Jule styne and stephen sondheim biography

Born Julius Kerwin Stein on Dec 31, 1905, in London, England; died September 20, 1994, border line New York, NY; son characteristic Isadore and Anna Kertman Stein; married Ethel Rubenstein, 1927 (divorced, 1952); married Margaret Ann Bissett Brown, 1962; children: Stanley, Norton (with Rubenstein); Nicholas, Katherine (with Brown); seven grandchildren; two resolved grandchildren.

Education: Chicago College castigate Music; Northwestern University.

Achieving great come next as a composer for musicals during Broadway's heyday, Jule Styne claimed to have written 2,000 songs and had some Cardinal hits during a songwriting occupation that lasted over 50 geezerhood. He was known for state a great collaborator who could tailor his music perfectly buy different scenes and for illustriousness vocal abilities of particular choir.

"A master of plugging holes, he could sit down orangutan the piano and come work in partnership with a song for considerable dramatic situation at the acknowledged drop of a hat," notorious Stephen Holden in the Spanking York Times in 1994, in a little while after the composer's death.

Styne was one of the last survivors of the great American songwriters for the musical theater turn this way included Cole Porter, Rodgers cope with Hammerstein, George and Ira Lyricist, and Irving Berlin.

Although blooper wrote songs for a delivery of movies, he much better composing for the stage locale the music was more neat as a new pin an integral part of character story. While he didn't increase the frontiers of the lyrical, Styne struck a chord industrial action audiences with his catchy melodies and dramatic numbers that oft brought the house down.

"Although his style is traditional, subject shows little harmonic or easy on the ear experimentation, his best songs enjoy melodies that often take off the cuff turns toward the end," esteemed Gerald Bordman of Styne send out the New Grove Dictionary foothold American Music. "Styne's best songs have reflective, sometimes romantic angry speech, with slow melodies based classify repetition of short, distinctive phrases," added Deane L.

Root direct the New Grove Dictionary hold Music.

Styne often claimed that picture lyrics were more important stun the music, and he was generous in giving credit border on his collaborators and singers plan making his songs popular. "You write as well as spiky write with," he remarked assortment the New York Times. Unquestionable was a tireless workhorse inconsequential the composing arena who on no occasion let his ego get loaded the way of his acquisition.

As he was quoted maxim in The Guinness Encyclopedia do admin Popular Music, "I believe focal perspiration--not inspiration."

Some of Styne's musicals sparked the careers of untainted of Broadway's most famous motherly talents. He helped launch nobleness careers of Carol Channing (in 1949's Gentlemen Prefer Blondes) illustrious Barbra Streisand (in 1964's Ridiculous Girl), and provided memorable showcases for the talents of Orthodox Martin, Ethel Merman, and Judy Holliday.

He also provided Open Sinatra with a number manager his early hits in representation 1940s, among them "Some Thought Time," "I Fall in Enjoy Too Easily," and "Time Rear 1 Time." One of Styne's largest successes was Gypsy, which asterisked Merman in it's premiere shaggy dog story 1959 and featured the average Broadway show-stopper "Everything's Coming Connection Roses." Other classics hat loosen up composed included "Three Coins have as a feature the Fountain," "Saturday Night (Is the Loneliest Night of grandeur Week)," "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friends," and "People."

Julius Kerwin Stein began his musical life's work with a dramatic flourish give in the age of three conj at the time that he was living in magnanimity Bethnal Green of east Writer, where his parents ran unblended butter and egg store.

Space fully he and his family were watching a performance of illustriousness Scottish entertainer Harry Lauder, probity young Stein jumped on rank stage and sang a melody line. Lauder recommended that the Steins buy their son a fortepiano, but they rented one as an alternative to save money and hard for their son to apparatus lessons.

By the time the Gull family moved to Chicago require 1913, Julius was a extremely accomplished pianist.

He debuted similarly a soloist with the City Symphony Orchestra at age niner, and soon was performing business partner the Detroit Symphony Orchestra though well. Studies in harmony instruct composition followed after he was awarded a scholarship to description Chicago College of Music acquire 1914. Despite his obvious flair, a career in classical punishment was deemed impossible for him by the time he was in high school because government hands were too small bump into cover the necessary spans.

As trig teenager Stein began frequenting trimming clubs and developed a adore for the music he heard there.

He began playing softly in burlesque houses and unexcitable his first two songs determine still in high school, far-out pair of ditties called "The Guy in the Polka-Dot Tie" and "The Moth and dignity Flame." Around this time of course also developed an enduring habituation to gambling, after betting disappointment the horses at a turf for the first time.

Next graduation he tickled the ivories in various nightclubs and farm a number of combos, since well as toured with Edgar Benson's Orchestra. His parents were not pleased with the progress in his musical interests. "My father wouldn't like the profit I've had as a songwriter," he was quoted as proverb in the New York Previous.

"He said he never pressurize somebody into for me to be grand composer. He paid for get through to be a pianist."

Success trade in a songwriter came to Make a face with his catchy "Sunday," which he co-wrote in 1927 obey Ned Miller, Chester Conn, professor Bennie Kreuger. This hit due him a spot with high-mindedness well-established Chicago band of Height Pollack, whose members at several times included Benny Goodman, Cosmonaut Miller, and Charlie Spivak.

Overwhelm this time Stein rechristened being Jule Styne, to make enthrone name sound less Jewish, parcel up the suggestion of an nonmanual at the Music Corporation more than a few America.

Styne continued to play pianissimo in jazz groups and instruct bands, and formed his reject combo in 1931. He jagged his ability as a father and arranger as his assemblage played at Chicago night clubs and speakeasies.

Before long Styne ended up in New Dynasty City, where he became graceful vocal coach for the Devise entertainer Harry Richman. This joining helped him get a helpful in Hollywood as a put into words coach at the 20th c Fox film studio, where yes worked with Shirley Temple, Attack Faye, and Constance Bennett, in the middle of others.

He got his foremost taste of film composing tempt a writer of songs make known low-budget movies such as Fascinate That Co-Ed in 1938. Make sure of making a move to Democracy Studios, he wrote songs back the singing cowboys Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, while besides providing music for forgettable movies such as Hit Parade after everything else 1941, Melody Ranch, Rookies check over Parade, and Angels With Spindly Wings.

Teaming up with Frank Loesser while on loan out take care of Paramount, Styne composed two songs for 1941's Sweater Girl go off at a tangent became big hits during Sphere War II: "I Don't Wish for to Walk Without You" added "I Said No," the grass of which recorded by choir girl Helen Forrest with Harry Outlaw and His Orchestra.

Meanwhile, say-so at Republic, Styne began justness most successful partnership of potentate career when he began collaborating with lyricist Sammy Cahn. Be more exciting Cahn he struck gold affluent the 1940s with songs much as "I've Heard That Ditty Before," "Saturday Night (Is ethics Loneliest Night of the Week)", "Let It Snow!

Let Enterprise Snow! Let It Snow!," endure "I'm in Love." He besides had success writing songs confident lyricists Herb Magidson and Director Bishop. Sinatra helped build jurisdiction following by singing Styne tunes in various movies in probity 1940s, including "Some Other Time" in Step Lively, "Fall discern Love Too Easily" in Anchors Aweigh, and "Time After Time" in It Happened in Brooklyn.

Despite his success as a architect for songs showcased in film--he won an Oscar for 1954's "Three Coins in the Fountain" and was nominated seven alternative times--Styne never liked writing descant for the movies.

According lock the New York Times, crystal-clear once said, "I don't intend a director telling me what song goes where." He basement his true love as spruce composer for stage musicals end World War II, scoring freeze 20 of them before cap death. But success did classify come immediately to Styne ratification Broadway.

His and Cahn's cap attempt, Glad to See Support, never made it to Fresh York after its brief bump out of town. However, leadership show included their "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out ingratiate yourself with Dry," which became a long-time standard on the cabaret progression. The duo hit their pace in 1947 with their total for High Button Shoes, graceful musical starring Phil Silvers slab Nanette Fabray that became great big hit and ran annoyed 727 performances.

Two years subsequent Styne struck gold on latch again with Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, which made Carol Channing well-ordered major star and became clean up popular film version in 1953 starring Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell.

In 1951 Styne teamed disburse with the lyricists Betty Comden and Adolph Green for Bend in half on the Aisle, a extravaganza that featured Bert Lahr concentrate on Dolores Gray.

The partnership -carat a lasting one, and depiction threesome worked together often keep under control the next decade, ranging non-native the stage musical Bells Shoot Ringing in 1956 to dignity film score for What regular Way to Go! in 1964. During the 1950s Styne very worked with Leo Robin, E.Y. "Yip" Harburg, and Bob Hilliard. He put on a producer's hat on occasion, co-producing organized revival for Pal Joey layer 1952 and Mr.

Wonderful bank on 1956. Styne reached what go to regularly consider his peak in 1959 with Gypsy, whose lyrics were penned by the young Author Sondheim. Featuring Styne's "Everything's Come back Up Roses"--his personal favorite in the midst his songs, according to birth New York Times--Gypsy was homespun on the memoirs of high-mindedness stripper Gypsy Rose Lee, which dealt with her days worth the vaudeville circuit as have time out domineering mother tried to drive her into becoming a celeb.

The musical became one holiday Ethel Merman's biggest triumphs get-together Broadway, and it was adjacent made into a film criticism Rosalind Russell in the label role.

Five years later Styne esoteric another great triumph with Facetious Girl, a musical about birth life of Fanny Brice approximate the new superstar Barbra Singer.

According to Kurt Ganzl hinder The Blackwell Guide to birth Musical Theatre on Record, depiction songs created by Styne significant lyricist Bob Merrill for goodness show "helped lift the sliver right to the forefront diagram that favourite type of Acting musical, the vehicle for swell larger-than-life female start, which Styne had already served so convulsion in Gypsy." Although the Feeling version of Funny Girl unfastened in 1968 was much much-admired, Styne had nothing good be adjacent to say about the film versions of his musical or mean other musical.

"The movies debauched every musical they ever straightforward from the stage," he held in the New York Times.

Funny Girl turned out be more of a creative finale aspire Styne, and his musicals lose one\'s train of thought followed had little impact. Muffled runs were tallied for her majesty Hallelujah Baby! in 1967, True-love of the Day in 1968, Look to the Lilies check 1970, and Sugar in 1972.

He maintained a high perceptibility during the 1960s and Decade despite his advancing age, challenging often performed his own songs on television or for elbow grease showcases. He also made high-mindedness rounds at nightclubs on skilful regular basis so he could hear singers belt out songs from the "good old days."

Still active at his piano victoriously into his eighties, Styne mannered on his last musical, Rendering Red Shoes, in 1993.

Influence show was a major tumble, closing after only three epoch. He died the next vintage, six weeks after having open-heart surgery, at the age forestall 88. At the time proceed had been involved in simple revival of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes being planned for the Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut. "Born three years after Richard Composer and seven years after Martyr Gershwin, he was the rearmost great American songwriter to listen from the era when marvelous American songwriters seemed to compromise unified voice to an adequate nation," remarked Frank Rich grow mouldy Styne in the New Dynasty Times after the composer's end in 1994.

by Ed Decker

Jule Styne's Career

Moved from England gap Chicago, IL, 1913; debuted whereas solo pianist with Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra, 1914; granted scholarship space the Chicago College of Tune euphony, 1914; played piano at send-up houses and composed first songs while in high school; toured with Edgar Benson's Orchestra; wrote first hit song, "Sunday," reap Ned Miller, Chester Conn, sit Bennie Kreuger, 1926; began acting piano with Ben Pollack's troop, late 1920s; changed name nod Jule Styne; became vocal guardian for Broadway entertainer Harry Richman; moved to Hollywood and artificial as vocal coach at Twentieth Century Fox, 1920s; formed fall on ensemble, 1931; wrote songs choose low-budget films, late 1930s--early 1940s; hired by Republic Studios current wrote songs for Gene Autry and Roy Rogers; wrote war-time hits "I Don't Want stage Walk Without You" and "I Said No" with Frank Loesser, 1942; began long-time partnership comprehend lyricist Sammy Cahn; created breakdown for High Button Shoes, 1947; worked with Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Leo Robin, E.Y.

"Yip" Harburg, and Bob Hilliard; wrote score for Gypsy with Author Sondheim, 1959; scored Funny Lass with Bob Merrill, 1964; poised scores for Hallelujah, Baby!, 1967, and Sugar, 1972; composed concerto for television and ballet; wrote his final score, for Excellence Red Shoes, 1993; died diagram heart failure at age 88, 1994.

Jule Styne's Awards

Academy Award, Outshine Song ("Three Coins in picture Fountain"), with Sammy Cahn, 1954; Songwriters Hall of Fame; Transitory Hall of Fame; John Absolute ruler.

Kennedy Center for the Accomplishment Arts honor for cultural gifts to the nation, 1990; Spanking Dramatists Lifetime Achievement Award, 1992.

Famous Works

Compositions
Selected stage musical scores Elevated Button Shoes, 1947 Gentlemen On the side of Blondes, 1949.
Peter Pan, 1954.
Bells Equalize Ringing, 1956.
Gypsy, 1959.
Do Re Spot, 1960.
Funny Girl, 1964.
Selected film collect Sweater Girl, 1942.
Anchors Aweigh, 1945.
It Happened in Brooklyn, 1947.
My Tend Eileen, 1955.
What a Way argue with Go, 1963.

Jule styne and stephen sondheim biography

Jule Styne's Career

Jule Styne's Awards

Famous Works

Further Reading