Something Wonderful: Rodgers and Hammerstein's Broadway Revolution

Purdum, Todd S

ISBN 10: 1538537036 ISBN 13: 9781538537039

Publisher: Blackstone Audiobooks, 2018

Synopsis

[Read by the author - Todd S. Purdum]

A revelatory portrait of the creative partnership that transformed musical theater and provided the soundtrack to the American Century

They stand at the apex of the great age of songwriting, the creators of the classic Broadway musicals Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music, whose songs have never lost their popularity or emotional power. Even before they joined forces, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II had written dozens of Broadway shows, but together they pioneered a new art form: the serious musical play. Their songs and dance numbers served to advance the drama and reveal character, a sharp break from the past and the template on which all future musicals would be built.

Though different in personality and often emotionally distant from each other, Rodgers and Hammerstein presented an unbroken front to the world and forged much more than a songwriting team; their partnership was also one of the most profitable and powerful entertainment businesses of their era. They were cultural powerhouses whose work came to define postwar America on stage, screen, television, and radio. But they also had their failures and flops, and more than once they feared they had lost their touch.

Todd S. Purdum's portrait of these two men, their creative process, and their groundbreaking innovations will captivate lovers of musical theater, lovers of the classic American songbook, and lovers in general. He shows that what Rodgers and Hammerstein wrought was truly something wonderful.

About this title

About the Author

Todd S. Purdum is the author of An Idea Whose Time Has Come and A Time of Our Choosing. He is a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and a senior writer at Politico, having previously worked at The New York Times for more than twenty years, where he served as White House correspondent, diplomatic correspondent, and Los Angeles bureau chief. A graduate of Princeton University, he lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Dee Dee Myers, and their two children, Kate and Stephen.

Review

''Readers will learn the stories behind the music and how this most successful of writing duos crafted some of the finest musicals to grace the American stage...Something wonderful, indeed.'' --Booklist (starred review)

''Joyous, brisk, and gossipy...An exuberant celebration of musical genius.'' --Kirkus Reviews

''Purdum's anecdote-filled account is a sterling primer on the influential duo, both for newcomers to their work and to those looking to rekindle an old flame.'' --Publishers Weekly

''A scrupulously researched and infinitely fascinating history of the collaboration of Rodgers & Hammerstein -- two giants who propelled the musical theater to uncharted heights. Todd Purdum acknowledges the contribution of directors, orchestrators, composers of incidental music, designers, and performers who helped produce the seamless integration that influenced those of us who were their disciples. His book is a fair-minded appreciation of these gods but acknowledges that they had feet of clay. It is an impressive addition to the literature celebrating the American musical theater.'' --Harold Prince

''Rodgers and Hammerstein drew pictures, made lists. They understood and rewrote the longings of the heart. My favorite of their songs happens to be the book's title: 'Something Wonderful.' I have sung it live, on stage, on recordings, and with the man I felt the same way about. I love the intimacy of the stories Todd Purdum tells -- he shows himself to be especially sensitive to Oscar Hammerstein's special connection with Richard Rodgers.'' --Carly Simon

''Before there was Netflix and Hulu, some of the most gifted writers on the cultural landscape wrote beautiful and clever songs. And of the composers who bundled those songs together to accompany a story and thus gave us the Broadway musical, none have had more of an impact on the genre, or the business, than Rodgers and Hammerstein. Todd Purdum's book is a piece of American history you should devour, as nothing tells us about our times and ourselves quite like our songs.'' --Alec Baldwin

''A reminder in these tribalized times that musical theater, once so central to our culture, is still vividly alive -- and that the art's twin titans, Rodgers and Hammerstein, still matter deeply. Clear, precise, and passionate, this is a necessary book, and even better, one that is a joy to read.'' --James Kaplan, author of Frank: The Voice and Sinatra: The Chairman

About this edition

• Publisher: Blackstone Audiobooks
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 1538537036
• ISBN 13: 9781538537039
• Binding: Audio CD