Best Selling Books by Oscar Hammerstein

Oscar Hammerstein II is arguably the greatest innovator in the history of American musical theater. This rich collection of his letters not only sheds light on the Golden Age of Broadway theater and its major figures but also reveals a man with a fine sense of humor who was deeply engaged in social activism.

From every “beautiful mornin’” to “some enchanted evening,” the songs of Oscar Hammerstein II are part of our daily lives, his words part of our national fabric. Born into a theatrical dynasty headed by his grandfather and namesake, Oscar Hammerstein II breathed new life into the moribund art form of operetta by writing lyrics and libretti for such classics as Rose-Marie (music by Rudolf Friml), The Desert Song (Sigmund Romberg), The New Moon (Romberg) and Song of the Flame (George Gershwin). Hammerstein and Jerome Kern wrote eight musicals together, including Sweet Adeline, Music in the Air, and their masterpiece, Show Boat. The vibrant Carmen Jones was Hammerstein’s all-black adaptation of the tragic opera by Georges Bizet. In 1943, Hammerstein, pioneer in the field of operetta, joined forces with Richard Rodgers, who had for the previous twenty-five years taken great strides in the field of musical comedy with his longtime writing partner, Lorenz Hart. The first Rodgers and Hammerstein work, Oklahoma!, merged the two styles into a completely new genre—the musical play—and simultaneously launched the most successful partnership in American musical theater. Over the next seventeen years, Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote eight more Broadway musicals: Carousel, Allegro, South Pacific, The King and I, Me and Juliet, Pipe Dream, Flower Drum Song, and The Sound of Music. They also wrote a movie musical (State Fair) and one for television (Cinderella). Collectively their works have earned dozens of awards, including Pulitzers, Tonys, Oscars, Grammys, and Emmys. Throughout his career, Hammerstein created works of lyrical beauty and universal feeling, and he continually strove—sometimes against fashion—to seek out the good and beautiful in the world. “I know the world is filled with troubles and many injustices,” he once said. “But reality is as beautiful as it is ugly . . . I just couldn’t write anything without hope in it.” All of his lyrics are here—850, more than a quarter published for the first time—in this sixth book in the indispensable Complete Lyrics series that has also brought us the lyrics of Cole Porter, Lorenz Hart, Ira Gershwin, Irving Berlin, and Frank Loesser. From the young scribe’s earliest attempts to the old master’s final lyric—“Edelweiss”—we can see, read, and, yes, sing the words of a theatrical and lyrical genius.

"Material contained herein, in a different form, copyrighted 1951 by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II, renewed 1979."--Title page verso.

An illustrated collection of sixteen songs by Rogers and Hammerstein.

RODGERS + HAMMERSTEIN''S CINDERELLA: THE COMPLETE BOOK AND LYRICS OF THE BROADWAY MUSICA

The King and I opened on Broadway on March 29, 1951. The musical is based on a 1944 novel by Margaret Landon, Anna and the King of Siam, which in turn was adapted from the real-life reminiscences of Anna Leonowens, as recounted in her own books, The English Governess at the Siamese Court and The Romance of the Harem. It is 1862 in Siam when an English widow, Anna Leonowens, arrives with her young son at the Royal Palace in Bangkok, having been summoned by the King to serve as tutor to his many children and wives. The King is largely considered to be a barbarian by those in the West, and he seeks Anna''s assistance in changing his image, if not his ways. With both keeping a firm grip on their respective traditions and values, Anna and the King grow to understand and, eventually, respect one another in a truly unique love story. Along with the dazzling score, the incomparable Jerome Robbins ballet The Small House of Uncle Thomas is one of the all-time marvels of the musical stage.

Pipe Dream is the seventh musical by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II; it premiered on Broadway on November 30, 1955. The work is based on John Steinbeck''s short novel Sweet Thursday - Steinbeck wrote the novel, a sequel to Cannery Row, in the hope of having it adapted into a musical. Set in Monterey, California, the musical tells the story of the romance between Doc, a marine biologist, and Suzy, who in the novel is a prostitute; her profession is only alluded to in the stage work. Pipe Dream was a flop and a financial disaster for Rodgers and Hammerstein.

RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN''S SOUTH PACIFIC: THE COMPLETE BOOK AND MUSICAL

Rodgers and Hammerstein''s beloved song from The Soundof Music has captured hearts for generations. Now acclaimed illustrator Renée Graef''s heartwarming illustrations give it new meaning. Complete with its score, My Favorite Things is perfect for reading and sharing.

Rodgers + Hammerstein''s Cinderella is the new Broadway adaptation of the classic musical. This contemporary take on the classic tale features Rodgers & Hammerstein''s most beloved songs, including "In My Own Little Corner," "Impossible/It''s Possible" and "Ten Minutes Ago," alongside an up-to-date, hilarious and romantic libretto by Tony Award-nominee Douglas Carter Beane. Originally presented on television in 1957 starring Julie Andrews, Rodgers & Hammerstein''s Cinderella was twice remade for television, first in 1965 for Lesley Ann Warren and again in 1997, featuring Brandy and Whitney Houston. The original Broadway production of Rodgers + Hammerstein''s Cinderella opened in 2013 and starred Laura Osnes, Santino Fontana, Victoria Clark and Harriet Harris. Nominee: Nine 2013 Tony Awards, including Best Book of a Musical and Best Revival of a Musical Winner! 2014 Tony Award for Best Costume Design for a Musical Winner! Three 2013 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Orchestrations

"Set against the colorful backdrop of an American heartland tradition, State Fair travels with the Frake family as they leave behind the routine of the farm for three days of adventure at the annual Iowa State Fair. Mom and Pop have their hearts set on blue ribbons, while their children Margy and Wayne find romance and heartbreak on the midway."--Back cover

10 piano duet arrangements for late intermediate-level students as arranged for Williamson Music by David Carr Glover, including: Climb Ev''ry Mountain * Do-Re-Mi * Edelweiss * The Lonely Goatherd * Maria * My Favorite Things * An Ordinary Couple * Sixteen Going on Seventeen * So Long, Farewell * The Sound of Music.

The scripts and lyrics of six of their most popular musicals.