dual personalities

Today we toast Oscar Hammerstein II (July 12, 1895 – August 23, 1960) who was an American librettist, theatrical producer, and (usually uncredited) theatre director of musicals for almost forty years. Hammerstein won eight Tony Awards and two Academy Awards for Best Original Song.

And he was an Episcopalian.

Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II co-wrote 850 songs. You know most of them: Ol’ Man River, Make Believe, Indian Love Call, People Will Say We’re in Love, Some Enchanted Evening, If I Loved You, The Last Time I Saw Paris, It Might as Well Be Spring, Getting to Know You, Shall We Dance, Climb Ev’ry Mountain… the list literally goes on and on. And everybody knows them and sings them…even Bob Dylan.

The final song Hammerstein wrote was “Edelweiss,” which was added near the end of the second act of The Sound of Music during rehearsal. As a child, it was one of my favorites. My friend Nancy and I would sing it during recess at school while swinging or walking around the playground. In fifth grade I and three (or four?) other girls tried out for the talent show at school singing “Edelweiss” in harmony, but we didn’t make it in. Hard to believe. I’m sure we were great.

Sidebar: speaking of music, I did hear good news: Gregory Alan Isakov has a new album releasing in October.

So make a note.

Anyway, back to Oscar Hammerstein. He died in 1960 shortly after the opening of The Sound of Music on Broadway. His ashes were buried in Hartsdale, New York.  A memorial plaque was unveiled at Southwark Cathedral in England, on May 24, 1961–a nice thing for an Episcopalian.

So a toast to the great Oscar Hammerstein II! It might be time to dust off The King and I (1956). My DP reminded me that yesterday was the birthday of the great Yul Brynner.

So there you go.