科尔·波特(Cole Porter 1891.6.9--1964.10.15),美国著名男音乐家 1891年6月9日，科尔·波特生于美国印第安纳州的秘鲁。6岁时的科尔就在母亲的辅助下猹始了音乐学习。10岁时，其完成了处女作“Song of the Birds”，后又发表了多部音乐作品。童少年时代科尔所展示出的音乐天赋已使人不容小视。 高中时代与耶鲁大学的求学生涯意味着科尔·波特的音乐创作又步入一个崭新的阶段。为各种学生组织及团体创作的超过300首音乐作品是这一阶段最有据的创作历程。\r 在百老汇的音乐创作巨星中，科尔·波特是独一无二的：他并不像同时代的人们那样模仿科恩；他也不像罗杰斯那样高产；既不像格什温那样雄心勃勃，也不像柏林那样简单朴素。波特就是波特，没有人的音乐能像他的那样特点鲜明，易于辨认。\r 波特在旋律创作方面的天赋可能不如和他同时代的大师们，如罗杰斯，柏林，但他对于音乐的感觉，对于音乐技巧的把握确实是同时代的其他人所无法比拟的。听波特的作曲，与其说它是灵光乍显，不如说它是极富创作力和想像力的佳作；与其说它温暖和富有感情，不如说它能够敏锐地抓住观众的心。波特的音乐是非常适合剧院的那种音乐形式：栩栩如生的氛围、微妙敏感的情绪和变幻无常的旋律。\r \r \r by Ron Wynn\r Many arguments could be generated over whether Cole Porter or Irving Berlin should be considered America's greatest tunesmith. Both wrote music and lyrics; it's clearly a pick 'em situation. Porter had violin and piano lessons as a child, pursued undergraduate studies at Yale (where he penned fight songs that endure to this day such as "Bulldog"), and studied law and music at Harvard, all courtesy of a rich grandfather. His grandfather was appalled Porter would consider music as a career and never forgave him. Porter was in the French army during World War I, and spent the '20s in Paris as the husband of a wealthy woman. He began scoring hits in that decade, though "I'm in Love Again," didn't click until 1929, though Porter wrote it in 1924. The list of Porter shows and films is immense; his lyrics were literate, sophisticated, yet could be charming, suggestive, even naughty. His first show was Paris in 1928; it included "Let's Do It." That was followed by Frenchmen in 1929 containing "You Do Something to Me." Porter returned to New York in 1930, but was a lifelong Parisian in his heart. Wake Up and Dream, The New Yorkers, The Gay Divorcee, Jubilee, Leave It to Me, and Kiss Me Kate are only a few of his marvelous shows. The song list is just as impressive; "What Is This Thing Called Love," "Love for Sale," "Anything Goes," "You're the Top," "Begin the Beguine," and "Count Your Blessings," for starters. There were also such films as Silk Stockings, Born to Dance, Broadway Melody of 1940, High Society, and Night and Day. Porter's legs were crushed by a horse in 1937, he endured numerous operations the rest of his life, as well as being a semi-invalid. He finally lost his right leg in 1958, only four years after his wife died. But his songs live on; numerous anthologies and songbooks devoted to his music have been issued and are available on CD, including the Smithsonian four-disc set issued in 1993.\r