Hischak credits Kern in the preface with creating "the sound of the American musical," which is the case he attempts to make with this sorely overdue reference work. In prose that is not overly academic, articles cover Kern's musicals, songs, and collaborators, including performers with meaningful connections to the composer. Musicals are consistently presented with information on style, author, lyricist, location and date of debut performance, run, alternate productions and revivals, and key performers; following is a summary of the plot and history of the production, highlighting songs important to the plot or to Kern's career. Overall, the entries about songs are nontechnical, but occasionally dabble in soft music theory. The author instead addresses the song's history: use in a production, notable performances, and appearances in other musicals or innominate interpolations. Hischak introduces performers and collaborators by their connection to Kern, and then expands on their careers with further contextual information. Photographs appear throughout, with excellent captioning providing additional information unavailable in the accompanying article. The highly useful appendixes cover the chronology of Kern's awards, musicals, interpolations, and discography. Extensive bibliography and thorough indexing. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above.

Choice Reviews

This volume offers practically one-stop shopping for music students and Jerome Kern enthusiasts. The main body of the work includes entries for songs, stage works, films, and musical styles. Hischak, a veteran musical-theater author, has added biographical sketches for many of Kern’s collaborators—including directors, performers, lyricists, and producers—taking care to put them in context with their work with Kern. A discography, a chronology, and an awards list are added value for this useful text.

Booklist

The author brings a wealth of experience. . . .on off-Broadway musicals, Broadway librettists and Disney songs. . . .The work is arranged alphabetically, taking in Kern's songs, his musicals, the stars who appeared in them, and collaborators and lyricists, producers, and directors. . . .The encyclopedia is aimed at - and will appeal to - the interested general reader as well as the specialist in the theater and film musicals, both cultural/musical historian and producer/director. . . .A reference work, then, of real value to any serious collection of musicals and that period and style of popular music.

Reference Reviews