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Irving Berlin It’s A Lovely Day Today Jazz Piano Solo sheet music Noten, partitura, spartiti, 楽譜, 乐谱
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Who was Irving Berlin?
Irving Berlin (1888-1989) was a Russian-born American composer and lyricist widely regarded as one of the greatest songwriters in American history . He is the author of hundreds of iconic songs, including “White Christmas,” “God Bless America,” and “Alexander’s Ragtime Band.” Composer Jerome Kern famously summarized his legacy by stating, “Irving Berlin has no place in American music—he is American music” .
Here is a concise summary of his life and legacy:
| Category | Key Information |
|---|---|
| Birth/Death | May 11, 1888 (Tyumen, Russia) – September 22, 1989 (New York, USA) |
| Real Name | Israel Isidore Beilin (later Baline) |
| Immigration | Emigrated with his Jewish family to NYC in 1893 to escape persecution . |
| Musical Limitations | Could not read or write music; played piano only in the key of F-sharp, using a custom transposing piano . |
| Total Output | Estimated 1,500 songs, scores for 19 Broadway shows and 18 Hollywood films . |
| Signature Songs | “White Christmas,” “God Bless America,” “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” “Blue Skies,” “Cheek to Cheek,” “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” “There’s No Business Like Show Business” . |
| Major Awards | Academy Award (for “White Christmas”), Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Tony Award, Presidential Medal of Freedom (1977) . |
| Key Legacy | Defined the “Great American Songbook”; co-founded ASCAP; built the Music Box Theatre on Broadway . |
From Ragtime to the Ritz: His Story
Berlin’s journey is a classic American immigrant story. Arriving with his family at Ellis Island at age five, he grew up in abject poverty on New York’s Lower East Side . After his father died when he was just 13, he left home to support himself, working as a busker and a singing waiter in Chinatown saloons .
Despite having no formal musical training—he picked out melodies with one finger and relied on assistants to transcribe them—he published his first song, “Marie from Sunny Italy,” in 1907 . His big break came in 1911 with “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” which sparked an international dance craze and made him a star .
His life was marked by both tragedy and romance. His first wife, Dorothy Goetz, died of typhoid fever just months after their 1912 wedding; he wrote his first ballad, “When I Lost You,” to mourn her . In 1926, he famously eloped with heiress Ellin Mackay against her father’s wishes, writing her the lifelong wedding gift of the song “Always” .
Musical Style and Influence
Berlin’s genius lay in his simplicity. His stated goal was to “reach the heart of the average American” . He mastered virtually every popular genre of his era—ragtime, jazz, ballads, and show tunes—and his songs became the soundtrack for American holidays (“White Christmas” for Christmas, “Easter Parade” for Easter) and patriotism (“God Bless America”) .
I hope this gives you a clear picture of Irving Berlin’s monumental life and career. Is there a particular song or period of his work you would like to explore further?