The Sweetest Sounds: Tribute to Rodgers & Hammerstein

The eyes had it. Or at least in one of the later photographs of Richard Rodgers, you could see the sadness . . . the losses. Rodgers and Hammerstein changed the face of Broadway.  Their successes were phenomenal and although they wrote in the 1940s and 1950s, their work is still performed today on Broadway and in Road Shows around the country.  But Rodgers & Hammerstein, the duo, was not Richard Rodgers’ first foray into the Broadway Theater.  His first partnership with Lorenz Hart set the stage for what was to be a lifetime of magic on Broadway and in the movies.

One of the greatest composers of all time, Richard Rodgers first composed music in shows like Babes in Arms, The Boys from Syracuse, and Pal Joey.  The songs that will live forever of Rodgers & Hart are: Where or When, My Funny Valentine, Falling In Love With Love, Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered, Wait Till You See Her, and more.

Later in Rodgers’ career, he worked with Oscar Hammerstein and composed music for shows like:  Oklahoma, Carousel, The King and I, Flower Drum Song, and The Sound of Music.  Richard Rodgers won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award. He was also awarded the Pulitzer Prize.  He is only one of two people to have received all of these awards.  Although he had a loving wife who loved him and two daughters who became successful in their own right, Richard Rodgers would struggle with his own demons throughout his lifetime.

The partnership of Rodgers and Hart was magical. I once said that one of the people I would hug in heaven was Lorenz Hart. Larry never felt good about himself. Yet he had one of the greatest gifts ever given to a man.  He could compose lyrics that were biting, insightful and sensuous.  He had it all, but he couldn’t see it.

Throughout their partnership, when Rodgers was very young, he struggled with Larry.  Although Rodgers was a great composer, he needed a great lyricist and Larry was all that and more. So Rodgers put up with the lateness and the alcoholism with which Larry struggled.  Toward the end of their partnership, it became harder and harder for Larry to “show up”.

In the 1940s, Rodgers had a new musical and he needed a lyricist who could write the music for this unusual show.  The play would later be called Oklahoma and the music would carry the show.  The music would be joyful and full of good cheer.  In Oscar Hammerstein, Rodgers found the perfect partner for this stage in his life.

Oklahoma was golden with theater goers and critics.  On the opening night, everyone was there to congratulate Rodgers and Hammerstein on their astonishing success.  One man made his way through the crowd and went up to Richard Rodgers and said “This is one of the greatest shows I’ve ever seen, and it’ll be playing 20 years from now.” This man was Lorenz Hart.  Every time I read this part it makes me cry.  Hart knew that his partnership with Rodgers was officially over. Deep in his heart he felt his career was over. Larry Hart’s demons had finally won and he died several months later.

Rodgers & Hammerstein produced one success after another.  They did have a few plays that did not do that well, but when you look at the body of their work with Oklahoma, The King and I, and The Sound of Music, one can only be in awe of such phenomenal success which has withstood the test of time.

Oscar Hammerstein passed away in 1960. Richard Rodgers lived another 19 years and he composed the music and wrote the lyrics for the musical, No Strings, by himself. He also worked with other talented artists like Stephen Sondheim. The picture that I refer to at the beginning of this piece was taken later in his life after the deaths of Hart and Hammerstein. I could see the sadness and loss in Richard Rodgers’ eyes.  It made me cry and want to do this tribute to these wonderful people.

One of our listeners wrote and requested that I play Julie Andrews and Rodgers & Hammerstein. So listen for Julie (and many other wonderful singers), as well as the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein, on Friday, February 16th, at 2 pm Eastern / 11 am Pacific Time. By the way, Oscar Hammerstein’s favorite song was You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught.  I hope you enjoy this tribute to these extraordinary talents whose work will be with us forever.

“With a song in my heart” (this is a quote from Lorenz Hart who wrote this song).

Sherry