Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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DUKE, Vernon

(b Vladimir Dukelsky, 10 October 1903, Parafianovo, Russia; d 16 January 1969, Santa Monica). Composer, pianist; a prolific songwriter who wrote several that became standards. Studied at Kiev Conservatory at 13; his family fled the revolution '20 to USA; Duke returned to Europe '23 and wrote musicals in London, returning to the USA '29. He wrote many shows, also songs for others; set six songs from 'A Shropshire Lad'; also wrote a string quartet, violin sonata, concerti etc, and an autobiography Passport To Paris.

Of his excellent songs with originality and substance the best known include 'April In Paris' '32 (from Walk A Little Faster, lyrics by Yip Harburg); 'I Like The Likes Of You' and 'What Is There To Say' (from Ziegfeld Follies Of 1934, with Harburg); 'Autumn In New York' '35 (from Thumbs Up, also wrote lyrics); 'I Can't Get Started' (from Ziegfeld Follies Of 1936, with Ira Gershwin), 'Cabin In The Sky' and 'Taking A Chance On Love' (from Cabin In The Sky '40, filmed '43, lyrics by John Latouche).

He wrote a piano concerto for Arthur Rubinstein and a violin concerto for Jascha Heifitz; the latter was first played in 1943 but not recorded until c.2014, by Elmira Darvarova, with the ORF Radio orchestra of Vienna, conductor Scott Dunn on the Urlicht label.