Andrew lloyd webber

Andrew Lloyd Webber (1948) is an English composer of musical theatre.

Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End (London) and on Broadway (New York City).

He was born in London.  His father was an organist and composer and his mother was a pianist and violinist. Young Andrew Lloyd Webber learned to play various musical instruments at home and began composing at an early age.

Andrew Lloyd Webber shot to fame in 1971 with the opening of his rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar”.  In 1981 he delivered “Cats”, based on poems by T. S. Eliot. In 1986 Andrew Lloyd Webber released his most successful musical, “The Phantom of the Opera”. “The Phantom of the Opera” is the longest running Broadway musical of all time and the most financially successful Broadway show in history. “The Phantom of the Opera” was translated into several languages and was produced in more than twenty countries, using staging, direction, costumes concept and sets design.

He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of variations, two film scores, and a Latin Requiem Mass. He has also gained a number of honours, including a knighthood in 1992 from the British Government for services to Music, three Grammy Awards, an Academy Award.

Several of his songs have been widely recorded and were hits outside of their parent musicals, notably “The Music of the Night” from The Phantom of the Opera, “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” from Jesus Christ Superstar, “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” and “You Must Love Me” from Evita, and “Memory” from rock-opera Cats.

Andrew Lloyd Webber is arguably the most successful composer of our time. He is best known for stage and film adaptations of his musicals “Jesus Christ Superstar” (1971), “Cats” (1994), “Evita” (1997), and “The Phantom of the Opera” (1986).

Andrew Lloyd Webber is currently working on his new opera titled “Master and Margarita” based on the novel by Mikhail A. Bulgakov.

Words & Expressions:

to achieve great success – добиться большого успеха

a musical - мюзикл

a violinist – скрипач

to compose – сочинять (музыку)

score – партитура, музыка к спектаклю (фильму)

M usic of the united states

The United States of America is often said to be a cultural melting pot consisting of numerous ethnic groups. Many of these peoples have kept alive the folk traditions of their homeland, often producing American styles music.

American music can be traced back to specific origins. Elements of foreign music arrived in the United States include West African music through slavery, and Irish music through immigration.

By the 19th century, African American folk traditions were well-known and widespread, and African American musical techniques and instruments became a part of American music through spirituals and slave songs. African American musical styles became an integral part of American popular music through blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, and then rock and roll, soul and hip hop.

Folk music in the US is varied across the country’s numerous ethnic groups. The Native American tribes play their own varieties of folk music, most of it spiritual in nature. African American music includes blues and gospel. West African music brought to the USA by slaves and mixed with Western European music. During the colonial era, English, French and Spanish styles and instruments were brought to America. By the early 20th century, the United States had become a major center for folk music from around the world, including Ukrainian and Polish music, Jewish music and several kinds of Latin music.

Traditional instrumentations use the flute and many kinds of percussion instruments, like drums, rattles and shakers.

The thirteen colonies of the original United States were all former English possessions, and Anglo culture became a major foundation for American folk and popular music.

Americans listen to all kinds of music. Many people like country music. The centre of country music is Nashville, Tennessee.

The most famous singer of the 1950s was Elvis Presley. His music was new and exciting. All of Elvis’s songs from 1956 to 1958 were number one.

Today people like to watch music on MTV (Music Television) started in the United States in 1981.