1. Richard Rodgers 1902-1979

2. Richard Rodgers - Born June 28, 1902 in NYC - Piano lessons by age 6 - Played by ear - Attended Columbia University where he met Lorenz Hart - Parents took him to the theater as a child

3. Rodgers & Hart - Duo wrote shows for London stage from 1913-1935 - Show titles not very well known today, yet individual songs have retained relative popularity - “My Funny Valentine” - “The Lady is a Tramp” - “Falling In Love With Love” - Wrote until Hart's death in 1943

4. Rodgers and Hammerstein - Rodgers began collaborating with Hammerstein in 1943 - Duo sparked new genre - “musical play” - Music often considered “folk like and simplistic” but also romantic - Considered the most successful partnership in Broadway history: - 34 Tony Awards - 15 Academy Awards - 2 Pulitzer Prizes - 2 Grammy Awards - 2 Emmy Awards

5. Rodgers and Hammerstein

6. The Sound of Music Richard Rodgers Easily considered the most popular of Rodgers and Hammerstein's musicals is The Sound of Music which opened in 1959 on Broadway. In 1965, it was turned into a major motion picture which is still widely popular today. The story is set in Austria at the onset of World War II and is based on the true story of the VonTrapp family.

7. Climb Every Mountain Richard Rodgers In exploring the music from Rodgers and Hammerstein's most famous musical, “Climb Every Mountain” stands out as a bit of foreshadowing as the Mother Superior advises the young heroine who is about to embark on an adventure as a governess to a motherless family with 7 children.

8. Climb every mountain, search high and low Follow every byway, every path you know Climb every mountain, ford every stream Follow every rainbow, til you find your dream A dream that will need all the love you can give Every day of your life for as long as you live Climb every mountain, ford every stream Follow every rainbow, til you find your dream A dream that will need all the love you can give Every day of your life for as long as you live Climb every mountain, ford every stream Follow every rainbow, til you find your dream - New verse, strings get more colorful and louder - Instruments rise in excitement and resolve into the chorus - Instruments match the lyrics and then play a final descending line to end the chorus - Key change Climb Every Mountain Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein Music: Richard Rodgers - Strings play a prominent melody along with the singing - An ascending line leads to the chorus again - Strings are playing loud syncopated embellishments - Instruments reach their highest energy so far, a powerful ending - The piece starts out with quiet swaying string section and low brass - Vocals start and a strumming harp comes in - Woodwinds come in between lyrics with simple and short lines

9. Edelweiss Richard Rodgers Edelweiss is a small white flower found in the high Alps, used in the movie to signify patriotism for Austria as the German Reich turned up the pressure for Austrians to fight for Germany. In the movie, it is sung as Nazi officials sit uneasy in their seats at the public display of Austrian patriotism.

10. Richard Rodgers In 1979, Rodgers died at the age of 77. In 1990, the 46 th Street Theater in New York City was renamed the Richard Rodgers Theater, and now houses an exhibit that honors his life and accomplishments. The Sound of Music as well as many of his other musicals still soar in popularity today.

11. References Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization “About Richard Rodgers” www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/richard- rodgers/about-richard-rodgers/690/ Notable Biographies “Richard Rogers” www.notablebiographies.com/Pu-Ro/Rodgers-Richard.html