Audiences recognize Michael Feinstein as a singer of classic love songs, but few people know he's also an accomplished musicologist.

WIth Michael Feinstein's concert cancelled due to the snow, his fans can cozy up to his recordings in the comfort of their homes. Click photo for larger image. Listen In Hear excerpts from Michael Feinstein's five favorite love songs: "Love is Here to Stay" written by George and Ira Gershwin, performed by Ella Fitzgerald "My Romance" written by Rodgers and Hart, performed by Carmen McRae "As Time Goes By" written by Herman Hupfeld, performed by Tony Bennett "I Won't Send Roses" written by Jerry Herman, performed by Michael Feinstein "They Say It's Wonderful" written by Irving Berlin, performed by Sarah Vaughan

After graduating from high school in Ohio, he performed in Los Angeles piano lounges and eventually made the acquaintance of songwriter Ira Gershwin. In the six years he worked as Gershwin's assistant, Feinstein cataloged the 1,200 published songs of Gershwin's younger brother, George, and gained an understanding and appreciation of the classic music of the American song book.

"I'm not snobbish about it, but I don't listen to a lot of contemporary music simply because I don't hear a lot that interests me in the way the classic material interests," said Feinstein, whose scheduled appearance tonight at Heinz Hall fell victim to the snowfall.

"Those writers of the classic era sweated bullets. I mean, they worked so damned hard. I think the work ethic has changed because of shows like 'American Idol' making people think they can do anything instantly. [Classic songwriters], I think, had a greater appreciation of the English language and the eloquence of it, and also the melting pot of New York [where many of them were raised] conspired to create a great inspiration for these writers."

Until the weather forced a cancellation, Feinstein was to have sung some of his favorites in a Valentine's Day concert, backed by a five-piece jazz combo.

Instead, you'll have to settle for the singer's comments on his five favorite love songs:

1. "Love Is Here to Stay" (George Gershwin)

"This would be No. 1 because it's a love song that was born out of a true-life situation. When George Gershwin died at the age of 38, Ira had to finish the lyric, and he really poured his heart into those words. Having spent six years with Ira, he did indeed talk about that song ... and I think of him when I sing it. That song has become one of the most beloved Gershwin creations, even though it was basically obscure until it was revived for Gene Kelly to sing in the movie 'An American in Paris' in 1951."

2. "My Romance" (Rodgers & Hart)

"Rodgers and Hart are unique writers of love songs because Lorenz Hart had a great deal of sadness in his life. He was a gay man and was not able to deal with it. He felt himself to be quite undesirable and unattractive and was a desperate alcoholic, and yet he poured extraordinary beauty and eloquence into his lyrics. His songs are frequently tinged with sadness and with yearning. [Broadway lyricist] Alan Jay Lerner said that Lorenz Hart was the saddest man he ever met."

3. "As Time Goes By" (Herman Hupfeld)

"It's a song that has a lyric that on the surface makes a lot of sense, and then in a certain way is oblique. But the resonance that the song has and the feeling puts listeners immediately in that take-a-breath 'ahhh' mode -- they all heave a sigh when I do that song. It's partially the accumulated history the song has gained and also a certain mood that happens with that melody that creates a very romantic experience."

4. "I Won't Send Roses" (Jerry Herman)

"That's a song I've recorded three times now in different forms because I love it so much. 'I Won't Send Roses' was originally sung by Robert Preston in 'Mack & Mabel' in 1974. It's an anti-love song because it's sung by a character who's warning the person who's in love with him that he's not going to send roses, he's not going to hold open the door, he's not going to do all the things that one expects a lover to do. And it's a killer lyric, the penultimate line: 'And should I love you, you would be the last to know / I won't send roses, and roses suit you so.' "

5. "They Say It's Wonderful" (Irving Berlin)

"It's from 'Annie Get Your Gun,' originally sung by the strident Ethel Merman. It's very poignant because it's about discovering love and the yearning for what someone feels [she] knows is true but hasn't yet experienced firsthand. The verse is, 'I've heard tales that could set my heart aglow / Wish I knew if the things I've heard are so,' and that sets up the chorus, which is all about hearing that love is a wonderful thing, but [she] doesn't know it yet."