The hills are alive....

[Nearly Sane]

Nice little article on the original production of The Sound of Music - note Lauri Peters who is quoted in it, appeared In Summer Holiday with Cliff Richard


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-49725925

[Harrowby Hall]

When The Sound of Music first appeared - as a stage play - I was rather snobbish about it. Although I regarded Rodgers and Hammerstein as the greatest theatrical musical partnership of the 20th century (and still do) I considered any farrago with nuns and children would be sentimental tosh. It was perhaps 20 years before I allowed myself to watch the film version on DVD - and when I did I was bowled over.

The book was not written by Oscar Hammerstein - he and Richard Rodgers provided the songs.  I learned later that Hammerstein was terminally ill with cancer, his very last lyric was Edelweiss.. However, the underlying themes were the approaching Anschluss and being true to yourself - I'm sure that Hammerstein had a great influence.

Now, I am pleased that the film version was so successful. Just because something is popular does not mean that it is poor quality.

[Aruntraveller]

I've never understood the antipathy this film provokes in some.

It was a seminal moment in my childhood - I mean not only a great film with brilliant songs and the incomparable Julie Andrews, but it was the first time I saw my father cry. The effect that had was profound. I mean this quiet, taciturn man who had come through the 2nd World War and its horrors reduced to tears by a singing nun (Climb Every Mountain) totally changed the way I viewed my father. For the better I should add.

[Nearly Sane]

And just to note Happy Birthday to Julie Andrews today.

[SteveH]

Syrupy tosh. Hate it.

[Robbie]

I generally don't go for that sort of thing but one exception is 'The Sound of Music',which I like very much. I find the story captivating (though I know it's not strictly historically accurate, the Von Trapp's didn't go over the alps carrying the children), it really appeals to my imagination and the songs are lovely. I cry buckets  .

The film version I first saw as a child, parents took me, cousin and sister to a matinee. We were singing bits of it - probably all wrong - all the way home in the car. I've seen it several times since on TV and the stage version years ago.

A very few years ago ITV (I think) did a live show of the Sound of Music with Kara Tointon as Maria and Julian Overton as Capt Von Trapp. Alexander Armstrong was Max. It was great and interesting to see all that went on behind the scenes (different programme did the behind the scenes stuff).

[Nearly Sane]

I don't think it stands as R&H's greatest work but they are greats as Harrowby Hall noted. It is tremendous fun and hugely accessible. As well as fun, it is also funny with some superb characters such as Max and the Baroness.

As with Robbie, I saw this with my family and my 3 elder sisters all started singing it. So Long Farewell was a party piece for us, with me as much the youngest getting Gretl's lines.


I've attended a number of singalongs of it, a couple in fancy dress.

[Robbie]

Oh yes, great fun. I feel quite buoyed up just talking about it!