The Sound of Music 50th Anniversary CD -- Plus a Contest

Well, ladles and jelly spoons, it has officially been a half a century since the Broadway premier of The Sound of Music. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original Broadway production, Sony has released a special commemorative CD of the original cast recording.

As is customary for these re-releases, this recording includes a number of bonus cuts, which here include a track from the long-out-of-print Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall. Three years before Julie Andrews would appear in what is now her most iconic role, she sang a parody version of The Sound of Music with Carol Burnett called "From Switzerland: The Pratt Family." The results are moderately amusing, but hardly memorable, but perhaps it will tide us over until Columbia decides to re-release the full CD. 

The two remaining bonus cuts are of marginally greater interest. There's a German version of "Edelweiss" culled from the first-ever Viennese production of The Sound of Music. And perhaps most interesting is the cut with Tommy Körberg, of Chess fame, doing a stirring rendition of "Climb Every Mountain" ("Sök dig till bergen").

And then there's the cast recording itself. Every year, in my musical-theater history course, we briefly (very briefly) discuss The Sound of Music, and I posit the notion that, while the show is a sentimental favorite among theatergoers, it in fact represents a regression in quality on the part of Rodgers and Hammerstein. A number of my students invariably react as though I've kicked a puppy. But these students are likely reflecting their affection for the movie version of "The Sound of Music," which in many respects is a considerable improvement over the stage show. Despite the immense popularity that the film has engendered, neither the film nor the stage play can even come close to the artistry of Oklahoma!, Carousel, or The King and I, nor even South Pacific, for that matter, and regular readers will recall that I consider South Pacific to be the most overrated musical ever.

But I must confess a certain fondness for The Sound of Music. I grew up listening to a bunch of LPs that my parents had of various stage shows and movie musicals, although in retrospect it's strange that they even had those LPs since they never really listened to music at all. But I did, and I greedily devoured the cast recordings to Godspell, Mame, and Oliver, as well as the soundtracks to "West Side Story" and "The Sound of Music." That's probably where my obsession with musical theater began, so I guess I have my parents to thank for that. I was particularly taken with "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria," and would flounce around the house singing it incessantly, singing all of the parts myself. (OK, so where does *that* fall on the Gay-O-Meter? Off the frickin' chart, huh?)

But I've never really been a fan of the cast recording of The Sound of Music. Perhaps my own initial fondness for the soundtrack has prevented me from ever truly enjoying the cast recording, or maybe it's because it was at this point in Mary Martin's career that her voice started to show some wear. In the '40s, Martin had a lovely resonance in her low notes and a slight delicacy to her upper range. But by the end of the '50s, Martin's lower range had become overly pronounced and mannish, while her upper range grew thin and raspy. So, I'll probably file this CD in my collection, and if I ever do get the urge to indulge in some old-fashioned R&H treacle, I'll probably just bust out the movie soundtrack or throw in the DVD.

And now, guys and dolls, for the fun part: The first ever EIKILFM trivia contest! I have an extra copy of the 50th anniversary CD to give away to one lucky reader. Below are five questions regarding The Sound of Music. Respond below with your answers, and in the very likely event that more than one person gets all of the questions correct, I'll select a winner randomly from those entries. (Don't worry about tipping other readers off to the answers. I won't publish the comments until I've selected a winner)

Good luck!

SOUND OF MUSIC TRIVIA CONTEST 

1. Name a song from the stage version of The Sound of Music that wasn't in the film.

2. Name a song from the film of The Sound of Music that wasn't in the stage version.

3. What was the last song that Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote together?

4. What role did Oscar Hammerstein *not* perform on The Sound of Music that he did perform on every other R&H show?

5. With what other show did The Sound of Music share its Best Musical Tony Award?

[CONTEST DEADLINE: 11/13/2009]

Comments

[AmyKB]

haha, "A number of my students invariably react as though I've kicked a puppy." I love that statement.

1. Ordinary Couple
2. Something Good
3. Edelweiss
4. he did the lyrics but not the book.
5. Fiorello!

[Uncle Ricky]

Chris:

Off the top of my head, early in the morning....

1. No Way To Stop It
2. Something Good
3. Edelweiss
4. Book Writer
5. Fiorello

[Drew J.]

1. "No way to stop it"
2. "I have Confidence" (Though I have seen an update version that includes this song)
3. "Edelweiss"
4. He did not write the book.
5. Fiorello!

[Amanda]

1. "How Can Love Survive"

2. "I Have Confidence"

3. "Edelweiss"

4. Lyricist of two extra songs for the film that Rogers had to write after Hammerstein died.

5. Fiorello!

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1238100099]

1. "No Way To Stop It" sung by Max, Elsa and the Captain

2. "I Have Confidence" (I looooove that song)

3. "Edelweiss"

4. Hammerstein at least contributed to writing the book on every other one of their shows. In this one, he did not.

5. Fiorello! and Sound of Music are the only two shows ever to share a best musical Tony Award in 1960.

Hi Chris,

My name is Zach, I'm a college student in New York City. I've been reading your blog every week for several years, to be honest I think I'm one of the people who found you by googling "Paolo Szot Gay" several years ago.

But I love your site, and your wonderfully articulate reviews. I often do take your advice and make decisions off of what you say, even more than the New York Times, because it seems we often agree.

So thank you for your site, and I'm excited to have finally commented!

Best,

Zach

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1238100099]

1. "No Way To Stop It" sung by Max, Elsa and the Captain

2. "I Have Confidence" (I looooove that song)

3. "Edelweiss"

4. Hammerstein at least contributed to writing the book on every other one of their shows. In this one, he did not.

5. Fiorello! and Sound of Music are the only two shows ever to share a best musical Tony Award in 1960.

Hi Chris,

My name is Zach, I'm a college student in New York City. I've been reading your blog every week for several years, to be honest I think I'm one of the people who found you by googling "Paolo Szot Gay" several years ago.

But I love your site, and your wonderfully articulate reviews. I often do take your advice and make decisions off of what you say, even more than the New York Times, because it seems we often agree.

So thank you for your site, and I'm excited to have finally commented!

Best,

Zach

[[email protected]]

1. Ordinary Couple
2. Something Good
3. Edelweiss
4. Book writer
5. Fiorello!

[Zach]

1. "No Way To Stop It" sung by Max, Elsa and the Captain

2. "I Have Confidence" (I looooove that song)

3. "Edelweiss"

4. Hammerstein at least contributed to writing the book on every other one of their shows. In this one, he did not.

5. Fiorello! and Sound of Music are the only two shows ever to share a best musical Tony Award in 1960.

Hi Chris,

My name is Zach, I'm a college student in New York City. I've been reading your blog every week for several years, to be honest I think I'm one of the people who found you by googling "Paolo Szot Gay" several years ago.

But I love your site, and your wonderfully articulate reviews. I often do take your advice and make decisions off of what you say, even more than the New York Times, because it seems we often agree.

So thank you for your site, and I'm excited to have finally commented!

Best,

Zach

[Encore Entertainment]

OK, so where does *that* fall on the Gay-O-Meter? Off the frickin' chart, huh?

Don't be so harsh on yourself. And as a straight guy, I used to go around singing I Have Confidence. So you're not alone.

[Jason]

1. An Ordinary Couple
2. I Have Confidence
3. Edelweiss
4. He didn't author the book
5. Fiorello!

I couldn't resist. Hahahaha

[Barry]

1) How Can Love Survive
2) Something Good
3) Edelweiss
4) producer
5) Fiorello!

[Todd]

1. How Can Love Survive?

2. I Have Confidence

3. Edelweiss

4. Book writer

5. Fiorello!

[Robbie]

I agree that the stage version is much weaker than RnH' other shows as a whole. I've actually never been much of a Mary Martin fan, either, so I guess that seals it. Also, I find the Pratt Family sketch to be genius.

1. Name a song from the stage version of The Sound of Music that wasn't in the film.
How Can Love Survive, which I think is an excellent song but unnecessary in the movie. Also No Way to Stop It or An Ordinary Couple.

2. Name a song from the film of The Sound of Music that wasn't in the stage version.
Something Good, or I Have Confidence

3. What was the last song that Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote together?
Edelwiess

4. What role did Oscar Hammerstein *not* perform on The Sound of Music that he did perform on every other R&H show?
He didn't write the book! I blame his ailing health. And in all honesty, the book for the stage show is very weak compared to Hammerstein's work.

5. With what other show did The Sound of Music share its Best Musical Tony Award?
Fiorello. Which I think is bunk.

[Kendra]

Here are my answers:
1. "How Can Love Survive" (though I believe it was used as underscoring inthe film version, it didn't appear as a song), "No Way to Stop It" and "An Ordinary Couple".
2. "I Have Confidence" and "Something Good".
3. "Edelweiss".
4. He didn't write the book.
5. Fiorello!

Kendra

[MG]

1. An Ordinary Couple.
2. I Have Confidence
3. Edelweiss
4. He did NOT write the book.
5. Fiorello!

[Taylor]


1. "An Ordinary Couple"
2. "Confidence" and "Something Good" were written for the film, and sometimes are featured in revivals.
3.Edelweiss.
4. I'm guessing Book... Except he didn't do the book for State Fair, though technically it was a movie... and he shared book duties for South Pacific.
5. Fiorello!

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1054590005]


1. "An Ordinary Couple"
2. "Confidence" and "Something Good" were written for the film, and sometimes are featured in revivals.
3.Edelweiss.
4. I'm guessing Book... Except he didn't do the book for State Fair, though technically it was a movie... and he shared book duties for South Pacific.
5. Fiorello!

[Neil Reilly]

1. An Ordinary Couple
2. Confidence (good music... strange lyrics)
3. Edelweiss
4. Librettist (Crouse & Lindsey, yeah?)
5. Fiorello!

:-)

I just read your e-mail, I'll get back to you super soon!
-NR

[Jefferson]

1. No Way to Stop It (and also An Ordinary Couple and How Can Love Survive)
2. I Have Confidence (and Something Good)
3. Edelweiss
4. OH2 did not write the book.
5. Fiorello! I confess that I double checked the last one just to make sure, but I DID know the answer!

You could also ask which songs were sung by different characters in the movie versus the stage production. I was Max in my high school production... not that I was any good in it - I was always cast in the slightly effiminate supporting roles: Morderd in Camelot, the Duke in Big River. I became a music director and it has served me much better since.

[David]

Oh what fun!

1. No Way to Stop It. I always found it awkward and not particularly motivated, which I bet is why it was cut from the movie

2. I Have Confidence has, to my knowledge, never been used in a stage production, as opposed to Something Good, which was not in the original but is very frequently substituted for An Ordinary Couple.

3. Edelweiss, I believe; this is the only one I'm not 100% sure on, but I recall reading somewhere that it was Edelweiss.

4. Librettist; Crouse and Lindsay unfortunately are so frequently overlooked.

5. A personal favorite, Fiorello! What a fun and well structured show. and Gypsy got nothing. Hard to imagine today, but it probably made sense then, when whimsical shows tended to be looked upon more favorably than more complex shows.

[John]

1. Name a song from the stage version of The Sound of Music that wasn't in the film.
No Way to Stop It

2. Name a song from the film of The Sound of Music that wasn't in the stage version.
Something Good

3. What was the last song that Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote together?
Edelweiss

4. What role did Oscar Hammerstein *not* perform on The Sound of Music that he did perform on every other R&H show?
Book Writer

5. With what other show did The Sound of Music share its Best Musical Tony Award?
Fiorello!

[Joe Mullin]

1) No Way To Stop It

2) I Have Confidence - but it WAS used in the 1998 Revival - does that count, or are we just talking original?

3)Edelweiss

4) He provided the lyrics but NOT the book.

5) Fiorello!

LOVE the site Chris! Definitely on my daily check of the web.

[winer]

Not to be a politically correct loser or anything, but the above comment compels me to point out that naming one's self as gay us not "being hard on yourself." It is giving yourself a compliment.

[ccaggiano]

Winer, yeah I wasn't going to say anything...

I totally embrace my inner (and outer) sissy boy. Sometimes I *am* off the frickin' chart. And I find absolutely nothing wrong with that.

[CUE MUSIC: "I am woman, hear me roar..."]

[winer]

Right on. That's why we musical theater enthusiasts luv ya!