“Richard Rodgers: Broadway and Beyond” will be the focus of FOL University, the Friends of the Library’s lecture program featuring renowned scholars, on Sunday, March 11, at 1:30 p.m. in the Port Washington Public Library’s meeting room. The speaker is Orin Grossman, Professor Emeritus of Visual and Performing Arts at Fairfield University.
His presentation will include his piano performances of such indelible Rodgers’ compositions as the great waltzes from “Carousel,” the ballet score “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue,” and music for the NBC documentary series of the 1950s, “Victory at Sea.”
Grossman will discuss how among the great participants creating the American Song Book, Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) stands out for his melodic brilliance, and his ability to create songs and dramatic musical presentations that define the Broadway musical. Rodgers had two remarkable and distinct careers. First, there was a twenty-year partnership with his lyricist, Lorenz Hart, with whom he wrote some of the most beautiful songs of the 1920s and 1930s including “My Funny Valentine” and “Isn’t it Romantic.” In his second career, with lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II, he partnered in creating the modern musical, beginning with “Oklahoma” (1943) and “Carousel” (1945).
Grossman graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Music from Harvard University and earned his Ph.D. in Music at Yale University. Grossman joined Fairfield University in 1975 as an Assistant Professor of Fine Arts. In 1991 he was named Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Grossman is frequently featured by “One Day University,” a premiere lecture organization, and has lectured at Tanglewood as part of the Boston Symphony Summer Season.
“We are pleased to welcome back Dr. Grossman, whose past programs on George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein and Aaron Copland were so warmly received by Port Washington patrons. He brings such great knowledge and accomplished musicianship to his presentations,” said Carol Hiller, FOL board member and co-chair of FOL University.
For more information on the FOL and its events see www.pwpl.org/fol or email fol@pwpl.org.
