitched": "I'm wild again, beguiled again, a whimpering simpering child again...."And yet another example from "Lady is a Tramp":"She gets too hungry for dinner at eight.She likes the theater and never comes late. She never bothers with people she hates.That's why the lady is a tramp."

Hart could be wistful and romantic as in "My Romance":"My romance doesn't need to have a moon in the sky.My romance doesn't need a blue lagoon standing by.No month of May. No twinkling star.No hideaway.No soft guitar."

Hart's lyrics are consistently observant and very often ingenious.They are the perfect match for the variety and intricacy of Richard Rodgers' superb music.

This biography is quite detailed with a number of amusing anecdotes.It is a must read for those who want to know more about this endearing, erratic, and gifted artist Lorenz Hart. His contributions to musical theater are profound and timeless. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

An important collection
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 mouth a little weak? When you open it to speak, are you smart?"

Another example from "Bewitched": "I'm wild again, beguiled again, a whimpering simpering child again...." And yet another example from "Lady is a Tramp": "She gets too hungry for dinner at eight. She likes the theater and never comes late. She never bothers with people she hates.That's why the lady is a tramp."

Hart could be wistful and romantic as in "My Romance": "My romance doesn't need to have a moon in the sky.My romance doesn't need a blue lagoon standing by. No month of May. No twinkling star. No hideaway. No soft guitar."

Hart's lyrics are consistently observant and very often ingenious.They are the perfect match for the variety and intricacy of Richard Rodgers' superb music.

When you read through this collection of Hart's compositions, you will realize why this diminutive, gifted and endearing artist is a true giant of the musical theater.

A valuable document on many levels
Very few collections of lyrics are worth reading as literature. First there was W.S. Gilbert, who showed the way that intelligent lyrics need not be anathema to a light-hearted musical; and whose lyrics can stand asindependent poems. Afterwards we had P.G. Wodehouse, Cole Porter, NoelCoward, Ira Gershwin--and the best of 'em all, Lorenz Hart.

Not only iswhat he says witty but how he says it is even wittier. There is no roomhere to give examples of his incredible rhymes. But turn to the singleexample of "To Keep My Love Alive" which might be the very lastset of lyrics he wrote before a lifetime of alcohol finally took its toll;and then compare it with any Gilbert's "list" songs to see thegenius of this artist.

On an other level, any student of psychology willpounce upon the self-lacerating images conjured up in his "love"songs. Because of his own physical problems, we have "My FunnyValentine" in which the love object is "less than Greek"with a chin that's a little weak. And being in love is little more than"broken dates" and "flying plates."

His out and outparodies rival Cole Porter's, as witness "Way Out West on West EndAvenue" with its kitchen range and so on. And all this is helped byhis "signature" trick of breaking up words in the middle to getrhymes like"Summer journeys to Niagra/ And to otherplaces aggra-/ Vate, all our cares."

On the level ofBroadway musical history, the value of this collection speaks for itself,especially with the fine photographs and annotations about every show andthen every song within the show. A scholarly masterpiece.

So how come youdon't have a copy? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Invaluable
I'm giving this 5 stars, though Dorothy Hart (editor and wife of Larry's brother) deserves only 4.First the bad stuff.The lyrics (and it doesn't even come close to being a complete collection) are rife with typos, lines left out of stanzas, words changed (e.g. in "Way Out West," the line in the verse Hart wrote goes "Where seldom is heard an intelligent word," his sister-in-law wrote "...discouraging word").That's the bad part.If you want to read a complete (?) collection of Hart's lyrics with all the verses, choruses and no typos, I think there's still one out there, my copy (bought when it was released) is hardbound, but I think I heard that it's come out in paperback.Now the good stuff.This book is filled with magazine and newspaper articles about Hart contemporary with him, recollections by his contemporaries (including Vivienne Segal), a plethora of photos, and information about Hart from Dorothy.I found it fascinating.I also found it in a dark and dusty corner of a used book store in NYC brand new but already oop.If you like Rodgers and Hart or Hart, I highly recommend flushing out a copy.Maybe an old beat up one just to read and look at if not a nice new one to cherish and save.The dust cover of mine is on the tattered side now. ... Read more

Product Description
Arranged For Advanced Piano. The genius of Rodgers and Hart sparkles in this collection, skillfully arranged by Jan Sanborn for advanced pianists. This volume revisits their best songs, casting them in the rich voice of the piano. Wonderful musical moments are certain to provide hours of enjoyment for the pianist who wishes to be a Popular Performer. Titles: Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered * Blue Moon * Dancing on the Ceiling * Falling In Love with Love * I Could Write a Book * Mountain Greenery * My Funny Valentine * Where or When * With a Song in My Heart. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Bravo Rogers & Hart!
I have four of the Popular Performer Series and I like them all. The arrangements really come to life and, although they are intermediate to advanced, you will be motivated to learn them because they sound so good. As with the others, I wish this would include maybe 1/2 dozen more tunes as the nine in this volume just whet my appetite.

Sanborn does it again!
I own twochristmas songbooks arranged by Jan Sanborn and both are FABULOUS! Wonderfully, artistic and creative arrangements of some of the best christmas songs of all time.

This book is perfect for the Professinal or Advanced pianist. I particularly love Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (HYMLC), Sleigh Ride, and Winter Wonderland.

HYMLC: beautiful arpeggios with the melody thrown in the top give it that wonderful forward motion sensation building up to the high points, wonderful use of varying harmonies and non-chordal tones.

Sleigh Ride: nearly perfect for piano solo, very tangible and well written. My only complaint is not having the "jazzy" section, like in the real thing. Basicall Jan just flatted a couple notes but you don't really get the syncopated rhythm that makes that part of the real deal so fun and enjoyable. I do like what Jan did with the "there's a birthday party at the home of Farmer Grey" part.

Winter Wonderland: lovely! very fun and not "over-written"!

Overall, another must have for the professional or advanced pianist.

Popular Performer:Rodgers & Hart
I ordered this on 12/17/08 and received it by 12/22/08 in time
to wrap it for a X-mas gift.

Appreciate your speedy mail. ... Read more

Product Description
This handy little paperback features 75 songs by this legendary songwriting team, plus a bonus section of 25 tunes penned by Rodgers and Hart! It includes melody lines, lyrics and chords for: Bali Ha'i * Bewitched * The Carousel Waltz * Climb Ev'ry Mountain * Do-Re-Mi * Edelweiss * Getting to Know You * Happy Talk * Hello, Young Lovers * Honey Bun * Isn't It Romantic? * Kansas City * Manhattan * My Favorite Things * My Funny Valentine * My Romance * Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin' * Oklahoma * Shall We Dance? * So Long, Farewell * Some Enchanted Evening * The Sound of Music * Where or When * and more. Also includes a section of guitar chord diagrams. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Rodgers and Hammerstein book
Note: if you want to use the book when playing an instrument, the book is an average sized paperback.This means the print is rather small, and keeping the book open for a song is somewhat difficult.
Lots of songs here, many I have never heard of.Still quality music, written with visible chords for guitar.
To play the songs on my guitar, I had to print the songs on single sheets of paper.A good variety of beautiful music.

A Word of Caution
I bought this book based on the "Look Inside" feature. The look inside feature takes you to a very different book - one with pictures and piano sheet music. The book presented here is a small paperback. It contains the lyrics and the melody line only - not suitable for piano. ... Read more

Product Description
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Product Description
A massive collection of 73 songs, including a foreword by Dorothy Rodgers and indexes by show title and song title. Songs include: Bewitched * Blue Moon * Ev'rybody Loves You * Falling in Love With Love * Have You Met Miss Jones? * I Could Write a Book * I Didn't Know What Time It Was * Isn't It Romantic? * The Lady Is a Tramp * Manhattan * The Most Beautiful Girl in the World * My Funny Valentine * My Romance * Sentimental Me * There's a Small Hotel * Thou Swell * You Took Advantage of Me * and more. Selections range from their most popular productions to some never-before published material - a real collector's item! 288 pages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

show tune specialists
Good, concise listing and presentation of what these two men contributed to songs that live on. ... Read more

Product Description
Complete vocal score featuring 26 songs, including: Glad to Be Unhappy * It's Got to Be Love * On Your Toes * Quiet Night * Slaughter on Tenth Avenue * There's a Small Hotel * Too Good for the Average Man * and more, including entr'actes and all other musical numbers. ... Read more