9.2 Influential Composers and Shows

The Golden Age of musical theater saw iconic composers like Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Loewe, and Cole Porter create unforgettable shows. These artists pioneered the integrated musical concept, blending songs, dialogue, and dance to advance plots and develop characters.

Their groundbreaking works, such as "Oklahoma!" and "West Side Story," elevated the artistic quality of musicals. They tackled serious themes, showcased sophisticated lyrics, and pushed musical boundaries, establishing the genre as a significant American art form that continues to inspire today.

Golden Age Composers

Major Golden Age composers

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• Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II collaborated on numerous influential musicals ("Oklahoma!", "Carousel", "South Pacific", "The King and I", "The Sound of Music")
• Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe created several successful musicals ("Brigadoon", "Paint Your Wagon", "My Fair Lady", "Camelot")
• Cole Porter composed music and lyrics for various musicals ("Anything Goes", "Kiss Me, Kate", "Can-Can", "Silk Stockings")
• Other notable Golden Age composers include Irving Berlin ("Annie Get Your Gun", "Call Me Madam"), Leonard Bernstein ("On the Town", "West Side Story"), and Frank Loesser ("Guys and Dolls", "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying")

Musical and lyrical styles

• Rodgers and Hammerstein pioneered the "integrated musical" concept where songs, dialogue, and dance advance the plot and character development, created memorable, hummable melodies and poignant, meaningful lyrics, and explored serious themes and social issues in their works
• Lerner and Loewe were known for their sophisticated, literate, and witty lyrics, composed lush, romantic melodies that evoked a sense of time and place, and often adapted literary works or historical settings for their musicals
• Cole Porter was renowned for his clever, urbane, and sometimes risqué lyrics, composed catchy, jazz-influenced melodies that showcased his musical versatility, and brought a sense of sophistication and wit to his musicals
• The impact on the genre included elevating the artistic and literary quality of musical theater, demonstrating the potential for musicals to address serious themes and social issues, and establishing the musical as a significant American art form

Groundbreaking Golden Age shows

• "Oklahoma!" (1943, Rodgers and Hammerstein) was considered the first "integrated musical" where songs and dances are integral to the plot, introduced a more naturalistic style of acting and staging, and dealt with serious themes such as the conflict between farmers and ranchers
• "My Fair Lady" (1956, Lerner and Loewe) was adapted from George Bernard Shaw's play "Pygmalion", showcased sophisticated lyrics and lush melodies, and explored themes of class, gender, and social transformation
• "West Side Story" (1957, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, and Arthur Laurents) adapted Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" to a contemporary New York City setting, addressed social issues such as gang violence, racism, and immigration, incorporated complex music including jazz, Latin rhythms, and classical influences, and pushed the boundaries of dance in musical theater with choreography by Jerome Robbins

Comparison of composers' contributions

• Similarities among Golden Age composers include a focus on creating cohesive, integrated musicals where all elements work together, an emphasis on strong storytelling and character development, and the incorporation of dance as an essential element of the musical
• Differences include Rodgers and Hammerstein's exploration of serious themes and social issues, Lerner and Loewe's sophisticated, literate, and romantic works, and Cole Porter's witty, urbane, and sometimes risqué lyrics
• Contributions to the development of musical theater include elevating the artistic and literary quality of the genre, demonstrating the potential for musicals to address complex themes and social issues, expanding the musical and lyrical possibilities of the form, and inspiring future generations of composers, lyricists, and librettists