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L I S T E N I N GF O RA M E R I C A
INSIDE THE
GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK
GERSHWIN
FROM
SONDHEIM
TO
R O B K A P I L O W
"Not since the late Leonard Bernstein has classical music had a combination salesman-teacher as irresistible as Kapilow." ―Kansas City Star
Few people in recent memory have dedicated themselves as devotedly to the story of twentieth- century American music as Rob Kapilow, the composer, conductor, and host of the hit NPR music radio program, What Makes It Great? Now, in Listening for America, he turns his keen ear to the Great American Songbook, bringing many of our favorite classics to life through the songs and stories of eight of the twentieth century’s most treasured American composers―Kern, Porter, Gershwin, Arlen, Berlin, Rodgers, Bernstein, and Sondheim. Hardly confining himself to celebrating what makes these catchy melodies so unforgettable, Kapilow delves deeply into how issues of race, immigration, sexuality, and appropriation intertwine in masterpieces like Show Boat and West Side Story. A book not just about musical theater but about America itself, Listening for America is equally for the devotee, the singer, the music student, or for anyone intrigued by how popular music has shaped the larger culture, and promises to be the ideal gift book for years to come.
A V A I L A B L E N O W
M U S I C E X A M P L E S
T O U R
P R A I S E
“Kapilow’s melodious writing hums with the vibrant music of American history and American popular culture.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“The Great American songbook is a national treasure, and in this engaging and instructive guide, composer, conductor, and music commentator Kapilow unlocks its riches. Sixteen gems by eight American masters of song.... are analyzed and set into historical and cultural context, resulting in a greater appreciation of these American musical masterpieces.... The songs selected for examination make for a musical theater fan’s ultimate playlist. . . . A treat for music fans and a great addition to any performing arts or popular culture collection.
—Carolyn Mulac, Booklist
“[A] lively and highly informative look at what makes musical show tunes great. . . . A seamless blend of music, history, and biography.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Through the lens of musical theater, Rob Kapilow allows us to experience the unique sound and spirit of a changing America. I came away inspired and ready to write.”
—Lynn Ahrens, Tony Award–winning lyricist of Ragtime
“Listening for America is an impressive achievement and one of the finest contributions to the annals of musical theater.”
—Robert Kimball, editor of The Complete Lyrics of Cole Porter
Rob Kapilow leaps into the void dividing music analysis from appreciation and fills it with exhilarating details and sensations.”
—New York Times
“A wonderful guy who brings music alive!”
—Katie Couric
“It’s a cheering thought that this kind of missionary enterprise did not pass from this earth with Leonard Bernstein. Robert Kapilow is awfully good at what he does. We need him.”
—Boston Globe
A B O U T T H E A U T H O R
Rob Kapilow is a composer, conductor, and music commentator who has traveled the world as a guest speaker and host of What Makes It Great? The author of two previous books, he lives in New Jersey.
