Why Cole Porter’s melodies and lyrics produce musical magic

The sophisticated rhymes and erudite imagery of Cole Porter’s lyrics made him one of the nation’s preeminent songsmiths. But an overlooked element of Porter’s legacy is the music underlying those lyrics, which Rob Kapilow argues is essential to understanding the work’s genius. In honor of the composer’s 125th birthday this month, Kapilow joins Jeffrey Brown to offer his take on Cole Porter.