Melody
Man

In the centennial year
of his birth, a new
look at composer
Richard Rodgers.

Top: Richard Rodgers, left,
and his first writing partner,
Lorenz Hart.

Above: From left, Joshua Logan,
Richard Rodgers, Oscar
Hammerstein II, May Martin
and James Michener preparing
for "South Pacific," currently
running in a revival at the
Fisher Theatre.

GEORGE BULANDA
Special to the Jewish News

t's sadly ironic that the man behind the music of
such cheerful tunes as "The Surrey with the Fringe
on Top" and "I Whistle a Happy Tune" was
depressed, insecure and alcoholic. The composer of
such spiritually uplifting songs as "Climb Ev'ry Mountain"
and "You'll Never Walk Alone" was an avowed atheist.
The seemingly hopeless romantic who penned "My Heart
Stood Still" and "My Funny Valentine" was a faithless
Barbara Cook Sings from the Heart: Memorable
husband who philandered every chance he got.
Songs of Rodgers and Hart : This 1959 disc, long a
Richard Rodgers was a bitter, sardonic soul who re
collectors item, was reissued in 1997. The clarion-
ly consulted shrinks, though they apparently didn't do
voiced Cook invests each song with exquisite emotion.
him.much good. It seems Rodgers was content only when
StandOuts are the lovely "There's a Small Hotel" and
he was working.
the evergreen "Where or When."
Rodgers' grandson Peter Melnick recently told the New
York Timer. "I think my grandfather was a man living
• Illy Favorite Things: John Coltrane. Rodgers hated
underwater, and music was the straw that allowed him to
jazz treatments of his music, calling them "the musical
live." A smile rarely spread across what lyricist Lorenz
equivalent of bad grammar." However, this 1961 clas-
Hart called "that sour-apple face. ),
sic finds saxophonist Coltrane turning the waltz into a
Most of these revela-
breezy rhapsody that brims with
tions come via Meryle
vitality.
Secrest's recently pub-
lished Rodgers biography,
• The Music of Richar d Rodgers:
Somewhere for Me
Julie Andrews. This 1994 disc shows
(Knopf; $30), as well as
Andrews' clear soprano undimmed
from a nakedly candid
by time This, of course, was before
American Masters docu-
the throat surgery that halted her
mentary on PBS, in
singing career. Andrews turns in a
which his two daughters,
wrenchingly sad version of "Nobody
Linda and Mary, lifted
Told Me," and pulls out all the stops
the veils of secrecy
for a vivacious "I Wish I Were in
shrouding their famously
Love Again."
private father.
All the fuss over
• Frank Sinatra Sings Rodgers and
Rodgers (the original
Hart: This compilation from various
Richard Rodgers and
family name was Rogozinsky, and he
Capitol albums of the 1950s and early '60s finds Old
his second writing
was born into a tension-filled, upper- partner, Oscar
Blue Eyes in peak form. He imparts a swaggering
middle class Jewish family) is
insouciance to "The Lady Is a Tramp" and a sweet
Hammerstein IL
well timed — and well
tenderness to "Little Girl Blue." Sinatra's best record-
"The Sound of
deserved — for this June marks Music" was their
ing of a Rodgers song, however, is that beautiful
the centennial of the compos-
anthem
to moonstruck love "My Heart Stood Still,"
last show together.
er's birth in New York City,
from The Concert Sinatra.
where he also died, in 1979.
The yearlong celebration is
• The Rodgers and Hart Song Book: Ella Fitzgerald.
worldwide, which indicates just how popular
The singer's "Song Book" series hit the apex with her
Rodgers remains. The King and I is being revived in
salute to Gershwins music, but this 1957 release has
Osaka, Japan, in April, while Allegro will be resusci-
its merits, all performed with Fitzgetald's inimitable
tated this fall in London. On Broadway, two musi-
style.
cals open in March: the 1938 comedy The Boys
from Syracuse and a splashy production of
• Dawn Upshaw Sings Rodgers & Hart: Most opera
Oklahoma!, directed by Trevor Nunn.
singers sing popular music like, well, opera. Not
Closer to home, the national touring production
Upshaw. She pares her voice down and sings with
of Cinderella, with Eartha Kitt as the Fairy
warmth and clarity in this outing from 1996. Her
Godmother, comes to the Fox Theatre March 5-
"Manhattan" is carefree and bouncy, and the dulcet
10, and the evergreen South Pacific, currently at the
"You're Nearer," is invested with high romance.
Fisher, runs a course of enchanted evenings through
March 10.
• Great Songs of Love and Inspiration: Richard
Tucker. Although it's not dedicated solely to Rodgers'
A Secret Life
music, it contains a peerless 'recording of 'The
Sweetest Sounds," topped off by a thrilling high B-flat
Rodgers wrote more than 900 songs, first with partner
from the great tenor. He also sings "You'll Never Walk
Lorenz Hart, then with Oscar Hammerstein II, beginning
Alone" and "Climb Ev'ry Mountain."
with Oklahoma!, in 1943. Generally, Rodgers' association

MELODY MAN

on page 62

George Buthnda