Review (PDF) The Sound Of Their Music: The Story Of Rodgers And Hammerstein (Applause Books)
The greatest partnership in the history of the musical, captured in print, wonderfully illustrated. For this new edition, the book has been completely rewritten and substantially expanded to include material on Rodgers' early career with Lorenz Hart as well as his later work, and also features recollections from such theatrical titans as Sheldon Harnick, Martin Charnin, Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents. Also, a completely new appendix reveals the details of the continuing worldwide phenomenon of Rodgers and Hammerstein's work up to and including the 2002 centennial year for Rodgers.
Series: Applause Books
Hardcover: 327 pages
Publisher: Applause Books; Revised edition (September 1, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1557834733
ASIN: B003V1WEN6
Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.9 x 9.4 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #2,759,726 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #90 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Sheet Music & Scores > Composers > Hammerstein #95 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Sheet Music & Scores > Composers > Rodgers #348 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Sheet Music & Scores > Forms & Genres > Musicals
Frederick Nolan tells the story of Rodgers and Hammerstein both as a team and as separate people. Indeed there is a good deal of space allotted to their careers BEFORE they ever worked together. But after they team up the narrative becomes more lively and a real page turner, at least partly because Nolan's style is graceful and charming in itself. He seems to have read everything written about them, even going so far as to watch TV kinescopes of them from the 1950s, and he talked to many people who knew them, worked with them.It's the backstage stories that make the book sing. Practically every page has a at least one fascinating anecdote. And he doesn't sugar-coat their personalities--Rodgers's curtness, even cruelty, and Hammerstein's insecurity, tendency to swallow his pride.It's hard to read the book without singing to yourself. My God, what songs these two wrote! But more than that, what dramatists they were; they broke convention again and again and mostly successfully.Pull out your recordings of Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific and start reading!
I bought this book on a whim and couldn't put it down. What a fabulous look into the private and public lives of two of the most gifted artists of the 20th century. As a boomer, I grew up with the Beatles and rock and heavy metal. Reading this book and my limited exposure to the music of R&H has inspired me to buy some of their beautifully written music and lyrics.
I enjoyed reading the story of these two great musical geniuses. There aren't too many books about Oscar Hammerstein II. I didn't know that Mr. Hammerstein was one who loved all people, no matter their race. Great reading to see how music is created
I was expecting more of a book about the colaborations of Rodgers & Hammerstein. Yes there is some of that - the first chapter is great talking about Oklahoma! But, from there it goes way too deep for my tastes into every little detail of their lives before they ever got together. Then it sort of skims over what I really wanted to read, which was some of the backstage stories about their big shows.Overall, although it was interesting, I found it rather boring and it took me a long time to get through it.
Love the back stories in this volume. I'm a lifelong lover of their music, and hadvthenhonor of meeting Richard Rogers later in his career (post Hammerstein). I was present in the studio when they were recording the demos of "Two By Two" and as the singers, conductor and orchestra were running through the songs for the first time. It was real hush-hush so NO ONE had even seen the score until that day. Well, the conductor, Arnold Goland and soprano Anita Darian were my friends, so there ai was, safely seated in the controll room. After the third song I felt a tap on my shoulder and a question, "How do you know these songs?". "Oh, I don't," I said, as I turned around and looked straight into the eyes of Richard Rogers! (OMG, had I been singing along?!!!). Suffice to say that I fumfered around, with my teeth caught in my tongue...BUT when RR discovered I didn't read music, but could pick it up quickly if it was "catchy.". He turned around and shouted to Marty Charnin, "Marty, we have a hit!". Really not. However, one song made it to Tony Bennt who proclaimed "I Do Not Know A Day I Did Not Love You" his favorite recording. Wish everyone could also hear Anita Darian's version from that demo session. It, too, hits the spot.
Lots of ol older names I didn't recall. But a well written chronical of the plays and the songs I'll never forget. Makes me want to seek other books about this great team.
The Sound of Their Music: The Story of Rodgers and Hammerstein (Applause Books) Rodgers & Hammerstein's The King and I: The Complete Book and Lyrics of the Broadway Musical (The Applause Libretto Library Series) Rodgers & Hammerstein Solos for Kids: 14 Classic Songs Voice and Piano with a recording of Performances by Kids and Accompaniments Rodgers and Hammerstein: Carousel- Vocal Selections, Revised Edition The Songs of Rodgers & Hammerstein: Baritone/Bass with CDs of performances and accompaniments Book/2-CD Pack The Songs of Rodgers & Hammerstein: Belter/Mezzo-Soprano with CDs of performances and accompaniments Book/2-CD Pack Getting to Know You!: Rodgers and Hammerstein Favorites Rodgers & Hammerstein Revisited Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella Rodgers & Hammerstein Piano Duet Book (Catalog No. 00312691) Jazz Piano Masters Play Rodgers & Hammerstein: Artist Transcriptions for Piano RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN: The Illustrated Songbook Rodgers & Hammerstein For The Harp Rodgers & Hammerstein Paperback Songs Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella on Broadway South Pacific: Vocal Score by Rodgers, Richard, Hammerstein, Oscar (1981) Paperback Rodgers & Hammerstein For Ukulele Sound Innovations for String Orchestra -- Sound Development: Viola (Sound Innovations Series for Strings) Game Sound: An Introduction to the History, Theory, and Practice of Video Game Music and Sound Design (MIT Press) Sound Design: The Expressive Power of Music, Voice and Sound Effects in Cinema
