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JeromeKern,1885-1945:TheFatherofAmericanMusicalTheaterplaystopmutemaxvolume00:00-15:52repeatByShelleyGollust2007-2-17VOICEONE:mSteveEmber.VOICETWO:AndmBarbaraKleinwithPeopleinAmericainVOASpecialEnglish.TodaywetellaboutandplaymusicbysongwriterJeromeKern.Hewasthemanwhohelpedinventthemodernmusicalplay.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:JeromeKernisoftencalledthefatherofAmericanmusicaltheater.Kernisrememberedforthehundredsofsongshewroteformusicalplaysandmovies.MusichistorianssaythatKerngaveartisticimportancetoAmericanpopularmusicforthefirsttime.Andztheysay,heledthedevelopmentofthefirsttrulyAmericantheatermusic.VOICETWO:JeromeKernwasbornintoamiddle-classfamilyinNewYorkCityineighteeneighty-five.Jerome'smother,Fanny,lovedthepiano.ShebegantoteachJeromehowtoplaywhenhewasveryyoung.Hebecameafairpianoplayerbutnotsogoodthatanyoneexpectedhimtobecomeagreatmusician.Jeromewasaquietboyandnotatopstudent.Whenhecompletedhighschool,hisfathersaidhewouldhavetoworkinthefamily'sstore.MisterKernsaidhissoncouldnevermakemoneywritingmusic.ButhelatercametobelievethatJeromemightdobetterinmusicthaninbusinessafterall.SohelettheboygotoEuropetostudymusic,asalmostallseriousyoungmusiciansdidatthetime.VOICEONE:JeromeKernbeganhiscareerasasongwriterintheatersinLondonandNewYorkCity.Successcamequickly.Bytheearlynineteentwenties,KernwasasuccessfulyoungcomposerforBroadwaymusicalcomedies.Inonethree-yearperiodalone,hewrotemusicfornineteenshows.OtherpeoplewrotethewordsforKern'ssongs.Kernwroteonlythemusic.Andheworkedwitheachsonguntilhewassatisfiedthatthemusicwasperfect.Healmostneverchangedhismusictofitthewords.OneofKern'sbest-lovedsongsis"SmokeGetsinYourEyes,"sungbyDinahWashington.(MUSIC)VOICETWO:AlthoughKern'ssongsareeasytorememberafterhearingafewtimes,theyarenotsimple.Hismelodies-themusicallineofthesong-arealwaysinventive,evendemanding.Anexampleofhisinventivenessisthesong"AlltheThingsYouAre."Severalcomposerssaytheyconsideritthegreatestsongeverwritten.SingerscontinuetolikeKernsongsbecausetheycanbesunginmanydifferentways.Themelodyremainsthesame.Butdifferentsingerscanchangethefeelingofthesongcompletely.Herearetwoversionsof"AlltheThingsYouAre"sunginverydifferentwaysbyEllaFitzgeraldandWillieNelson.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:JeromeKernoncesaidhewastryingtobringmodernarttomusic.Onecriticwrotethisabouthismusic:Kern'ssongsarelikeblackandwhitedrawings.Theyneednocolor,nodecoration.AKernsongisalwaysinbalance,perfectinformandpleasingindesign.Hereisanexample,"WhyDoILoveYou?"playedbyAndrePrevinandfriends.(MUSIC)VOICETWO:AllbutoneofKern'ssongswerewrittenformusicalplays.AmericanmusicalplaysatthattimewerestillusuallycopiedfromEuropeanones.Oftenthestoriesseemedfoolishandthepeopleinthemdidnotseemreal.Songsanddancesoftenhadnoconnectiontothestory.Kernwantedtotrysomethingcompletelynew.Hethoughtamusicalplayshouldbearealworkofart,notjustacollectionofsongsanddances.Hethoughtsongsshouldhelpmovetheactionoftheplayalong,byshowingaperson'sfeelings.KernwantedtodoatrulyAmericanmusical,withrealAmericancharactersandrealsituations.VOICEONE:Innineteentwenty-seven,hefoundthestoryhewanted.Itwasthebook"ShowBoat"byAmericanwriterEdnaFerber."ShowBoat"takesplaceintheeighteeneightiesonapassengersteamboatthattravelsalongtheMississippiRiver.Theboatiscalledashowboatbecausesingersanddancersentertainthepassengers.Thecaptainoftheshowboathasadaughterwhoisasingerontheboat.Shefallsinlovewithamanwhoearnshismoneybygamblingwithcards.VOICETWO:Thestorydealtwithsomeunusuallyseriousissuesforamusical.ItshowedthehardlivesofAfrican-AmericansintheSouth.Anditshowedmarriagebetweenpeopleofdifferentraces,whichwasagainstthelawatthattime.Althoughseriousinplaces,"ShowBoat"wasnotatragedy.Thepublicandcriticslovedit."ShowBoat"becamethegreatestworkofAmericanmusicaltheater.MusiccriticssaidKern'seffectonmusicaltheaterwasrevolutionary.ItwasKern'smusicthatmadetheshowagreatsuccess.Perhapshismostfamoussongwaswrittenfor"ShowBoat."Itiscalled,OI'ManRiver."ItisaboutwhatlifewaslikeforblackpeoplewhoworkedalongtheMississippiRiver.EdnaFerberlaterrememberedherexcitementwhenKernfirstplayedthemelodyforher.Shesaidherhairstoodup,andtearscametohereyes.ListenasPaulRobesonsingsthesong.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:EdnaFerbersaiditwasgreatmusic-musicthatwouldliveforever.Kerndiedinnineteenforty-fiveattheageofsixty.But"ShowBoat"hasbeenperformedthousandsoftimesallovertheworld.(MUSIC)VOICETWO:ThisprogramwaswrittenbyShelleyGollustandproducedbyLawanDavis.mBarbaraKlein.VOICEONE:AndmSteveEmber.YoucanreadscriptsanddownloadaudiofromourWebsite,WWW.51VOA.COM.JoinusnextweekforPeopleinAmericainVOASpecialEnglish.