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Home , Cheek to Cheek, Great American Songbook, Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler

America, We Sing to Thee! A celebration of America’s values and diversity through the timeless music of three great American composers.

Dear Teachers,

America, We Sing To Thee presents the stories and music of three great American composers that worked with musicians and styles from many different cultures in the first half of the 1900’s. Their stories illustrate what great things can happen when we overcome our differences and work together, using our combined strengths and talents. Cultural Diversity is what set their music apart from European influenced music and made the music American. Their music formed what we now recognize as the core of the . All three composers were born of Immigrant parents, and all three adopted stage names that sounded more “American”. was untrained and began by writing clever lyrics to other peoples songs before becoming the celebrated composer of and many other popular songs. was a highly trained and skilled musician who fused classical and jazz together and became a successful composer of Broadway Shows, the most successful being Porgy and Bess. wrote a string of hits for African American Singers at The in , then moved to Hollywood where he wrote the unforgettable songs for The Wizard of Oz. The show also includes a mini group voice lesson and sing along.

America We Sing to Thee is an informational performance that can help you to meet some of the goals suggested by Minnesota Department of Education K-12 Academic Standards.

Below is a list of terms and concepts that are mentioned or alluded to in the program. We hope they can provide a starting point for further discussion and study.

Following our performance your feedback and that of the students would be greatly appreciated! Please feel free to contact us.

Thank you so much for this opportunity. We sincerely hope you enjoy the program, and that it provides a fun learning experience for your students.

Best Regards

Steven Marking Riverways Artistic Director 880 Lakewood Drive South Maplewood MN 55119 (612)293-4067 Riverways LLC Presents…

America, We Sing to Thee! A celebration of America’s values and diversity through the timeless music of three great American composers.

Below is a list of terms and concepts that are mentioned or alluded to in the program. They can provide a starting point for further discussion and study.

Immigrant. A person who leaves one country to settle permanently in another. The program touches on the experiences of late 19th/early 20th Century European immigrants; this can be compared and contrasted with the experiences of immigrants from other eras and from other regions of the world. Also, how the “forced immigration” of Africans differed from other immigrant experiences, can be explored. Statue of Liberty. Also called “Liberty Enlightening the World.” A gift from France in celebration of America’s Centennial, it was erected in 1886. A fundraising campaign financed the base with donations from school children across the US. The Statue was the first sight that greeted many new immigrants as they sailed into New York Harbor. Emma Lazarus. An American poet who wrote “The New Colossus”, the poem that was chosen to be inscribed on the base of the Statue of Liberty. , 1900-1930. A time of great growth and vitality, spurred on by the influx of immigrants from Europe and Asia, and migrant African Americans from the South. NYC was beginning to be recognized not only as the commercial capital of the world, but also as a cultural mecca for all the arts. It’s been said that “If America was a melting pot, then New York made it bubble.” “The Harlem Renaissance.” Lasting from the end of World War I to about 1932, this was a movement that had significant impact on the African American community, not only in NYC, but all over the country and the world. Intellectuals and artists consciously rejected the imitation of white European traditions, and chose to embrace their own history and create their own African American identity, expressed in art, music, dance, literature and social thought. “Cotton Club.” A world-famous Harlem night club, renowned for popularizing not only jazz and other African American styles of music, but also the black singers and composers of this music. Ironically, while the club showcased the talents of African American culture, black customers were usually not allowed in. Classical Music. A broad term for music that has its roots in Western ecclesiastical and concert music. It’s not easy to characterize simply, as it encompasses many different forms, genres, historical eras, etc. But, broadly, classical music can be distinguished by its refined use of instrumentation, its form & technical execution, and its complexity. Ragtime. An American musical genre popular between 1899 and 1918. It’s characterized chiefly by its syncopated rhythms. Scott Joplin, an African American, was the most famous composer of ragtime melodies. . A style of jazz that originated in New Orleans, and was popularized in New York City during the 1910’s. The sound is created when one instrument (usually the trumpet) plays the melody, and the other instruments of the "front line" improvise around that melody. Gospel Music. Music written to express Christian beliefs and give praise, worship or thanks to God. Dominant vocals, often with strong harmonies, are hallmarks of traditional gospel music. Folk Music. The Tech Multimedia Music Dictionary defines it as "music of the people that has been passed on by memorization or repetition rather than by writing, and has deep roots in its own culture. What distinguishes folk music is that it is participatory—you don't have to be a great musician to be a folk singer. [...] And finally, it brings a sense of community. It's the people's music." “”. Name given to the publishers of popular sheet music from the 1880’s to the 1920’s. It also referred to an actual place in NYC. The term was coined because the cacophony of dozens of pianos banging out tunes in this cluster of streets resembled the noise of clanging tin pans. The story of Tin Pan Alley is quite fascinating, and offers the opportunity to study many social, cultural, technological and economic aspects of American Society. Jazz. Originally a slang term for verve, energy, effervescence of spirit, jazz music has its roots in southern African American musical forms. Again, examining the history of jazz illuminates many aspects of American society.

IRVING BERLIN. May 11, 1888 – Sept 22, 1989 Born "Israel Isidore Baline" in Belarus, to Ashkenazi Jewish parents; at age 5, immigrated to NYC. No early musical training; like his father, sang as cantor in various temples. Was a singing waiter, where he wrote lyrics to his first published song. Could not write or play music, but relied on arrangers who would put his melodies down on paper for him. From age 20 to 23, worked in "Tin Pan Alley", the thriving sheet music publishing industry; wrote lyrics for many composers, but composed his own music, as well as the words, for his first huge hit "Alexander's Ragtime Band" in 1911. Joined the US Army during WWI; composed many uplifting songs during this period; produced a patriotic for the soldiers; wrote "God Bless America" for the show, but never used it. After the war, built his own Broadway Theater; wrote & produced many & shows, with many songs that are still popular today. In 1933, went to Hollywood, where he gained an even wider reputation as a gifted composer/lyricist; won Academy Awards for the songs "" and “White Christmas.” As WWII loomed, renewed patriotism swept the USA; his friend, the great singer Kate Smith, performed "God Bless America" on her radio program; proved so popular that many thought it should be our national anthem; Berlin donated all royalties from this and other patriotic songs he wrote to the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Red Cross, March of Dimes, Navy Relief, and other charities. GEORGE GERSHWIN. September 26, 1898 – July 11,1937; Born "Jacob Gershowitz" in Brooklyn, NY to Russian immigrant parents.Second of four children; began playing the piano on his own at age ten. Then, studied under various teachers; was most influenced by his teacher and mentor Charles Hambitzer, who refined his self-taught techniques, and encouraged him to attend classical concerts, after which he would recreate what he just heard. At age 16, left school, and got a job as a “song plugger” for a company in “Tin Pan Alley”. One of his jobs was creating the “piano rolls” that were used for player-pianos; since very few audio recordings of Gershwin playing the piano exist, these rolls are especially interesting. Another early job was writing down the music for Irving Berlin, who couldn’t read or write music, but could compose songs in his head. Wrote his own big hit in 1919 called “Swanee”, popularized by the legendary . Was soon sought after by producers of Broadway shows and revues. In 1924, collaborated with his older brother, Ira, a gifted lyricist, on their own musical “Lady Be Good”; was a big hit and included songs that have become standards. The brothers went on to write many more Broadway hits, including “Of Thee I Sing”, the first musical play to win a Pulitzer Prize. Went to Hollywood, wrote many hits. In addition to popular music, wrote well-respected classical pieces, including An American in Paris, Rhapsody in Blue, Porgy and Bess. While in Hollywood, died of a brain tumor at the age of 38.

HAROLD ARLEN. Feb 15, 1905 – April 23, 1986; Born "Hyman Arluk" in Buffalo, NY to middle class Jewish parents. Sang in his father's Choir; early piano lessons; schooled in classical, operatic & Hebraic traditions. In his teenage years, became enamored with ragtime's syncopated beat; formed a band with friends. Wrote first song at age 19, but preferred performing to composing. Joined "The Buffalodians"; band quickly became very popular; went on tour; ended up in NYC. Worked in some Broadway Revues, but soon had solo act in Vaudeville. While performing, also wrote several songs for other singers that became very popular. Eventually landed a contract with a music publishing firm; from then on, concentrated on composing, rather than performing. Influenced by African-American jazz styles, he and lyricist began working at Harlem's famous Cotton Club; wrote many hits for stars like Cab Calloway & . In 1933, was hired to write for his first Hollywood film. Continued composing for Broadway and the Cotton Club, but by the late 30's moved to Hollywood with his new wife. Wrote songs for many films; in 2000, the American Film Institute voted his "" the best film song of the 20th Century.

Songs Included in the Program:

Irving Berlin: Song of Freedom Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor God Bless America Blue Skies George Gershwin: I Got Plenty o’ Nuttin’ Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off They All Laughed Harold Arlen: Over the Rainbow Ding-Dong! The Witch is Dead If I Were King of the Forest We’re Off to See the Wizard