What did Hammerstein die of?
Hammerstein died of stomach cancer on August 23, 1960, at his home Highland Farm in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, aged 65, nine months after the opening of The Sound of Music on Broadway. The final song he wrote was " Edelweiss ", which was added near the end of the second act during rehearsal.
When did Rodgers and Hammerstein start working together?
The collaboration of composer Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) and lyricist/librettist Oscar Hammerstein II (1895-1960) began in 1943 with their landmark musical Oklahoma! Each man had already enjoyed a long and impressive career in musical theater.
What does Rodgers and Hammerstein mean?
Rodgers and Hammerstein refers to an influential, innovative and successful American musical theatre writing team consisting of composer Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and lyricist-dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960).
Who were Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein?
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II (Rodgers and Hammerstein) were a successful musical theatre writing duo in the 1940s and 50s.
What did Richard Rodgers die from?
Death and legacy Rodgers died in 1979, aged 77, after surviving cancer of the jaw, a heart attack, and a laryngectomy. He was cremated, and his ashes were scattered at sea. In 1990, the 46th Street Theatre was renamed the Richard Rodgers Theatre in his memory.
What did Hammerstein die of?
Stomach cancerOscar Hammerstein II / Cause of deathOscar Clendenning Hammerstein II died in his home in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, on August 23, 1960, a victim of stomach cancer. He left behind three children, William and Alice by Myra Finn and James by Dorothy Blanchard Jacobson.
When did Richard Rodgers die?
December 30, 1979Richard Rodgers / Date of deathRichard Rodgers, (born June 28, 1902, New York City—died Dec. 30, 1979, New York City), one of the dominant composers of American musical comedy, known especially for his works in collaboration with the librettists Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II.
Where did Richard Rodgers die?
New York, NYRichard Rodgers / Place of death
How do you pronounce Hammerstein?
0:191:05How to pronounce Rodgers and Hammerstein - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipRodgers and Hammerstein Rodgers and Hammerstein Rodgers and Hammerstein Rodgers and Hammerstein.MoreRodgers and Hammerstein Rodgers and Hammerstein Rodgers and Hammerstein Rodgers and Hammerstein.
How do you pronounce Oscar Hammerstein II?
0:020:43How To Pronounce Oscar Hammerstein - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipOscar hammerstein.MoreOscar hammerstein.
Is Richard Rodgers alive?
December 30, 1979Richard Rodgers / Date of death
How many musicals ran for over 1000 shows in the 1960s?
six musicalsWith a brutal winter just ahead, the traditional Broadway musical had a bounteous autumn harvest that stretched from 1964 through 1966. No less than six musicals that opened in this three year period ran for over a thousand performances – an unprecedented crop of long-running hits.
How many Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals are there?
Together, they created 11 musicals and received 35 Tony Awards, 15 Academy Awards, two Pulitzer Prizes, two Grammy Awards and two Emmy Awards. Many describe Rodgers and Hammerstein's body of work in the 1940s and 1950s as the “golden age” of musical theater.
What did Lorenz Hart do?
Lorenz Milton Hart (May 2, 1895 – November 22, 1943) was an American lyricist and half of the Broadway songwriting team Rodgers and Hart. Some of his more famous lyrics include "Blue Moon", "The Lady Is a Tramp", "Manhattan", "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered", and "My Funny Valentine". New York City, U.S.
What is Hammerstein's first name?
Oscar Hammerstein IIOscar Hammerstein II, (born July 12, 1895, New York, New York, U.S.—died August 23, 1960, Doylestown, Pennsylvania), American lyricist, musical comedy author, and theatrical producer influential in the development of musical comedy and known especially for his immensely successful collaboration with the composer ...
Why is Lorenz Hart important?
Lorenz Hart, byname Larry Hart, (born May 2, 1895, New York City—died Nov. 22, 1943, New York City), U.S. song lyricist whose commercial popular songs incorporated the careful techniques and verbal refinements of serious poetry.
How did Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein meet?
Rodgers and Hammerstein first met while the two were in college in the mid-1910s, but they would not work together professionally until several decades after that.
What year did Rodgers and Hammerstein get a stamp?
In 1998 Rodgers & Hammerstein were cited by Time Magazine and CBS News as among the 20 most influential artists of the 20th century and in 1999 they were jointly commemorated on a U.S. postage stamp. Collectively, the Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals have earned Tony, Oscar, Grammy, Emmy, Pulitzer, and Olivier Awards.
When did Rodgers and Hammerstein celebrate their centennial?
At the turn of the 21st century, the Rodgers and Hammerstein legacy continues to flourish, as marked by the enthusiasm that greeted their centennials, in 1995 and 2002, respectively. In 1995, Hammerstein's centennial was celebrated worldwide with commemorative recordings, books, concerts and an award-winning PBS special, Some Enchanted Evening.
How many Tony Awards did Rodgers and Hammerstein win?
Collectively, the musicals of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II earned 42 Tony Awards, 15 Academy Awards, two Pulitzer Prizes, two Grammy Awards and 2 Emmy Awards.
How many shows did Rodgers and Hart write?
Prolific on Broadway, in London and in Hollywood from the '20s into the early '40s, Rodgers & Hart wrote more than 40 shows and film scores. Among their greatest were ON YOUR TOES, BABES IN ARMS, THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE, I MARRIED AN ANGEL and PAL JOEY.
What was the first musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein?
Oklahoma!, the first Rodgers & Hammerstein musical, was also the first of a new genre, the musical play, representing a unique fusion of Rodgers' musical comedy and Hammerstein's operetta.
What musicals did Hammerstein play on Broadway?
In 1995, Hammerstein's centennial was celebrated worldwide with commemorative recordings, books, concerts and an award-winning PBS special, "Some Enchanted Evening." The ultimate tribute came the following season, when he had three musicals playing on Broadway simultaneously: SHOW BOAT (1995 Tony Award winner, Best Musical Revival); THE KING AND I (1996 Tony Award winner, Best Musical Revival); and STATE FAIR (1996 Tony Award nominee for Best Score.)
When did Rodgers and Hart come back to Broadway?
Their score introduced "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World," "My Romance" and "Little Girl Blue," and Rodgers & Hart were back on Broadway. From 1936 to 1943 Rodgers & Hart wrote a series of Broadway musical comedies, each of which seemed to top the one before in terms of innovation and box office success.
Why were Rodgers and Hammerstein so successful?
Because the efforts of Rodgers and Hammerstein were so successful, many musicals that followed contained thought-provoking plots with mature themes, and in which all the aspects of the play, dance, song, and drama, were combined in an integrated whole.
When did Rodgers and Hammerstein start writing?
Rodgers and Hammerstein began writing together before the era of the Tonys. Oklahoma! opened in 1943 and Carousel in 1945, but the first Tonys were not awarded until 1947.
What movie did Rodgers and Hammerstein play in?
The pair made a rare feature film appearance in MGM’s 1953 production Main Street to Broadway, in which Rodgers played the piano and Hammerstein sang a song they had written. [23] They also appeared in the trailer for the film version of South Pacific in 1958. [ citation needed]
What episode of What's My Line did Rodgers and Hammerstein appear on?
They were the mystery guests on episode number 298 of What’s My Line, which first aired on February 19, 1956; blindfolded panelist Bennett Cerf was able to correctly identify them. [22]
What are some examples of Rodgers and Hammerstein's work?
[24] [25] For example, Carousel concerns domestic violence, [26] while South Pacific addresses racism . [27] Based on the true story of the von Trapp family, The Sound of Music explores the views of Austrians to the takeover of Austria by the Third Reich. [28]
Did Rodgers and Hammerstein collaborate?
Prior to their partnership, both Rodgers and Hammerstein achieved success independently. Rodgers had collaborated for more than two decades with Lorenz Hart. Among their many 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 successful film projects. [4]
How did Rodgers work with Hammerstein?
Rodgers then took the lyricist's carefully polished words and quickly produced the appropriate music to support the text. Working with Hammerstein brought a change to Rodgers' musical style. The typical thirty-two-bar forms of Rodgers' earlier work became less predictable as the musical forms were altered to fit Hammerstein's lyrics, producing many songs which were so fundamental to the thrust of the show that they often carried plot or character development.
What is the name of the book that describes Rodgers and Hammerstein?
Taylor, Deems. Some Enchanted Evenings: The Story of Rodgers and Hammerstein. New York, Harper & Brothers, 1953.
What were the most successful shows of Rodgers and Hammerstein?
The first of these, Carousel (1945) was hugely successful and proved that Oklahoma! had been no mere flash in the pan. Rodgers and Hammerstein dominated the Broadway scene for two further decades. South Pacific (1949) brought them a second Pulitzer Prize for Drama (awarded in 1950), and was followed by The King and I (1951) and The Sound of Music (1959). All enjoyed long runs, critical recognition, and commercial success, and all were made into popular films. The pre-eminent composer/lyricist position that the partnership held was ended with Hammerstein's death from cancer in 1960. Rodgers continued to compose, writing some of his own lyrics, but nothing in his later life equaled the sustained flood of musical and dramatic brilliance that he and Hammerstein had created together.
Who was Hammerstein's mentor?
The well-established lyricist/librettist Otto Harbach had been Hammerstein's mentor, and the two became full-fledged colleagues in 1920. Through the 1920s Hammerstein shared lyricist's responsibilities with Harbach for several important shows: Wildflower (music by Vincent Youmans ,1923); Rose-Marie (music by Rudolf Friml, 1924); Sunny (music by Jerome Kern, 1925); Song of the Flame (music by George Gershwin and Herbert Stothart, 1925); and The Desert Song (music by Sigmund Romberg, 1926). Then, in 1927, Hammerstein and Kern wrote what many historians consider their masterpiece: Show Boat. In this work Kern and Hammerstein took American themes and musical idioms and infused them with a dramatic coherence and intensity that changed the landscape of musical theater. Hammerstein's career seemed secure. He went on to write The New Moon with Romberg in 1928 and Sweet Adeline with Kern in 1929 but, surprisingly, the 1930s brought little of the recognition he had enjoyed in the 1920s. Although Music in the Air with Kern in 1932 was well received, other shows did not prosper—not even Very Warm for May with Kern in 1939, which included the much-recorded song "All the Things You Are." Hammerstein had worked steadily through the 1930s writing and directing some productions, but by the 1940s, he needed a new challenge; that challenge appeared in the person of Richard Rodgers.
Who was Richard Rodgers' friend?
Nevertheless, Rodgers wanted to continue the relationship with his close friend and creative partner of 25 years, and asked Hart to join him in a new project, turning Lynn Riggs' play Green Grow the Lilacs into a musical. Hart, who could write so compellingly about the darker sides of life, was not persuaded that this play provided good material for a musical and said no. Needful, therefore, of another collaborator for the new show, Rodgers turned to another old friend, Oscar Hammerstein II.
How many Rodgers musicals were there?
There were 42 Rodgers musicals on Broadway over the years, and revivals too numerous to mention. There were also a number of noted television series and specials with his music in the background.
How many songs did Rodgers and Hart have?
In 1975, a show called "Rodgers & Hart," celebrating the great days of the team, packed 98 songs into what one critic called "a champagne fizz of an evening" and "sheer fun."
Where was Oscar Hammerstein born?
Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II was born in New York City, the son of Alice Hammerstein (née Nimmo) and theatrical manager William Hammerstein. His grandfather was the German theater impresario Oscar Hammerstein I. His father was from a Jewish family, and his mother was the daughter of British parents. He attended the Church of the Divine Paternity, now the Fourth Universalist Society in the City of New York.
What award did Rodgers and Hammerstein receive?
In 1950, the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein received The Hundred Year Association of New York 's Gold Medal Award "in recognition of outstanding contributions to the City of New York.".
How did Hammerstein help bring the musical to maturity?
Described by Stephen Sondheim as an "experimental playwright", Hammerstein helped bring the American musical to new maturity by popularizing musicals that focused on stories and character rather than the lighthearted entertainment that the musical had been known for beforehand.
How many songs did Oscar Hammerstein write?
According to The Complete Lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein II, edited by Amy Asch, Hammerstein contributed the lyrics to 850 songs, including " Ol' Man River ", " Can't Help Lovin' That Man " and " Make Believe " from Show Boat; " Indian Love Call " from Rose-Marie; " People Will Say We're in Love " and " Oklahoma " (which has been the official state song of Oklahoma since 1953) from Oklahoma!; " Some Enchanted Evening ", from South Pacific; " Getting to Know You " and " Shall We Dance " from The King and I; and the title song as well as " Climb Ev'ry Mountain " from The Sound of Music.
What musicals did Hammerstein write?
The partnership went on to produce not only the aforementioned, but also other Broadway musicals such as Allegro, Me and Juliet, Pipe Dream, Flower Drum Song , and The Sound of Music, as well as the musical film State Fair (and its stage adaptation of the same name ), and the television musical Cinderella, all featured in the revue A Grand Night for Singing. Hammerstein also wrote the book and lyrics for Carmen Jones, an adaptation of Georges Bizet 's opera Carmen, with an all-black cast that became a 1943 Broadway musical and a 1954 film, starring Dorothy Dandridge.
What was Hammerstein's father's role in the theatre?
Although Hammerstein's father managed the Victoria Theatre and was a producer of vaudeville shows, he was opposed to his son's desire to participate in the arts.
When did Hammerstein start playing in the Varsity Show?
After his father's death, in June 1914, when he was 19, he participated in his first play with the Varsity Show, entitled On Your Way. Throughout the rest of his college career, Hammerstein wrote and performed in several Varsity Shows.
Did Richard Rodgers work from the words?
But I do think the fact that Rodgers worked from the words first had a deepening effect on his music and a deepening effect on the meaning of the songs. It wasn't just that Oscar was trying to fit some clever words to a pre-existing tune. Richard Rodgers saw the words on the page, and they definitely deeply affected and reflected what he wrote in the music.
Is Sondheim under illusions?
PURDUM: No, Sondheim is under no illusions. He's thinks Oscar Hammerstein saved his life. And, you know, he once said that Oscar was a man of limited talent and infinite soul, and Richard Rodgers was a man of infinite talent and limited soul. So he's under no illusion s about Hammerstein's shortcomings as a lyricist and his fondness for bird and fauna and flora and stars and astrological metaphors. There's an awful lot of that kind of overripe, romantic, 1920s kind of language in Hammerstein's lyrics.
Did Rodgers and Hart have a long partnership?
GROSS: So before there was a Rodgers and Hammerstein, there was a Rodgers and Hart. Rodgers and Hart had a very long partnership. Hart's death officially ended their partnership, but it was already ending. So before we get to how Hammerstein entered the picture, why were things between Rodgers and Hart so rocky at the end?
Previous Work and Partnerships
Early Work
- Oklahoma!
Oklahoma! was originally called Away We Go!and opened at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven in March 1943. Only a few changes were made before it opened on Broadway, but three would prove significant: the addition of a show-stopping number, “Oklahoma!”; the deletion of the musical nu… - Carousel
Carousel was also revolutionary for its time – adapted from Ferenc Molnár’s play Liliom, it was one of the first musicals to contain a tragic plot about an antihero; it also contained an extended ballet that was crucial to the plot, and several extended musical scenes containing both sung an…
South Pacific and Important Subsequent Works
- South Pacific
In the original production, Mary Martin starred as the heroine Nellie Forbush, and opera star Ezio Pinza starred as Emile de Becque, the French plantation owner. Also in the cast were Juanita Hall, Myron McCormick and Betta St. John. The 1958 film version, also directed by Logan, starred Mit… - The King and I
It was adapted for film in 1956 with Brynner re-creating his role opposite Deborah Kerr (whose singing was largely dubbed by Marni Nixon). Brynner won an Oscar as Best Actor for his portrayal, and Kerr was nominated as Best Actress. Brynner reprised the role twice on Broadway in 1977 a…
Legacy
- Rodgers and Hammerstein re-worked the musical theatre genre. Early 20th-century musicals, except for the Princess Theatre musicals and a few important examples like Hammerstein and Jerome Kern’s Show Boat, were usually whimsical or farcical, and typically built around a star. Because the efforts of Rodgers and Hammerstein were so successful, many musicals that follo…
on Television and Film
- Rodgers and Hammerstein appeared on live telecasts several times. They were guests on the very first broadcast of Toast of the Town, the original name of The Ed Sullivan Show, when it debuted on CBS in June 1948. They were the mystery guests on episode number 298 of What’s My Line, which first aired on February 19, 1956; blindfolded panelist Bennett Cerf was able to correctly id…
Social Issues
- While Rodgers and Hammerstein’s work contains cheerful and often uplifting songs, they departed from the comic and sentimental tone of early 20th century musicals by seriously addressing issues such as racism, sexism and classism in many of their works. For example, Carousel concerns domestic violence, while South Pacific addresses racism. Based on the true …
Further Reading
- Nolan, Frederick (2002). The Sound of Their Music: The Story of Rodgers and Hammerstein. New York: Applause Books. ISBN 1-55783-473-3.
External Links
- Rodgers and Hammerstein
- Rodgers and Hammerstein Discography at Discogs
- Rodgers and Hammerstein Timemagazine’s “100 most influential artists”
- Rodgers and Hammerstein Columbia University Encyclopedia