[Publius]

THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK

RICHARD RODGERS

CAROUSEL

Following the success of “Oklahoma,” Richard and Oscar sought to duplicate their success knowing they had a tough hill to climb. Richard had already adapted one Hungarian play with Larry Hart, but now they attempted to adapt “Lilliom” by Ferenc Molnar. The problem with that 1909 play is that the protagonist dies in the second act. After acquiring the rights, the team created lengthy sequences of music that made the ending more hopeful. The 1945 musical was a massive success, and Richard thought it contained his best work.

”CAROUSEL WALTZ”

Although it doesn’t properly belong to the songbook, this overture to the musical is an astonishing piece, showing just how skillful Richard was as a writer of melody. Johann Strauss, both elder and younger, could not have topped this.

Jonathan Tunick: “Carousel Waltz”

[Fiji Hill]

I first saw “Carousel” in 2013 when it was put on by a local college drama department. Before seeing it, I watched the 1930 version of “Liliom,” a French film featuring Charles Boyer in the lead. The two plays are very similar.

It’s interesting how the name of the main character evolved. In the orignial play, his name was Andreas Zavoczki, which sounds Polish, and Liliom, meaning “lily,” Hungarian slang for a tough guy, was his nickname. In the 1930 film, his name was Liliom Zadowski, and he was French, despite his Polish last name. In “Carousel,” he was Billy Bigelow.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Publius, for Jonathan Tunick’s Carousel Waltz....I’ve not heard this before. I really like it...((HUGS)) as I replay it.