Jerome Kern

A founding father of the modern American musical, Jerome Kern (1885†“1945) was the composer of legions of popular songs, including such standards as “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes†? and “Ol’ Man River.†? His 1927 __Show Boat__ with Oscar Hammerstein II helped to set a new standard for musical theater. This book is the first to provide a critical overview of Kern’s musical accomplishments throughout his career. Stephen Banfield ranges from Broadway, to Hollywood, and to London’s West End, drawing on unpublished manuscripts and scores to assess the composer’s extraordinary oeuvre. Kern’s life, personality, and working methods are given due attention, as is the development of his work from the early musical comedies through the collaborations with Hammerstein and P. G. Wodehouse up to the later film scores. Banfield focuses especially on the musical and lyrical structures of Kern’s compositions, illuminating beloved works and shedding light on compositions often overlooked. Contents 7 Foreword 9 Acknowledgments 11 Editorial Method 13 Chapter 1. Introducing Kern 17 Chapter 2. Kern and Musical Comedy 84 Chapter 3. Kern the Romantic: Three Shows 147 Chapter 4. Mostly Hammerstein 215 Chapter 5. Kern and Hollywood 269 List of Works 323 Notes 325 Bibliography 343 Permissions 349 General Index 369 Index of Kern’s Works 383