Great American Songbook Mania

 The History of "Ol' Man River" The song, "Ol' Man River" is perhaps one of the most recognized songs in the 1927  Show Boat  production. The combination of Jerome Kern's music, Oscar Hammerstein's lyrics, and Paul Robeson's memorable voice has led the song out of the 1920s and into the 21st century where it is still very well known and listened to today.      Underlying Message & Lyrics Although it seems to be a song devoted to the Mississippi River (hence the name, "Ol' Man River "), it possesses an underlying message about race and the endless struggles that African American individuals face. The river continues flowing, similar to life - regardless of the hardships and troubles that come their way. However, the river flows freely, but the same cannot be said for the individual that sings the song, nor other African Americans in the 1920s. The lyrics hint towards being envious of the river, which can flow away from the troubl...

Although the production of  Show Boat  made its first Broadway appearance in 1927, it is still remembered today as one of the most revolutionizing musicals to ever hit the stage. Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein brought the 1926 Show Boat  novel by Edna Ferb to life through this production with songs like "Ol' Man River" and "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man". The show itself has been made into various film and television adaptations, as well performed in opera houses and professional theaters across the country. But what truly makes this musical so "revolutionary"?  Revolutionizing a Genre The Cast Perhaps one of the most revolutionizing aspects of the show was the integrated cast. Not only did white and black performers share the stage throughout the entirety of the show, but they had nearly equal performace time. One of the most well known songs of the production, "Ol' Man River" was led and performed entirely by black performers - s...

Ann's Early Life and Start in Music Ann Ronell (born as Anna Rosenblatt) was an American composer, lyricist, and librettist born on December 25, 1908 in Omaha, Nebraska. Her parents were Morris and Mollie Rosenblatt. After high school, Ronell attended Wheaton College for two years before transferring to Radcliffe College in order to pursue an education more focused on music. At Radcliffe she studied music and literature with teachers such as Walter Piston. She also wrote music for college plays and provided reviews and interviews for the college’s music publication. Among these interviews was George Gershwin, who she ended up building a friendship/mentorship with. He hired Ronell as a rehearsal pianist and brought her to Broadway. It was at this time that she changed her name to “Ann Ronell”. The start of her musical career also included teaching music and coaching singers.    Ann's Musical Output and Success Ronell’s musical output was pretty broad. She was one of the first s...

     Although I thought that I did not have much experience with this type of music, I have realized that I have heard many of the songs that we have listened to or that I have looked into for my presentation prior to the course (especially the songs by Irving Berlin). I do enjoy a wide variety of genres. I wouldn't say that I have a favorite because it really depends on the mood that I am in, or how I am feeling  that determines what songs, artists, or genres I listen to. I appreciate all types of music, and I have enjoyed all of the songs that we've listened to in class so far. However, I have enjoyed all of the Jazz-type songs that we have listened to the most. I wouldn't say that I am brand new to thinking about the technical aspects of music such as melody, but I would say that I am new to thinking about context of music. I typically don't look into the background of many artists or eras of music, but now I may have to start because it is actually pretty interes...