Harry Revel

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Harry Revel
Birth nameHarry Glaser
Born(1905-12-21)December 21, 1905
London, England
DiedNovember 3, 1958(1958-11-03) (aged 52)
New York City, U.S.
GenresTraditional pop, soundtracks, space age pop
Occupation(s)Composer
Years active1922–1950s

Harry Revel (

né Glaser; 21 December 1905 – 3 November 1958) was a British-born American composer, mostly of musical theatre, working with various lyricists, notably Mack Gordon. He is also seen as a pioneer of "space age pop
".

Early life and career

Revel was born Harry Glaser in

Schrunden in Latvia, who had settled in England. Harry was the second born of four children. His older brother William Revel was a dancer, his younger sister Rene was a singer, and his youngest brother Sam was a concierge in London who later became a travel agent in the United States. They took the last name "Revel" to honor the French soldier of that name who helped them to flee Europe.[citation needed
]

Harry Revel learned piano as a child, and studied at the

Hawaiian Band, and toured Europe. He also had his first song, "Oriental Eyes", published in Italy. He then joined a dance band, the New York Jazz Band, and while touring with the group in Berlin was commissioned to write the music for an operetta, Was Frauen Traumen. Its success led to further commissions in Paris, Vienna and London.[1][2]

Musical theatre and films

After returning to England, he decided in 1928 to move to New York City and become a professional songwriter. There, he teamed up with lyricist Mack Gordon to work on Broadway, writing songs for Ziegfeld Follies of 1931, Fast and Furious, Everybody's Welcome and Smiling Faces. Among their songs was the popular "Underneath the Harlem Moon" (1932), which was recorded by several jazz performers.[1][2]

He and Gordon moved to

Head Over Heels, and Love Finds Andy Hardy.[2][3]
In 1934, he appeared in Hollywood Rhythm, a short film purporting to show the songwriting team of Gordon and Revel brainstorming the score for College Rhythm.

Revel's partnership with Mack Gordon ended in 1939.

Are You With It?, with lyrics by Arnold Horwitt.[1][2]

Space age pop

In the late 1940s, Revel became interested in using the

RCA Victor the following year. In 1950, he wrote the music for Music for Peace of Mind, again with Hoffman but this time with Billy May's orchestra; and in 1955 released Harry Revel's Music from Out of Space, with the Stuart Phillips orchestra and chorus, rather than theremin. Revel has subsequently been seen as a pioneer of "space age pop".[1]

Later activities and death

Revel set up his own publishing company, Realm Music Inc., in the 1950s, and continued to compose until his death.[2]

He died from a

cerebral hemorrhage in New York City in 1958, aged 52.[1] He was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.[3]

Musical productions

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Biography by Steve Huey, Allmusic.com. Retrieved 15 January 2021
  2. ^
    ISBN 0-7232-3177-X
    .
  3. ^ a b Harry Revel, Songwriters Hall of Fame. Retrieved 15 January 2021
  4. ^ Citizens' Committee to Free Earl Browder, The Browder Case, New York, 1941, p.10
  5. ^ Liner notes, Harry Revel's Music from Out of Space. Retrieved 15 January 2021

External links

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