Irving Berlin

From the prizewinning Jewish Lives series, a fast-moving, musically astute portrait of arguably the greatest composer of American popular music

Irving Berlin (1888–1989) has been called—by George Gershwin, among others—the greatest songwriter of the golden age of the American popular song. “Berlin has no place in American music,” legendary composer Jerome Kern wrote; “he is American music.” In a career that spanned an astonishing nine decades, Berlin wrote some fifteen hundred tunes, including “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” “God Bless America,” and “White Christmas.” From ragtime to the rock era, Berlin’s work has endured in the very fiber of American national identity.

Exploring the interplay of Berlin’s life with the life of New York City, noted biographer James Kaplan offers a visceral narrative of Berlin as self-made man and witty, wily, tough Jewish immigrant. This fast-paced, musically opinionated biography uncovers Berlin’s unique brilliance as a composer of music and lyrics. Masterfully written and psychologically penetrating, Kaplan’s book underscores Berlin’s continued relevance in American popular culture.

Din seria premiata Jewish Lives, un portret in miscare rapida si intelept din punct de vedere muzical al celui mai mare compozitor de muzica populara americana Irving Berlin (1888–1989) a fost numit - de George Gershwin, printre altii - cel mai mare compozitor din epoca de aur a Cantec popular american. „Berlinul nu are loc in muzica americana”, a scris legendarul compozitor Jerome Kern; „Este muzica americana”. Intr-o cariera care a durat noua uimitoare decenii, Berlin a scris aproximativ cincisprezece sute de melodii, inclusiv „Alexander's Ragtime Band”, „God Bless America” si „White Christmas”. De la ragtime la epoca rockului, opera berlineza a rezistat chiar in fibra identitatii nationale americane.