Role

:

Composer  

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

November 23, 1928 in New Haven, CT

Death

:

November 3, 2010 in Mount Kisco, NY

Genre

:

Orchestral

 

Jerry Bock was an American composer of musical theater and film scores, best known for his collaborations with lyricist Sheldon Harnick. Born on November 23, 1928, in New Haven, Connecticut, Bock grew up in Flushing, Queens, New York City. His parents were Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe, and his father was a shoe salesman. Bock showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of six. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he studied music theory and composition. After college, Bock moved to New York City and began working as a rehearsal pianist for Broadway shows. He made his Broadway debut as a composer in 1955 with the musical Catch a Star, which closed after only three performances. However, his next show, Mr. Wonderful (1956), starring Sammy Davis Jr., was a hit and ran for over a year. Bock's breakthrough came in 1959 with the musical Fiorello!, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Musical. The show, which tells the story of New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, featured lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and songs such as "When Did I Fall in Love?" and "The Very Next Man." Bock and Harnick went on to collaborate on several more successful musicals, including She Loves Me (1963), which was later adapted into the film You've Got Mail, and Fiddler on the Roof (1964), which is considered one of the greatest musicals of all time. Fiddler on the Roof, which tells the story of a Jewish family in pre-revolutionary Russia, featured songs such as "Tradition," "Matchmaker, Matchmaker," and "Sunrise, Sunset." The show won nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and ran for over 3,000 performances on Broadway. Bock and Harnick's next musical, The Apple Tree (1966), was a collection of three one-act plays based on stories by Mark Twain, Frank R. Stockton, and Jules Feiffer. The show featured songs such as "What Makes Me Love Him?" and "Feelings." Bock and Harnick's final collaboration was The Rothschilds (1970), which tells the story of the Rothschild family and their rise to power in Europe. The show featured songs such as "In My Own Lifetime" and "He Tossed a Coin." After his collaboration with Harnick ended, Bock continued to work in musical theater, but with less success. His next show, The Madwoman of Central Park West (1979), was a critical and commercial failure. His final Broadway show, The Rothschilds (1990), a revised version of his earlier musical, received mixed reviews and closed after only 505 performances. In addition to his work in musical theater, Bock also composed film scores, including the music for the films The Sting II (1983) and Silly Little Game (2010). He also wrote the theme song for the television series Alice (1976-1985). Bock was married twice and had two children. He died on November 3, 2010, at the age of 81, in Mount Kisco, New York, from heart failure. He was survived by his wife, Patti, and his children, Portia and George. Jerry Bock's music is known for its catchy melodies, clever lyrics, and ability to capture the spirit of the stories he was telling. His collaborations with Sheldon Harnick produced some of the most beloved musicals of all time, including Fiddler on the Roof, which continues to be performed around the world. Bock's legacy as a composer of musical theater is secure, and his influence can be heard in the work of many contemporary composers.

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