Overview

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.

Full Product Details

9781538537022

Table of Contents

Reviews

Something Wonderful is a scrupulously researched and infinitely fascinating history of the collaboration of Rodgers and Hammerstein-two giants who propelled the musical theater to uncharted heights...It is an impressive addition to the literature celebrating the American musical theater. -- Hal Prince, Tony Award-winning theatrical producer [An] affectionate tribute to the team that rewrote the rules for American musical theater...thoroughly researched and briskly written, seamlessly blending a chronological narrative of the productions with cogent analyses of their effect on American culture. -- Washington Post A neatly proportioned study...reminding us of the bold breadth of the business-in the broadest sense-of the Rodgers and Hammerstein partnership...[whose music] ventured sprawlingly across the planet, all day and deep into the night. -- Wall Street Journal (lead review) A revelatory portrait...detailed and sharp. -- Time Come backstage in Todd S. Purdum's Something Wonderful as he introduces the musical stars and up-and-comers of the day...Live the drama of opening nights, when anything could happen-and often did...Purdum has produced something wonderful indeed. -- BookPage Delightful...Purdum has given readers the most elaborate and entertaining exploration of that magic they're ever likely to read. -- Christian Science Monitor 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, singer-songwriter and New York Times bestselling author Joyous, brisk, and gossipy...An exuberant celebration of musical genius. -- Kirkus Reviews Offers a fresh look at the milieu and circumstances that contributed to the creation of some of the musical theater's greatest and most enduring treasures. -- New York Times Book Review Purdum has a smile in his voice as he recounts their extraordinary working relationship, detailing how Hammerstein would write the wonderful lyrics first and then send them to Rodgers, who would add the sparkling tunes...Listeners will want to sing along as Purdum reads the lyrics to some of the world's most beloved melodies. -- AudioFile 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 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) Strips away the accretions of time and reputation to retrieve the craft and dynamism with which his subjects created a new kind of musical. -- Economist (London) This lively book will appeal to anyone who loves theater, songwriting, or biography. -- Library Journal This lively, evocative joint biography is thorough enough to be revealing and too distinguished to sound gossipy-even though, of course, it is. Rodgers and Hammerstein's personal relationship was not especially close, but each man's individual history had more than enough color. The stories of the shows...have already filled many books. They're enough to burst the binding of this one. -- New York Times 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, award-winning actor and New York Times bestselling author With warm enthusiasm, Purdum reads his engaging...fast-paced account..[and] hooks the listener with lively anecdotes. He wisely does not alter his voice or do impressions when reading excerpts from interviews with the many celebrated people who worked on, or critiqued, the duo's productions. The program contains no audio samples of musical numbers, but Purdum does a solid job reciting lyrics from some of their key songs....This look at how Rodgers and Hammerstein's shows endure despite changing times deserves sustained applause at the curtain call. -- Booklist (audio review)

Joyous, brisk, and gossipy...An exuberant celebration of musical genius. -- Kirkus Reviews Come backstage in Todd S. Purdum's Something Wonderful as he introduces the musical stars and up-and-comers of the day...Live the drama of opening nights, when anything could happen-and often did...Purdum has produced something wonderful indeed. -- BookPage 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) Strips away the accretions of time and reputation to retrieve the craft and dynamism with which his subjects created a new kind of musical. -- Economist (London) Something Wonderful is a scrupulously researched and infinitely fascinating history of the collaboration of Rodgers and Hammerstein-two giants who propelled the musical theater to uncharted heights...It is an impressive addition to the literature celebrating the American musical theater. -- Hal Prince, Tony Award-winning theatrical producer A neatly proportioned study...reminding us of the bold breadth of the business-in the broadest sense-of the Rodgers and Hammerstein partnership...[whose music] ventured sprawlingly across the planet, all day and deep into the night. -- Wall Street Journal (lead review) Purdum has a smile in his voice as he recounts their extraordinary working relationship, detailing how Hammerstein would write the wonderful lyrics first and then send them to Rodgers, who would add the sparkling tunes...Listeners will want to sing along as Purdum reads the lyrics to some of the world's most beloved melodies. -- AudioFile 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, award-winning actor and New York Times bestselling author 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, singer-songwriter and New York Times bestselling author 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 This lively book will appeal to anyone who loves theater, songwriting, or biography. -- Library Journal Delightful...Purdum has given readers the most elaborate and entertaining exploration of that magic they're ever likely to read. -- Christian Science Monitor [An] affectionate tribute to the team that rewrote the rules for American musical theater...thoroughly researched and briskly written, seamlessly blending a chronological narrative of the productions with cogent analyses of their effect on American culture. -- Washington Post This lively, evocative joint biography is thorough enough to be revealing and too distinguished to sound gossipy-even though, of course, it is. Rodgers and Hammerstein's personal relationship was not especially close, but each man's individual history had more than enough color. The stories of the shows...have already filled many books. They're enough to burst the binding of this one. -- New York Times Offers a fresh look at the milieu and circumstances that contributed to the creation of some of the musical theater's greatest and most enduring treasures. -- New York Times Book Review A revelatory portrait...detailed and sharp. -- Time With warm enthusiasm, Purdum reads his engaging...fast-paced account..[and] hooks the listener with lively anecdotes. He wisely does not alter his voice or do impressions when reading excerpts from interviews with the many celebrated people who worked on, or critiqued, the duo's productions. The program contains no audio samples of musical numbers, but Purdum does a solid job reciting lyrics from some of their key songs....This look at how Rodgers and Hammerstein's shows endure despite changing times deserves sustained applause at the curtain call. -- Booklist (audio review)

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, award-winning actor and New York Times bestselling author 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, singer-songwriter and New York Times bestselling author 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 Come backstage in Todd S. Purdum's Something Wonderful as he introduces the musical stars and up-and-comers of the day...Live the drama of opening nights, when anything could happen-and often did...Purdum has produced something wonderful indeed. -- BookPage This lively book will appeal to anyone who loves theater, songwriting, or biography. -- Library Journal 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) Delightful...Purdum has given readers the most elaborate and entertaining exploration of that magic they're ever likely to read. -- Christian Science Monitor Strips away the accretions of time and reputation to retrieve the craft and dynamism with which his subjects created a new kind of musical. -- Economist (London) [An] affectionate tribute to the team that rewrote the rules for American musical theater...thoroughly researched and briskly written, seamlessly blending a chronological narrative of the productions with cogent analyses of their effect on American culture. -- Washington Post This lively, evocative joint biography is thorough enough to be revealing and too distinguished to sound gossipy-even though, of course, it is. Rodgers and Hammerstein's personal relationship was not especially close, but each man's individual history had more than enough color. The stories of the shows...have already filled many books. They're enough to burst the binding of this one. -- New York Times Something Wonderful is a scrupulously researched and infinitely fascinating history of the collaboration of Rodgers and Hammerstein-two giants who propelled the musical theater to uncharted heights...It is an impressive addition to the literature celebrating the American musical theater. -- Hal Prince, Tony Award-winning theatrical producer Offers a fresh look at the milieu and circumstances that contributed to the creation of some of the musical theater's greatest and most enduring treasures. -- New York Times Book Review A neatly proportioned study...reminding us of the bold breadth of the business-in the broadest sense-of the Rodgers and Hammerstein partnership...[whose music] ventured sprawlingly across the planet, all day and deep into the night. -- Wall Street Journal (lead review) A revelatory portrait...detailed and sharp. -- Time With warm enthusiasm, Purdum reads his engaging...fast-paced account..[and] hooks the listener with lively anecdotes. He wisely does not alter his voice or do impressions when reading excerpts from interviews with the many celebrated people who worked on, or critiqued, the duo's productions. The program contains no audio samples of musical numbers, but Purdum does a solid job reciting lyrics from some of their key songs....This look at how Rodgers and Hammerstein's shows endure despite changing times deserves sustained applause at the curtain call. -- Booklist (audio review) Purdum has a smile in his voice as he recounts their extraordinary working relationship, detailing how Hammerstein would write the wonderful lyrics first and then send them to Rodgers, who would add the sparkling tunes...Listeners will want to sing along as Purdum reads the lyrics to some of the world's most beloved melodies. -- AudioFile

Author Information

Todd S. Purdum 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.

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