DUKE, VERNON. One of Broadway’s master songwriters and also a classically trained musician; b. Vladimir Dukelsky , Parfianovka, Russia, ; d. Santa Monica, California, .
One of the classic Broadway composers, Duke escaped from Russia during the revolution and went to Europe. While there, he composed ballets for Diaghilev’s Ballet Russe. Although his training under such greats as Reinhold Gliere and Marian Dombrovsky seemed to promise him a...