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Irving Berlin (18881989)

ARTIST OF THE WEEK

Irving Berlin

Millennium Journal by Paul Lavenhar

Page 26 Artist

Christopher Ku at Galleria West

Page 25 KidstArt

Program Feature

Page25 Symphony’s

Millennium Score Page 24

Popcorn Reviews

Flawless

Page 24

Scotch Plains Author Helps Usher in 2000 With Historic Datebooks

Continued on Page 24 One in “The Millennium Journal”

series, pictured above,” is “20th Century Fashion and The Changing Role of Women.”

By MICHELLE H. LePOIDEVIN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

SCOTCH PLAINS – Even those individuals donning sandwich boards, proclaiming, “The End of the World is Near” in fearful antici pation of the new millennium

will need to keep their appointments straight. And, what better way than “The Millennium Journal,” a datebook with historical essays on the past thousand years by Paul Laventhar of Scotch Plains.

Developed by Affinity Publishing Group in Shrewsbury and the calendar and poster manufacturer ATAGLANCE Group, Mr. Laventhar was approached by

SidneyN. Y.based ATAGLANCE to give the datebook more flavor by providing a thematic series of essays on American culture and historic events.

“They asked me to jazz it up,” noted Mr. Laventhar who has worked for the past 15 years in a marketing and communications agency crafting brochures, Web pages and his advertising projects. “I thought this was a great opportunity to have some fun.”

“The Millennium Journal,” is available in different versions with separate themes such as “20 th Century Fashion and The Changing Role of Women,” “Dance and Music in the 20 th Century,” and other volumes which explore aviation, war and sports during the 1900s.

Each book has its own cover featuring a collage of pictures from days gone by – a virtual flashback in one’s mind as to how dance steps evolved or the leaps and bounds made in the world of fashion design.

We know him as Irving Berlin, but the musician known as Israel Beilin was born on May 11, 1888 around Byelorussia before coming to the Big Apple in 1893.

At 13 years of age, Berlin’s father died and he had to work as a singing waiter in a Chinatown café. “Marie from Sunny Italy,” Berlin’s first tune, was published in 1907 and his first hit song, “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” topped the charts when Berlin was 23.

“White Christmas,” was one of Berlin’s most famous melodies, but he also composed other favorites such as “Blue Skies,” “Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better,” “Puttin’ on the Ritz” and “Easter Parade.”

Berlin composed 17 complete scores for musicals on the Great White Way, including Miss Liberty, Mr. President, Call Me Madam

and the everpopular Annie Get Your Gun. Hollywood movie musical scores by Berlin have included

Home Alone, The Jazz Singer, There’s No Business Like Show Business and Follow the Fleet.

Cofounder of the ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers), Berlin founded his own music publishing company.

One of the most productive music composers of our time, Berlin died at the age of 101 in his sleep in New York City.

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