Hammerstein and rodgers biography books

20th-century American songwriting team

Rodgers and Hammerstein was a theater-writing team of composer Richard Composer (1902–1979) and lyricist-dramatist Oscar Lyricist II (1895–1960), who together actualized a series of innovative tell influential American musicals.

Their euphonious theater writing partnership has bent called the greatest of significance 20th century.^[1]

Their popular Broadway output in the 1940s and Decennary initiated what is considered distinction "golden age" of musical theater.^[2] Five of their Broadway shows, Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I and The Sound of Music, were not completed successes, as was the pack broadcast of Cinderella (1957).

Hotel california youtube spanish

Retard the other four shows nobility pair produced on Broadway close to their lifetimes, Flower Drum Song was well-received, and none was a critical or commercial fall end over end. Most of their shows enjoy received frequent revivals around rectitude world, both professional and unskilled. Among the many accolades their shows (and film versions loosen them) garnered were 34 County Awards,^[3] fifteen Academy Awards, match up Pulitzer Prizes (for Oklahoma!, 1944, and South Pacific, 1950) very last two Grammy Awards.

Previous tool and partnerships

At Columbia University, Composer and Hammerstein collaborated on high-mindedness 1920 Varsity Show, Fly Reap Me. The songs for rendering show were originally written descendant Rodgers (a freshman) and Zoologist Hart. Hammerstein, who was interruption the judging committee, added link songs in the revising stratum.

The three men collaborated restore on the 1921 Varsity Imply, You'll Never Know, with Lyricist as "Director of Production".^[4] Allowing Rodgers did not work opposed to Hammerstein again until Oklahoma!, they achieved success independently from bathtub other. Rodgers continued to 1 for more than two decades with Hart.

Among their indefinite Broadway hits were the shows A Connecticut Yankee (1927), Babes in Arms (1937), The Boys from Syracuse (1938), Pal Joey (1940), and By Jupiter (1942), as well as many composition film projects.^[5]

Hammerstein, a co-writer pale the popular Rudolf Friml 1924 operetta Rose-Marie, and Sigmund Composer operettas The Desert Song (1926) and The New Moon (1928), began a successful collaboration goslow composer Jerome Kern on Sunny (1925), which was a whack.

Their 1927 musical Show Boat is considered to be twofold of the masterpieces of birth American musical theater.^[6] Other Hammerstein/Kern collaborations include Sweet Adeline (1929) and Very Warm for May (1939). Although the last expend these was panned by critics, it contains one of Composer and Hammerstein's best-loved songs, "All the Things You Are".^[7]

By class early 1940s, Hart had subaquatic deeper into alcoholism and angry turmoil, and he became treacherous, prompting Rodgers to approach Lyricist to ask if he would consider working with him.^[8]

Early work

Oklahoma!

Main article: Oklahoma!

Independently of each newborn, Rodgers and Hammerstein had back number attracted to making a lyrical based on Lynn Riggs' intensity play Green Grow the Lilacs.

When Jerome Kern declined Hammerstein's offer to work on much a project and Hart refused Rodgers' offer to do significance same, Rodgers and Hammerstein began their first collaboration. The produce an effect, Oklahoma! (1943), marked a upheaval in musical drama. Although groan the first musical to announce a story of emotional profundity and psychological complexity, Oklahoma! naturalized a number of new fantasy elements and techniques.

These be part of the cause its use of song added dance to convey and nearing both plot and character, fairly than act as a detour from the story, and character firm integration of every theme agreement into the plot-line.

Oklahoma! was originally called Away We Go! and opened at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven bolster March 1943.

Only a unusual changes were made before business opened on Broadway, but trine would prove significant: the stop working of a show-stopping number, "Oklahoma!"; the deletion of the harmonious number "Boys and Girls Intend You and Me", which would soon after be replaced join a reprise of "People Liking Say We're in Love"; existing the decision to re-title integrity musical after the song.

The original Broadway production opened take-off March 31, 1943, at representation St. James Theatre. Although greatness typical musical of the in the house was usually written around honesty talents of a specific artiste, such as Ethel Merman deferential Fred Astaire, no stars were used in the production.

Eventually the original cast included King Drake (Curly), Joan Roberts (Laurey), Celeste Holm (Ado Annie), Histrion Da Silva (Jud Fry), Betty Garde (Aunt Eller), Lee Dixon (Will Parker) and Joseph Bulloff (Ali Hakim). Marc Platt danced the role of "Dream Curly", and Katharine Sergava danced honourableness part of "Dream Laurey".

Include Oklahoma!, the story and nobleness songs were considered more vital than sheer star power. But, the production ran for keen then-unprecedented 2,212 performances, finally definiteness on May 29, 1948. Various enduring musical standards come suffer the loss of this show, among them "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'", "The Surrey with the Fringe pull a fast one Top", "I Cain't Say No", the aforementioned "People Will Aver We're in Love", and "Oklahoma!".

The popularity of these songs prompted Decca Records to scheme the original cast record prestige music from the show free the original orchestrations. This became the first musical to scheme an original cast recording, which is now a standard practice.^[9]

In 1955 it was made attentive an Academy Award-winning musical skin, the first feature shot indulge the Todd-AO70 mmwidescreen process.

Authority film starred Gordon MacRae prosperous Shirley Jones, and its highest achievement was No. 1 on description 1956 album charts.^[10][11]

After their incipient success with Oklahoma!, the tumbledown took a break from vital together and Hammerstein concentrated marvel the musical Carmen Jones, fastidious stage version of Bizet's Carmen with the characters changed collision African Americans in the concomitant South, for which he wrote the book and lyrics.

Grandeur musical was adapted to decency screen in 1954, and scored a Best Actress Oscar office for leading lady Dorothy Dandridge. Rodgers and Hammerstein also usual a special Pulitzer Prize welcome 1944 for Oklahoma!.^[12]

Carousel

Main article: (musical)

The original production of Carousel was directed by Rouben Mamoulian and opened at Broadway's Terrible Theatre on April 19, 1945, running for 890 performances most recent closing on May 24, 1947.

The cast included John Raitt, Jan Clayton, Jean Darling, Christine Johnson and Bambi Linn. Running off this show came the beat musical numbers "The Carousel Waltz" (an instrumental), "If I Beloved You", "June Is Bustin' Build up All Over", and "You'll Not at any time Walk Alone".

Carousel was as well revolutionary for its time – adapted from Ferenc Molnár's arena Liliom, it was one shambles the first musicals to subtract a tragic plot about veto antihero;^[13] it also contained fleece extended ballet that was important to the plot, and many extended musical scenes containing both sung and spoken material, type well as dance.

The 1956 film version of Carousel, prefab in CinemaScope 55, again asterisked Gordon MacRae and Shirley Architect, the same leads as greatness film version of Oklahoma!

Carousel assignment also unique among the Composer and Hammerstein musicals for clump having an overture; both high-mindedness stage and film versions began with the familiar Carousel Waltz.

This music was included smile John Mauceri's Philips Records Record of the complete overtures exert a pull on Rodgers and Hammerstein with description Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. It was also included in Rodgers' meagre 1954 album for Columbia Registry with the composer conducting class New York Philharmonic Orchestra.^[14]

State Fair

Main article: State Fair (1945 film)

In 1945, a Technicolormusical film exchange of Phil Stong's novel State Fair, with songs and manuscript by Rodgers and Hammerstein, was released.

The film, a recreate of a 1933 non-musical Volition declaration Rogers film of the very name, starred Jeanne Crain, Dana Andrews, Dick Haymes, and Vivian Blaine. This was the solitary time the pair ever wrote a score directly for pick up. It was a great become involved, winning Rodgers and Hammerstein their lone Oscar together, for illustriousness song "It Might as Petit mal Be Spring",^[15] but it was also unadventurous material for them, compared with several of their Broadway shows.

In 1962, trace unsuccessful remake of the harmonious film was released.

In 1969, the St. Louis Municipal Composition presented the world stage opening of State Fair starring Ozzie and Harriet Nelson.^[16] The preparation was directed by James Lyricist, supervised by Richard Rodgers limit choreographed by Tommy Tune.

State Fair finally arrived on Echelon on March 27, 1996, free Donna McKechnie and Andrea McArdle, produced by David Merrick, famous received five Tony Award nominations.

South Pacific and important later works

South Pacific

Main article: South Peaceable (musical)

South Pacific opened on Tier on April 7, 1949, be proof against ran for over five geezerhood.

Its songs "Bali Ha'i", "Younger Than Springtime", and "Some Happy Evening" have become standards. Rendering play is based upon pair short stories by James Put in order. Michener from his book Tales of the South Pacific, which itself was the winner admire the Pulitzer Prize for Untruth in 1948. For their portrayal, Rodgers and Hammerstein, along liven up co-writer Joshua Logan, won rank Pulitzer Prize for Drama explain 1950.

The song "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught" was controversial due to its centre of interracial marriage. Rodgers countryside Hammerstein refused to remove dot from the show, even providing it meant the show fault. When the show was in Atlanta, Georgia, it anguished some Georgian lawmakers, who anticipated a bill to outlaw sizeable entertainment they deemed to superiority inspired by Moscow.^[17]

In the basic production, Mary Martin starred style the heroine Nellie Forbush, beginning opera star Ezio Pinza marked as Emile de Becque, blue blood the gentry French plantation owner.

Also extract the cast were Juanita Passage, Myron McCormick and Betta Lead. John. The 1958 film anecdote, also directed by Logan, marked Mitzi Gaynor, Rossano Brazzi, Bog Kerr, Ray Walston, and Juanita Hall. Brazzi, Kerr, and Passageway had their singing dubbed outdo others.

The King and I

Main article: The King and I

Based on Margaret Landon's Anna captivated the King of Siam—the yarn of Anna Leonowens, governess put your name down the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the perfectly 1860s—Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical The King and I opened pleasing the St.

James Theatre establish Broadway on March 29, 1951, starring Gertrude Lawrence as Anna and the mostly unknown Yul Brynner as the king. That musical featured the hit songs "I Whistle a Happy Tune", "Hello, Young Lovers", "Getting in a jiffy Know You", "We Kiss amuse a Shadow", "Something Wonderful", "I Have Dreamed", and "Shall Surprise Dance?"

The King and I was followed by Me and Juliet, which opened at the Imposing Theatre on May 28, 1953.

When Oklahoma! returned to Stratum on August 31, 1953, adapt The King and I, Me and Juliet and South Pacific all still playing, Rodgers shaft Hammerstein had four shows presence on Broadway at once.^[18]

The Paper and I was adapted round out film in 1956 with Brynner re-creating his role opposite Deborah Kerr (whose singing was remarkably dubbed by Marni Nixon).

Brynner won an Oscar as Eminent Actor for his portrayal, nearby Kerr was nominated as Outdistance Actress. Brynner reprised the r“le twice on Broadway in 1977 and 1985 and in topping short-lived TV sitcom in 1972, Anna and the King.

Cinderella

Main article: Cinderella

Based on the narration character and story of Woman, Rodgers and Hammerstein created their only collaborative effort written in line for television.

Cinderella aired on Go 31, 1957, on CBS. Finer than 107 million viewers saw nobleness broadcast, and Julie Andrews was nominated for an Emmy Give for her performance in probity title role.^[19][20][21] Rodgers and Lyricist originally signed to work identify NBC, but CBS approached them, offering the chance to see to with Julie Andrews, and dignity two quickly agreed.

Rodgers conjectural, "What won us over was the chance to work fitting Julie." Andrews played Cinderella, be smitten by Edith Adams as the Naiad Godmother, Kaye Ballard and Ill feeling Ghostley as stepsisters Joy impressive Portia, and Jon Cypher type Prince Christopher. Though it was broadcast in color, and primacy major networks all had position new (B&W) videotape recorders chomp through Ampex, a black and ashen kinescope is all that vestige.

It featured songs still prized today, "In My Own Small Corner", "Ten Minutes Ago" skull "Impossible: It's Possible." After dignity success of the 1957 manual labor, another version was presented dust 1965 and shown annually requisition CBS, starring Lesley Ann Hole, Stuart Damon, Celeste Holm take precedence Walter Pidgeon. Yet another meet version first aired in 1997 on ABC, produced by Walt Disney Television, starring Brandy, Producer Houston, Bernadette Peters, and Whoopi Goldberg.

Stage versions were as well presented in London and somewhere else, and the musical finally was given a Broadway production, colleague a revised book by Pol Carter Beane, and incorporating combine songs from the Rodgers suggest Hammerstein catalog, in 2013.

Flower Drum Song

Main article: Flower Membranophone Song

Based on a 1957 original by C.

Y. Lee, Flower Drum Song takes place attach San Francisco's Chinatown in prestige late 1950s. The original 1958 production was directed by dancer/singer/actor Gene Kelly. The story deals with a young Chinese girl who illegally comes to Usa in hopes of marrying excellent wealthy young Chinese-American man, who is already in love laughableness a Chinatown nightclub dancer.

Nobleness young man's parents are conventional Chinese and want him know marry the new Chinese colonist, but he is hesitant he falls in love catch on her. Though this musical outspoken not achieve the popularity bring into play the team's five most eminent musicals, it was nevertheless simple success and broke new delivery by using a mostly Asiatic cast.

The 1961 film version was a lavish, but all the more criticized, Ross Hunter production unattached by Universal Studios.^[22] A Acting revival in 2002 starring Pasture Salonga had a rewritten plan by playwright David Henry Hwang but retained the inter-generational talented immigrant themes as well thanks to most of the original songs.

The Sound of Music

Main article: The Sound of Music

The Climate of Music, Rodgers and Hammerstein's last work together, is homegrown on the story of excellence Austrian Von Trapp Family. Leading Mary Martin as Maria favour Theodore Bikel as Captain von Trapp, it opened on Lap at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre unease November 16, 1959, garnering often praise and numerous awards.

Produce has been frequently revived on any occasion since. The show was indebted into a film in 1965 starring Julie Andrews as Region and Christopher Plummer as magnanimity Captain. It won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Chief Director, Robert Wise. Hammerstein petit mal in August 1960, before class film was made, so during the time that Rodgers was asked to make two new songs for significance film ("I Have Confidence" nearby "Something Good"), he wrote excellence lyrics as well as say publicly music.^[23]The Sound of Music contains more hit songs than rustic other Rodgers and Hammerstein sweet-sounding, and the film version was the most financially successful vinyl adaptation of a Broadway lyrical ever made.

The most persisting of these include the headline song, "Do-Re-Mi", "My Favorite Things", "Climb Ev'ry Mountain", "So Grovel, Farewell" and "Sixteen Going escalation Seventeen". "Edelweiss" was the grasp song that Rodgers and Lyricist wrote together.^[24]

Legacy

Rodgers and Hammerstein re-worked the musical theater genre.

Completely 20th-century musicals, except for righteousness Princess Theatre musicals and well-ordered few important examples like Lyricist and Jerome Kern's Show Boat, were usually whimsical or derisory, and typically built around top-notch star. Because the efforts depose Rodgers and Hammerstein were fair successful, many musicals that followed contained thought-provoking plots with adult themes, and in which bell the aspects of the terrain, dance, song, and drama, were combined in an integrated full.

Stephen Sondheim has cited Composer and Hammerstein as having difficult a crucial influence on work.^[25]

Rodgers and Hammerstein also impartial the technique of what dreadful call the "formula musical". Extensively some hail this approach, nakedness criticize it for its likeness. The term "formula musical" possibly will refer to a musical succumb a predictable plot, but licence also refers to the inclination requirements of Rodgers & Lyricist characters.

Typically, any musical unearth this team will have illustriousness casting of a strong vocalist lead, a dainty and tight corner soprano lead, a supporting mid tenor, and a supporting countertenor lead. Although there are exceptions to this generalization, it simplifies the audition process and gives audiences an idea of what to expect vocally from tidy Rodgers and Hammerstein musical.

Even, this formula had been hand-me-down in Viennese operetta, such trade in The Merry Widow.

William Simple. Everett and Paul R. Laird wrote that Oklahoma!, "like Show Boat, became a milestone, consequently that later historians writing contemplate important moments in twentieth-century stage show would begin to identify eras according to their relationship adjacent to Oklahoma!"^[26] In The Complete Put your name down for of Light Opera, Mark City adds, "After Oklahoma!, Rodgers take up Hammerstein were the most look upon contributors to the musical-play modification – with such masterworks by the same token Carousel, The King and I and South Pacific.

The examples they set in creating key plays, often rich with general thought, provided the necessary incitement for other gifted writers work stoppage create musical plays of their own."^[1]

In 1950, the team staff Rodgers and Hammerstein received Nobleness Hundred Year Association of Another York's Gold Medal Award "in recognition of outstanding contributions dealings the City of New York."^{[citation needed]} They were also informal in 1999 with a Pooled States Postal Service stamp observance their partnership.^{[citation needed]} The Richard Rodgers Theatre in New Royalty City is named after Composer.

Forbes named Rodgers and Lyricist second on its list cue top-earning dead celebrities in 2009 at $235 million.^[27] In 2010, influence original film arrangements of glory team's music were restored contemporary performed at the Proms concerts in London's Royal Albert Entryway by the John Wilson Orchestra.^[28]

On television and film

Rodgers and Lyricist appeared on live telecasts assorted times.

They were guests realistic the very first broadcast elaborate Toast of the Town, rendering original name of The Demand Sullivan Show, when it debuted on CBS in June 1948.^{[citation needed]} In 1954, they attended on a memorable TV harmonious special, General Foods 25th Ceremony Show: A Salute to Composer and Hammerstein.^{[citation needed]} They were the mystery guests on affair number 298 of What's Tawdry Line, which first aired expound February 19, 1956; blindfolded critic Arlene Francis was able denote correctly identify them.^[29]

The pair bound a rare feature film manipulate in MGM's 1953 production Main Street to Broadway, in which Rodgers played the piano extort Hammerstein sang a song they had written.^[30] They also emerged in the trailer for greatness film version of South Pacific in 1958.^{[citation needed]}

Social issues

While Composer and Hammerstein's work contains animated and often uplifting songs, they departed from the comic significant sentimental tone of early Ordinal century musicals by seriously addressing issues such as racism, illiberality and classism in many dear their works.^[31][32] For example, Carousel concerns domestic violence,^[33] while South Pacific addresses racism.^[34] Based fight the true story of birth von Trapp family, The Correctly of Music explores the views of Austrians on the sequestration of Austria by Nazi Germany.^[35]

Work

See also

References

Sources

Further reading

External links