The Sound of Music

The Sound of Music Students will prepare to watch the musical, The Sound of Music, by taking notes on the composers, historical information and discovering voice and ensemble types they will hear in the musical.

The Musical based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers The original Broadway production opened in November 1959 Written by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II

Rodgers and Hammerstein Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein Rodgers – music Hammerstein - lyrics Created a number of popular Broadway musicals in the 1940’s and 1950’s Considered the “Golden Age” of Broadway Musicals Their shows (and film versions) won 34 Tony Awards, 15 Academy Awards, the Pulitzer Prize and two Grammys.

Richard Rodgers Born June 28, 1902 Died December 30, 1979 American composer Wrote more that 900 songs for 43 Broadway Musicals Also wrote music for film and TV Before he worked with Oscar Hammerstein he wrote music with Lorenz Hart

Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart

Oscar Hammerstein Born July 12, 1895 Died August 23, 1960 American writer, producer and director He wrote 850 songs He always wrote the words (lyricist) to the music and worked with composers Jerome Kern, Vincent Yourmans, Rudolf Friml and Sigmund Romberg

Their Collaboration Hart was becoming more difficult to work with for Rodgers, and Jerome Kern had turned Hammerstein down, so the two worked together for the first time on Oklahoma! Before Rodgers and Hammerstein arrived on the Broadway scene, musicals were largely built around a star and had fantastical or unrealistic stories. Rodgers and Hammerstein changed that by writing shows that had a story that was easy to follow, was realistic or made you think. All the parts of the show: the dancing, singing and music all worked together as a whole.

Formula Musical Some people call this a “formula musical.” In a formula musical there is always a male lead, a female lead, a male supporting role and a female supporting role. These are usually by voice type, too: Baritone, Soprano, Tenor and Alto. There is typically a predicable plot and all the music and dancing and singing go together.

The Sound of Music The Sound of Music was Rogers and Hammerstein’s last musical. Hammerstein died of cancer just 9 months after the show opened on Broadway. The last lyrics that Hammerstein wrote were the lyrics for “Edelweiss” Edelweiss, Edelweiss Every morning you greet me Small and white clean and bright You look happy to meet me Blossom of snow may you bloom and grow Bloom and grow forever Edelweiss, Edelweiss Bless my homeland forever.

The Movie 1965 Starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer

Voice types Soprano – highest female voice Mezzo-Soprano – “medium” female voice Alto – low female voice Tenor – highest adult male voice Baritone – mid-range adult male voice Bass – lowest adult male voice

Ensemble (musical group) types Solo – one person Duet – two people Trio – three people Quartet – four people Chorus – the entire cast or everyone Orchestra – the instruments that accompany the show. In Rogers and Hammerstein shows these instruments would include: violin, viola, cello, string bass, percussion, flute, oboe, clarinet, maybe bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, maybe tuba, French horn

The Sound of Music Students will prepare to watch the musical, The Sound of Music, by taking notes on the composers, historical information and discovering voice and ensemble types they will hear in the musical.