Oscar hammerstein ii and the invention of the musical

Lisa Jennings. The non linear storytelling may not be for everyone. It's an interesting read, but it's also a strange book.

Oscar hammerstein ii and the invention of the musical: Laurie Winer's new book,

In Oscar Hammerstein II and the Invention of the Musical , Winer is charting the evolution of the American musical over the past century, basically from the opening of the groundbreaking Show Boat by Jerome Kern and Hammerstein in to the present day, epitomized by Stephen Sondheim. Join the discussion. Jump to ratings and reviews.

Search for:. Laura Bernheim. In mid-century America, it was easy enough to find out what the nation stood for — just go to a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. Yet, for the past half century and more, those musicals have been revived — sometimes with minor tweaks, sometimes with major ones — over and over again, on Broadway and anywhere plays are produced.

Laurie Winer. The author also appears from time to time offering a recollection or a conversation she had with someone, so it gives the appearance of a non-objective biography. Winer also skimps on Hammerstein's later works--Cinderella is dispatched in a page or two, Flower Drum Song also goes quickly, and there's really not much on the Sound of Music.

Author 3 books.

Oscar Hammerstein II and the Invention of the Musical

Rodgers and Hammerstein were not just a sensation — they were a corporation. Even taken as a biography of Hammerstein, it's disappointing as she spends almost as much time and energy on Richard Rodgers and Stephen Sondheim. In the tradition of "the show must go on" the show went on. Hearing nothing back, Hammerstein stewed about it for days until the composer phoned to discuss some other matters.

She has the audacity to write, "Hammerstein exhibited racism of which he is entirely unaware," then quotes things that aren't racist but instead reflective of the era in which he wrote. Reardon November 21st, Reardon was an urban affairs writer, a feature writer, a columnist, and an editor for the Chicago Tribune. In the middle of the very short summary of Sound of Music she somehow compares it to Book of Mormon and goes off on a tangent about that show's treatment of race and faith.

Winer has a writing style that skips back and forth between different eras and makes it difficult to follow. Even this propagandist, oops I mean author, admits it! We believe all races should be represented by their good types as well as their bad types, that all races should be regarded as having their share of imperfections as well as virtues because this is the truth.

Winer spends too much time focusing on Hammerstein's private life or on people that have nothing to do with Hammerstein's story while barely mentioning The Sound of Music beyond her derisiveness. By the s, however, their product was going out of fashion. The two men co-wrote a reply although I have to guess that the actual writing was done by Hammerstein.

I did not know that some critics greeted it with contempt when it opened on Broadway. Now he was the one who hid the dimensions of his drinking. Sections on South Pacific and Allegro are the most interesting parts of the book. Instead the author goes on a needless tangent every chapter and jumps around so horribly, I was lost all the time.