Chapters with Listening Guide Repertoire, CW Links, and Quizzes:

Chapter 11

Chapter Goals

To demonstrate how social issues are reflected in musical theater.
To provide an overview of 20th-century American musical theater.
To explore three groundbreaking 20th-century musicals.

11.1 No More” from Into the Woods, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

11.2 – Opening scene from Show Boat, music by Jerome Kern, book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II

11.3 – Quintet, finale to Act I from West Side Story, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

CW11.1 American Musical Theater

There are many versions of the folk tale, “Beauty and the Beast.” For a few examples, see:

Explore the various links on this extensive resource, B’way: The American Musical See also, the Internet Broadway Database, which is the official database for Broadway Theater Information.

CW11.2 Sondheim and Hammerstein

Here are some resources on Stephen Sondheim and Oscar Hammerstein:

Rich, Frank. “Conversations with Sondheim.” The New York Times Magazine. March 12, 2000. Steven Sondheim Reference Guide Oscar Hammerstein II Rogers and Hammerstein https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/16/t-magazine/lin-manuel-miranda-stephen-sondheim.html?_r=0

CW11.3 Vaudeville

For more on Vaudeville, see: American Masters: About Vaudeville See these historical clips of Vaudeville acts from 1898-1910: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZo4imTt4Og

CW11.4 Berlin, Porter, and Gershwin

On Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, and George Gershwin:

Songwriters Hall of Fame Irving Berlin Cole Porter George Gershwin

NPR podcast: Scott Simon and Marin Alsop. Marin Alsop, the Music Director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, talks about George Gershwin (aired Nov. 14, 2009).

CW11.5 Leonard Bernstein

ThLeonard Bernstein (1918-1990) is one of the great American composers, performers, and educators. He was equally comfortable composing for symphony, ballet, or theater.

https://leonardbernstein.com/about American Masters: Leonard Bernstein: Reaching for the Note https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2018/01/leonard-bernstein-jerome-robbins-and-the-road-to-west-side-story

See also, this documentary on the 1984 recording session of West Side Story with Leonard Bernstein, conducting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3SEW63LsaM

CW11.6 Hamilton

From The New Yorker: All about the Hamiltons: A new musical brings the Founding Fathers back to life—with a lot of hip-hop Here is information about the PBS documentary, Hamilton’s America. Your university or college may be able to access the entire film: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/hamiltons-america-documentary/5048/

Second Edition

Music: A Social Experience

Steven Cornelius with Mary Natvig