美国名人 现代美国音乐剧之父 杰罗姆·科恩.docx

《美国名人 现代美国音乐剧之父 杰罗姆·科恩.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《美国名人 现代美国音乐剧之父 杰罗姆·科恩.docx（3页珍藏版）》请在第壹文秘上搜索。

1、美国名人现代美国音乐剧之父杰罗姆科恩JeromeKern,1885-1945:TheFatherofAmericanMusicalTheaterplaystopmutemaxvolume00:00-15:52repeatByShelleyGollust2007-2-17VOICEONE:mSteveEmber.VOICETWO:AndmBarbaraKleinwithPeopleinAmericainVOASpecialEnglish.TodaywetellaboutandplaymusicbysongwriterJeromeKern.Hewasthemanwhohelpedinventthe

2、modernmusicalplay.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:JeromeKernisoftencalledthefatherofAmericanmusicaltheater.Kernisrememberedforthehundredsofsongshewroteformusicalplaysandmovies.MusichistorianssaythatKerngaveartisticimportancetoAmericanpopularmusicforthefirsttime.Andztheysay,heledthedevelopmentofthefirsttrulyAmerican

3、theatermusic.VOICETWO:JeromeKernwasbornintoamiddle-classfamilyinNewYorkCityineighteeneighty-five.Jeromesmother,Fanny,lovedthepiano.ShebegantoteachJeromehowtoplaywhenhewasveryyoung.Hebecameafairpianoplayerbutnotsogoodthatanyoneexpectedhimtobecomeagreatmusician.Jeromewasaquietboyandnotatopstudent.When

4、hecompletedhighschool,hisfathersaidhewouldhavetoworkinthefamilysstore.MisterKernsaidhissoncouldnevermakemoneywritingmusic.ButhelatercametobelievethatJeromemightdobetterinmusicthaninbusinessafterall.SohelettheboygotoEuropetostudymusic,asalmostallseriousyoungmusiciansdidatthetime.VOICEONE:JeromeKernbe

5、ganhiscareerasasongwriterintheatersinLondonandNewYorkCity.Successcamequickly.Bytheearlynineteentwenties,KernwasasuccessfulyoungcomposerforBroadwaymusicalcomedies.Inonethree-yearperiodalone,hewrotemusicfornineteenshows.OtherpeoplewrotethewordsforKernssongs.Kernwroteonlythemusic.Andheworkedwitheachson

6、guntilhewassatisfiedthatthemusicwasperfect.Healmostneverchangedhismusictofitthewords.OneofKernsbest-lovedsongsisSmokeGetsinYourEyes,sungbyDinahWashington.(MUSIC)VOICETWO:AlthoughKernssongsareeasytorememberafterhearingafewtimes,theyarenotsimple.Hismelodies-themusicallineofthesong-arealwaysinventive,e

7、vendemanding.AnexampleofhisinventivenessisthesongAlltheThingsYouAre.Severalcomposerssaytheyconsideritthegreatestsongeverwritten.SingerscontinuetolikeKernsongsbecausetheycanbesunginmanydifferentways.Themelodyremainsthesame.Butdifferentsingerscanchangethefeelingofthesongcompletely.Herearetwoversionsof

8、AlltheThingsYouAresunginverydifferentwaysbyEllaFitzgeraldandWillieNelson.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:JeromeKernoncesaidhewastryingtobringmodernarttomusic.Onecriticwrotethisabouthismusic:Kernssongsarelikeblackandwhitedrawings.Theyneednocolor,nodecoration.AKernsongisalwaysinbalance,perfectinformandpleasingindesig

9、n.Hereisanexample,WhyDoILoveYou?playedbyAndrePrevinandfriends.(MUSIC)VOICETWO:AllbutoneofKernssongswerewrittenformusicalplays.AmericanmusicalplaysatthattimewerestillusuallycopiedfromEuropeanones.Oftenthestoriesseemedfoolishandthepeopleinthemdidnotseemreal.Songsanddancesoftenhadnoconnectiontothestory

10、.Kernwantedtotrysomethingcompletelynew.Hethoughtamusicalplayshouldbearealworkofart,notjustacollectionofsongsanddances.Hethoughtsongsshouldhelpmovetheactionoftheplayalong,byshowingapersonsfeelings.KernwantedtodoatrulyAmericanmusical,withrealAmericancharactersandrealsituations.VOICEONE:Innineteentwent

11、y-seven,hefoundthestoryhewanted.ItwasthebookShowBoatbyAmericanwriterEdnaFerber.ShowBoattakesplaceintheeighteeneightiesonapassengersteamboatthattravelsalongtheMississippiRiver.Theboatiscalledashowboatbecausesingersanddancersentertainthepassengers.Thecaptainoftheshowboathasadaughterwhoisasingeronthebo

12、at.Shefallsinlovewithamanwhoearnshismoneybygamblingwithcards.VOICETWO:Thestorydealtwithsomeunusuallyseriousissuesforamusical.ItshowedthehardlivesofAfrican-AmericansintheSouth.Anditshowedmarriagebetweenpeopleofdifferentraces,whichwasagainstthelawatthattime.Althoughseriousinplaces,ShowBoatwasnotatrage

13、dy.Thepublicandcriticslovedit.ShowBoatbecamethegreatestworkofAmericanmusicaltheater.MusiccriticssaidKernseffectonmusicaltheaterwasrevolutionary.ItwasKernsmusicthatmadetheshowagreatsuccess.PerhapshismostfamoussongwaswrittenforShowBoat.Itiscalled,OIManRiver.Itisaboutwhatlifewaslikeforblackpeoplewhowor

14、kedalongtheMississippiRiver.EdnaFerberlaterrememberedherexcitementwhenKernfirstplayedthemelodyforher.Shesaidherhairstoodup,andtearscametohereyes.ListenasPaulRobesonsingsthesong.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:EdnaFerbersaiditwasgreatmusic-musicthatwouldliveforever.Kerndiedinnineteenforty-fiveattheageofsixty.ButShowBoathasbeenperformedthousandsoftimesallovertheworld.(MUSIC)VOICETWO:ThisprogramwaswrittenbyShelleyGollustandproducedbyLawanDavis.mBarbaraKlein.VOICEONE:AndmSteveEmber.YoucanreadscriptsanddownloadaudiofromourWebsite,WWW.51VOA.COM.JoinusnextweekforPeopleinAmericainVOASpecialEnglish.