Lorenz Hart

Lorenz Milton Hart (New York, 1895 – New York, 1943) was one of the most distinguished lyricists of the Broadway musical in the early decades of the twentieth century. His name is almost always linked with that of the composer Richard Rodgers, with whom he formed one of the most productive partnerships in the genre.

Hart studied journalism at Columbia University, where he met Rodgers. Together they began writing numbers for student shows, and their first Broadway success came in 1919, when the song "Any Old Place with You" was interpolated into A Lonely Romeo. Meanwhile, Hart left university to translate plays for the Shubert brothers, though he never stopped collaborating with Rodgers, with whom he composed the music for Poor Little Ritz Girl in 1920.

Widespread recognition did not come until 1925, when his songs for the revue Garrick Gaieties contributed to the show's success. From then on, the pair accumulated a long series of triumphs and also some failures, both on Broadway and in Hollywood. In his final years, Hart's alcoholism became a serious problem, although, it seems, it did not fully undermine his craft as a lyricist.

His legacy is associated above all with the brilliance of his internal and multisyllabic rhymes, which gave him an unusual wit. His lyrics, seemingly cheerful, often convey an underlying misanthropy. Hart also contributed to Rodgers's works such as Babes in Arms, On Your Toes and I Married an Angel, and wrote lyrics for numerous films, which places his output among the benchmarks of the musical of his era.