Top of page

Rodgers & Hammerstein: “It Might as Well Be Spring” [Video Podcast]

Share this post:

Michael Feinstein on Musicals & Songs at the Library of Congress
Series 1 – Rodgers & Hammerstein
Episode 3 – “It Might as Well Be Spring”

"State Fair" Sheet Music Cover, Richard Rodgers Collection
“State Fair” sheet music cover, Richard Rodgers Collection, Music Division, Library of Congress

Revised @ 2:25pm EST on May 21, 2014 to include links to previous episodes

In the third episode of a series of videos that explore the Rodgers and Hammerstein collections at the Library of Congress, Michael Feinstein examines the creative process of songwriting via “It Might as Well Be Spring” from the film State Fair, which won an Academy Award for Best Song.  Produced by special arrangement with Imagem/Williamson Music Inc.

Click here to view the video on YouTube

Coming soon: Cinderella (Series 1, Episode 4)

Previous Episodes
Episode 1 – Introduction & Oklahoma!
Episode 2 – “My Favorite Things”

Subscribe to our iTunesU channel to get free access to download future videos from “Michael Feinstein on Musicals & Songs at the Library of Congress.”

The Richard Rodgers Collection

The Oscar Hammerstein II Collection

Courtesy of Michael Feinstein
Courtesy of Michael Feinstein

MICHAEL FEINSTEIN, the multi-platinum-selling, two-time Emmy and five-time GRAMMY-nominated entertainer, dubbed “The Ambassador of the Great American Songbook,” is considered one of the premier interpreters of American standards. His 200-plus shows a year have included performances at Carnegie Hall, the White House, Buckingham Palace, Sydney Opera House and the Hollywood Bowl. In 2007, he founded the Michael Feinstein Great American Songbook Initiative, dedicated to celebrating the art form and preserving it through educational programs, as well as the annual High School Vocal Academy and Competition. Michael serves on the Library of Congress’ National Recording Preservation Board.

Feinstein earned his fifth GRAMMY nomination in 2009 for The Sinatra Project. Other recordings include The Sinatra Project, Volume II: The Good Life, The Power of Two, Cheek to Cheek and We Dreamed These Days, featuring a song he co-wrote with Dr. Maya Angelou. In 2013 he released a CD in collaboration with André Previn. His Emmy-nominated television special, Michael Feinstein–The Sinatra Legacy, currently airs across the country. The 2011 PBS series Michael Feinstein’s American Songbook was the recipient of the ASCAP Deems-Taylor Television Broadcast Award. Feinstein hosts a nationally syndicated public radio program Song Travels. His book The Gershwins and Me was published by Simon & Schuster in October 2012. The widow of legendary concert pianist-actor Oscar Levant introduced Feinstein to Ira Gershwin in July 1977. He became Gershwin’s assistant for six years, which earned him access to numerous unpublished Gershwin songs, many of which he has since performed and recorded. Feinstein serves as Artistic Director of the Palladium Center for the Performing Arts and is the director of the Jazz and Popular Song Series at New York’s Jazz at Lincoln Center. Feinstein hosted the 2013 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song concert in honor of Carole King.

Credits:
Made possible by the Ira and Leonore Gershwin Fund in the Library of Congress
Produced by special arrangement with Imagem/Williamson Music, Inc.

Host – Michael Feinstein
Librarian of Congress – Dr. James H. Billington
Executive Producer – Susan H. Vita, Chief, Music Division
Senior Producer – Michele Lambert Glymph
Producer/Co-Director – Nicholas Alexander Brown
Curator/Co-Director – Mark Eden Horowitz
Production Manager for Michael Feinstein – Andy Brattain
Curator – Raymond A. White
Production Design – Solomon E. HaileSelassie
Videographer – Thom Wolf
Recording Engineer – Michael E. Turpin
Video and Audio Editor – James L. Wolf
Technical Assistant – Sandie “Jay” Kinloch

Special thanks to Terrence Flannery

Click here to access the transcript of the video and a version with captions

Comments (2)

  1. can you provide links to the prior videos? Thanks!

    • Thanks for your comment and suggestion! The post has been revised to include links to the two previous episodes.

Add a Comment

This blog is governed by the general rules of respectful civil discourse. You are fully responsible for everything that you post. The content of all comments is released into the public domain unless clearly stated otherwise. The Library of Congress does not control the content posted. Nevertheless, the Library of Congress may monitor any user-generated content as it chooses and reserves the right to remove content for any reason whatever, without consent. Gratuitous links to sites are viewed as spam and may result in removed comments. We further reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to remove a user's privilege to post content on the Library site. Read our Comment and Posting Policy.


Required fields are indicated with an * asterisk.