Irving Berlin: From Penniless Immigrant to America’s Unlikely Composer

Recorded: February 28, 2023 Visit eldridgestreet.org/events for all upcoming programming from the Museum at Eldridge Street! Hear from author Paul Kaplan about his new biography examining celebrated musician Irving Berlin. Like many of the original congregants of the Eldridge Street Synagogue, Irving Berlin's family immigrated to the Lower East Side in the late 19th century to escape persecution in Eastern Europe. As a young teenager, Berlin joined the ranks of the other young singers who performed ballads on the Bowery. Irving Berlin (born Israel Baline) rose from these most humble of origins to become one of America's most prolific songwriters. Hear about Berlin's hardscrabble journey from leaving home as a young teenager to working as a song "busker" and his discovery of his innate talent for writing songs, despite having no musical education. Learn about the changing music industry from the thriving music sheet business of Tin Pan Alley, the advent of Ragtime, the start of the American musical, and the soundtracks for feature films - all of which Berlin influenced. Understand how he developed songs for the films of the Marx Brothers, Astaire and Rodgers, Ethel Merman, and more. We'll look at why "God Bless America" was considered an alternative to the national anthem, yet was strongly disliked by the Right and the Left, and why "White Christmas" soared to the top of the charts. This is a unique opportunity to view clips from a variety of songs, shows, and films Berlin composed, hear original recordings, and see historic photos. About the Author: Paul Kaplan writes under three series: Cultural Guides, Social History & Biographies, and Business Technology Marketing with seven published books from History Press, Pelican, and Quill Driver Books. He has given over seventy talks globally for venues including the clubs of Harvard, Yale, Nassau Club of Princeton, Union League, Society for Mechanics & Tradesmen, Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, Montauk Club, historic libraries and associations, schools, businesses, and private events. He has been featured on CBS Miami, PBS, New York Press, Amsterdam New York, Princeton Magazine, and numerous radio shows including Writer’s Voice and America’s Dining and Travel. He also writes book reviews for Harvard Review. He earned a BA in Ethics, Politics, and Economics from Yale College and an MBA from Yale School of Management. He enjoys traveling, having visited six continents and all fifty United States. Kaplan has worked in content marketing for over twenty years for financial and technology companies. Visit paulkaplanauthor.com