8m3 The Merry Old Land of Oz

After focusing on Herbert Stothart's fantastic underscore, we bring our attention back to the magical songwriting partnership of Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg. The song score to The Wizard of Oz is unlike any other, built from infectious melody, peerless lyrics and surprising structure. Moving piece by piece through Arlen & Harburg's work brings us face to face with some of the most classic songs of the 20th century. 80 years since the film's release, titles like 'Ding-Dong! The Witch is Dead', 'Follow the Yellow Brick Road', and 'If I Only Had a Brain' continue to be indispensable to our cultural lexicon. We chart the development of the many Oz songs, along the way uncovering music removed from the final cut of the film (but thankfully not lost to history). Today's episode is an absolute bash; we can't wait for you to join us in celebrating this stunning score of scores.

Listen to episode 8m3 The Merry Old Land of Oz

The Wizard of Oz -Herbert Stothart (score), Harold Arlen & E.Y. Harburg (song score) - 1939 - Metro Goldwyn Mayer (Victor Fleming, et al, dir,)

The Wizard of Oz in Full Score - Herbert Stothart, Harold Arlen, E.Y. Harburg - Omni Music Publishing (conductor score)
https://omnimusicpublishing.com/product/oz/

The Wizard of Oz - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [Deluxe Edition] - Warner Archive Collection
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/wizard-oz-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-deluxe/1455918173

IMDB
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032138/

■ ■ ■

For score reductions, additional links and more,
the discussion continues at: www.underscorepodcast.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------
to support the show, please visit www.patreon.com/underscorepodcast

8m2 Introducing Herbert Stothart

We devote today's episode to the Academy Award-winning underscore to The Wizard of Oz and its composer Herbert Stothart. His musical tapestry is a technicolor extravaganza itself - lavish, sensitive and irreplaceable.  Written with a stunning lack of ego, Stothart's score pushes powerful musical ideas into the spotlight, be they melodies of songwriter Harold Arlen, inspired excerpts from classical literature or the ingenious inventions of the composer himself. This is a score that takes advantage of every potential musical moment to lift the film upwards and upwards - to quote lyricist E.Y. Harburg - "to a place behind the sun, just a step beyond the rain..." Join us as we revisit the wonderful world of Oz, courtesy of Mr. Herbert Stothart.

Listen to episode 8m2 Introducing Herbert Stothart

The Wizard of Oz -Herbert Stothart (score), Harold Arlen & E.Y. Harburg (song score) - 1939 - Metro Goldwyn Mayer (Victor Fleming, et al, dir,)

The Wizard of Oz in Full Score - Herbert Stothart, Harold Arlen, E.Y. Harburg - Omni Music Publishing (conductor score)
https://omnimusicpublishing.com/product/oz/

The Wizard of Oz - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [Deluxe Edition] - Warner Archive Collection
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/wizard-oz-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-deluxe/1455918173

IMDB
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032138/

■ ■ ■

For score reductions, additional links and more,
the discussion continues at: www.underscorepodcast.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------
to support the show, please visit www.patreon.com/underscorepodcast

8m1 Over the Rainbow

We are ecstatic to begin our next film subject, The Wizard of Oz (1939), arguably the most magical film ever produced. At the heart of our movie is a song that changed the world. "Over the Rainbow" is one of the most lauded, most performed, and most beloved pieces of music we know of and our dive into the film begins with a conversation centered on this Arlen & Yarburg-penned standard. We discuss the special history of the song and the way in which it vividly paints our heroine Dorothy's inner world. What began 80 years ago as a humbly staged song on a Kansas farm has become a powerful anthem around the world - built not from bombast but from melodic beauty, harmonic depth, and lyrical aspiration. Join us as we explore and celebrate the song that speaks to the dreamer in us all - "Over the Rainbow".

Listen to episode 8m1 Over the Rainbow

The Wizard of Oz -Herbert Stothart (score), Harold Arlen & E.Y. Harburg (song score) - 1939 - Metro Goldwyn Mayer (Victor Fleming, et al, dir,)

The Wizard of Oz in Full Score - Herbert Stothart, Harold Arlen, E.Y. Harburg - Omni Music Publishing (conductor score)
https://omnimusicpublishing.com/product/oz/

The Wizard of Oz - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [Deluxe Edition] - Warner Archive Collection
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/wizard-oz-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-deluxe/1455918173

IMDB
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032138/

■ ■ ■

For score reductions, additional links and more,
the discussion continues at: www.underscorepodcast.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------
to support the show, please visit www.patreon.com/underscorepodcast

Reel Change: The Movie Musical (Part II)

Today's Reel Change concludes our delightful dive into the history of the Movie Musical. We continue our travel backwards in time, as we step song by song down memory lane. We hope today's selections (by no means intended as an exhaustive 'greatest of' list) spark joy in the way only great movie musicals can.

Join us and be prepared - you may find yourself suddenly and uncontrollably bursting into song.

[Note: This 2-part podcast focuses on songs from live-action Movie Musicals. A future Reel Change will cover the wonderful tradition of music from Animated Musicals].

Listen to Reel Change: The Movie Musical (Part II) 

Today's Selections:

Little Shop of Horrors

“Little Shop of Horrors” (music: Alan Menken, lyrics: Howard Ashman)

Annie

“Maybe” (music: Charles Strouse, lyrics: Martin Charnin)

Grease

“You’re the One that I Want” (John Farrar)

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

“Pure Imagination” (Leslie Bricusse / Anthony Newley)

Hello Dolly

“It Only Takes a Moment” (Jerry Herman)

The Sound of Music

“The Sound of Music” (music: Richard Rodgers, lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein)

Mary Poppins

“A Spoonful of Sugar” (Richard Sherman / Robert Sherman)

The Music Man

“Marian the Librarian” (Meredith Wilson)

West Side Story

“Something’s Coming” (music: Leonard Bernstein, lyrics: Stephen Sondheim)

Carousel

“If I Loved You” (music: Richard Rodgers, lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein)

Calamity Jane

“The Deadwood Stage” (music: Sammy Fain, lyrics: Paul Francis Webster)

Singin' in the Rain

“Singin' in the Rain” (music: Nacio Herb Brown, lyrics: Arthur Freed)

Annie Get Your Gun

“They Say It's Wonderful” (Irving Berlin)

Meet Me in St. Louis

“The Boy Next Door” (Hugh Martin / Ralph Blane)

■ ■ ■

For score reductions, additional links and more,
the discussion continues at: www.underscorepodcast.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------
to support the show, please visit www.patreon.com/underscorepodcast

Reel Change: The Movie Musical (Part I)

Today's Reel Change begins a delightful dive into the history of the Movie Musical. For a twist, we start in the present day and move backwards in time, step by step, song by song in a most melodious walk down memory lane. We hope today's selections (by no means intended as an exhaustive 'greatest of' list) spark joy in the way only great movie musicals can.

Join us and be prepared - you may find yourself suddenly and uncontrollably bursting into song.

[Note: This 2-part podcast focuses on songs from live-action Movie Musicals. A future Reel Change will cover the wonderful tradition of music from Animated Musicals].

Listen to Reel Change: The Movie Musical (Part I) 

Today's Selections:

Mary Poppins Returns

“Nowhere to Go but Up” (music: Marc Shaiman, lyrics: Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman)

The Greatest Showman

“A Million Dreams” (Benj Pasek / Justin Paul)

LaLa Land

“City of Stars” (music: Justin Hurwitz, lyrics: Benj Pasek, Justin Paul)

The Last Five Years

“Nobody Needs to Know” (Jason Robert Brown)

Les Miserables

“Castle on a Cloud”
(music: Claude-Michel Schönberg, French lyrics: Alain Boubil, English lyrics: Herbert Kretzmer)

Sweeney Todd

“Pretty Women” (Stephen Sondheim)

Enchanted

“That’s How You Know”

(music: Alan Menken, lyrics: Stephen Schwartz)

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

“Christmas, Why Can’t I Find You”

(music: James Horner, lyrics: Will Jennings)

Robin Hood: Men in Tights

“Marian”

(music: Hummie Mann, lyrics: Mel Brooks)

Newsies

“King of New York”

(music: Alan Menken, lyrics: Jack Feldman)

Dick Tracy

“More”

(Stephen Sondheim)

■ ■ ■

For score reductions, additional links and more,
the discussion continues at: www.underscorepodcast.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------
to support the show, please visit www.patreon.com/underscorepodcast

Catching Up: Mary Poppins Returns

Today Marty & Will get together for an unedited chat over one of their favorite pieces of recent film music - the songs & score to Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman's Mary Poppins Returns.

download Catching Up: Mary Poppins Returns

Mary Poppins Returns (2018) - Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman - Walt Disney Pictures (Rob Marshall, dir.)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5028340/

For score reductions, additional links and more,
the discussion continues at: www.underscorepodcast.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------
to support the show, please visit www.patreon.com/underscorepodcast