I recently watched the PBS special about the Jewish legacy on Broadway, and I enjoyed every minute.
It is online, and I share it now with you.
I hope it is still online.
I have always loved Broadway musicals, and many are reprised in this special.
But in addition to the entertainment and the rich cultural history, we see a very contemporary story of immigrants coming to America and becoming quintessentially American. We see Irving Berlin arriving as a five-year-old from Russia, having survived a pogrom, then becoming the composer of “God Bless America,” “Easter Parade,” and “White Christmas,” among the thousands of songs he wrote. We see stories in which composers used their music to teach lessons about racism, intolerance, and bigotry, like “South Pacific,” and the song “You Got to Be Taught to Hate.” Often they told the stories through the experiences of other groups, like “Porgy and Bess” and “West Side Story.”
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
I am sending a gift to PBS for remaining a beacon of light in these dark times.
THANKS!!!!
The original PBS broadcast was January 1, 2013. I must have seen it not long after that. I know that history has been revitalized many times over, in part because the film industry became a second path for the Broadway shows to gain an audience, with a lot of help from the quirky guy, Ted Turner, who gave us Turner Classic Movies.
Diane,
I may be the only reader of your blog who saw “Oklahoma!” on Broadway with the original cast. At the time, my ship was in drydock in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
Marion Brady
I’m gonna also have to recommend the current off-Broadway production of Fiddler. It’s in Yiddish, and it’s amazing.
It looks like I’m back on the list for getting updates of new posts for this blog.
What makes classic Broadway tunes and Tin Pan Alley torch songs so moving to people? Well, one simple answer is that the writers of this music borrowed classic Jewish scales. Combine these modified minor scales with upbeat rhythms, and you get music that expresses joy and sorrow at the same time–that looks at the messiness and tragedy in life but chooses to respond joyously ANYWAY. Perfect for telling stories.
Ahava Raba Scale: D, Eb, F#, G, A, Bb, C or C#, D
Mi Sheberakh Scale: D, E, F, G#, A, B, C, D
Adonoy AMolokh Scale: C#, D, E, F#, G, A, B, C, D
And when Jewish music met black music, WOW. Jazz.
Every poor kid in America ought to be able to go to summer camp! And do musical theater!!! Note to billionaires: you might do something about that.
Gee, there is a little more to learning, and life, than standardized tests.
Just ran through these scales. Fun.
Aren’t they? It’s almost impossible not to write a decent melody doodling around on them! LOL.
Thank you , so much. I support it ,too.
What a delight this show is, Diane! Thank you!
Diane, THANK YOU!!!!!!! This was amazing! My husband and I watched it together. (I’ve been addicted to Broadway since I was about 9 years old . . . now 70 and still addicted.) Everything about it was incredible! The back stories were so very important. Kas & Roger Winters
If I may, here’s another feel-good video, this one telling a back-to-school story.
This TV news clip encompasses racial harmony, compassion for special ed. kids, friendship, and a couple of good moms & their two pre-teens sons:
http://www.kake.com/story/40954091/photo-of-8-year-old-boy-reaching-out-a-hand-goes-viral
Lovely story
Beautiful. Thanks for sharing, Jack!
To me, Diane, you left out (perhaps the show did) the most beautiful paean to our country ever to be put to music. I’m talking about the segment of the Emma Lazarus poem on the Statue of Liberty set to music by Irvine Berlin. That song should make Donald Trump cry with shame.
amen
Fascinating- forwarded the video to many- thanks.
It provoked a nice memory of a stay in Chatauqua, New York, at an inn where George Gershwin completed his Concerto in F Major.