Composer of the Month 4/2011: Harold Arlen   (selected by Peter van Dessel / Belgium)

USA 11.9.1996 The American composer Harold Arlen (actually Hyman Arluck ) was born on 15 February 1905 in Buffalo. He learned to play the piano, started a band in his youth and took it as a pianist and singer for local success. In the early 1920s he moved to New York where he recorded music with various orchestras. In 1929 he wrote his first hit. For several years he composed the music for shows of the famous New York "Cotton Club", for Broadway musicals and some Hollywood musical films. From the mid-1930s he lived in California where he collaborated with lyricist E.Y. Harburg. In 1938 they wrote the music for the movie "The Wizard of Oz". For the best-known song from this film, "Over the Rainbow" they were awarded with the Oscar for best music in 1940. Harold Arlen died on 23 April 1986 in New York City. His death anniversary comes up again for the 25th time in April 2011. The video shows Judy Garland with the song "Somewhere over the Rainbow" from the movie "The Wizard of Oz". The cover version sung by the Hawaiian singer Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (know as "IZ") was one of the top hits of 2010 in the German charts. More composers in our "members only" section.