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Harold Arlen

They Write the Songs Series 1
Episode 3 of 10

Barry Manilow continues to celebrate famous composers of the Great American Songbook. He looks at Harold Arlen, composer of Oscar-winning song Over the Rainbow.

Barry Manilow looks at the lives and works of ten famous composers of the Great American Songbook. He explores their genius through rare recordings and de-constructs their songs at his piano.

Recorded at Barry's home in America, the series gives a songwriter's insight into the art and craft of songwriting. It covers over sixty years of composition examining the work of George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen, Frank Loesser, Leonard Bernstein, Jule Styne, Rodgers and Hart, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Jerry Herman and Kander and Ebb. Among the rare recordings are songs by Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland, and a never before heard Barry Manilow recording, made when he was three years old.

This week he celebrates Harold Arlen, composer of the Oscar-winning song Over The Rainbow, who was born Hyman Arluck in Buffalo, New York, back in 1905.

Harold sang in the synagogue where his father was cantor, from the age of seven, and formed his first group (the Snappy Trio) whilst still in his teens. After moving to New York City in 1925, Arlen achieved fame by writing songs for various reviews and for the shows at Harlem's Cotton Club. Many of his songs, including Stormy Weather, became jazz standards whilst songs like That Old Black Magic also had their roots in jazz.

During a long, and successful career, Harold wrote over 400 songs and collaborated with the likes of Ted Koehler, Johnny Mercer, Ira Gershwin and Yip Harburg.

1 hour

Last on

Sun 30 Oct 2011 19:00
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2

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Irving BerlinSeries 1

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Frank LoesserSeries 1

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Music Played

  • Judy Garland

    Get Happy

    • MGM Musicals.
    • Metro Goldwyn Mayer.

  • Ella Fitzgerald

    Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea

    • The Best Of The Song Books.
    • VERVE.

  • Ethel Waters

    Stormy Weather

    • Miss Ethel Waters.
    • World Records.

  • Eydie GormΓ©

    I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues

    • The Essence Of Eydie.
    • JASMINE.

  • The Nat King Cole Trio

    It's Only A Paper Moon

    • The Best Of The Nat King Cole Trio The V Capitol Jazz.

  • Diana Krall

    Let's Fall In Love

    • When I Look In Your Eyes.
    • VERVE.

  • Frank Sinatra

    Last Night When We Were Young

    • In The Wee Small Hours.
    • CAPITOL.

  • Rosemary Clooney

    Blues In The Night

    • Great American Songwriters.
    • RHINO.

  • Smith, Keely & Louis Prima

    That Old Black Magic

  • Jane Monheit

    Hit The Road To Dreamland

    • Jane Monheit Come Dream With Me.
    • NEW NOTE.

  • Frank Sinatra

    One For My Baby

    • Frank Sinatra Collection.
    • EMI.

  • Johnny Mercer and The Pied Pipers - Ac Cent Tchu Ate The Positive

  • Jack Jones

    Come Rain Or Come Shine

    • Wives And Lovers & Dear Heart.
    • MCA.

  • Judy Garland

    The Man That Got Away

    • Live At Carnegie Hall.
    • CAPITOL.

  • Judy Garland

    Over The Rainbow

    • That's Entertainment.
    • RHINO.

Broadcasts

  • Tue 29 Mar 2011 22:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2
  • Sun 30 Oct 2011 19:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2