Rudolf Friml (December 7, 1879 - November 12, 1972) was a composer of operettas, musicals, songs, as well as a pianist. December 7 is the 341st day (342nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1879 (MDCCCLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... November 12 is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 49 days remaining. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... Operetta (literally, little opera) is a performance art-form similar to opera, though it generally deals with less serious topics. ... Musical theater (or theatre) is a form of theatre combining music, songs, dance, and spoken dialogue. ... A song is a relatively short musical composition for the human voice (commonly accompanied by other musical instruments), which features words (lyrics). ... Pianist Claudio Arrau, Carnegie Hall, 1954. ...

Early life

Born in Prague, at that time part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and now capital of the Czech Republic, Friml showed aptitude for music at an early age. His abilities gained him acceptance into the Prague Conservatory where he studied music composition with Antonín Dvořák. He completed the six-year course in three years. While studying at the conservatory he began to compose light songs and airs. After graduation he took a position as accompanist to violinist Jan Kubelik. He toured with Kubelik twice in the United States and at the end of the second tour remained there to compose. He made his American piano debut at Carnegie Hall in 1904 and premiered his Piano Concerto in B-Major in 1906 with the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Walter Damrosch. He settled for a brief time in Los Angeles where he married Mathilda Baruch (1909). They had two children, Charles Rudolf (Jr.) (1910) and Marie Lucille (1911). After a divorce, he later married Kay Wong. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Official languages Latin, German, Hungarian Established church Roman Catholic Capital & Largest City Vienna pop. ... For other uses, see Music (disambiguation). ... Prague Conservatory, sometimes also Prague Conservatoire, in Czech Pražská konzervatoÅ™, is a Czech secondary school dedicated to teaching the arts of music and theater acting. ... Antonín Dvořák Antonín Leopold Dvořák ( ; September 8, 1841 – May 1, 1904) was a Czech composer of Romantic music, who employed the idioms and melodies of the folk-music of his native Bohemia in symphonic and chamber music. ... In music accompaniment is the art of playing along with a soloist or ensemble in a supporting manner. ... A violinist is an instrumentalist who plays the violin. ... Jan Kubelík (July 5, 1880 - December 5, 1940) was a Czech violinist and composer. ... Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City located at 881 7th Avenue, occupying the east stretch of 7th Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street. ... 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The New York Philharmonic is the oldest active symphony orchestra in the United States. ... Baton can refer to: // Instruments Baton (via French bâton = stick from Late Latin bastum = stout staff, probably of Gaulish origin) refers to several types of cylindrical or tapered instruments composed of a wide variety of materials (finished, not wood in the natural state), with differing functions:- A baton (billy... Walter Johannes Damrosch (born in Breslau, Prussia, January 30, 1862; died in New York City, December 22, 1950) was an American symphony conductor. ...

The Firefly

One of the most popular theatrical forms in the early decades of the 20th Century in America was the operetta, and its most famous composer was Irish-born Victor Herbert. It was announced in 1912 that operetta diva Emma Trentini would be starring in a new operetta on Broadway by Herbert with lyricist Otto Harbach entitled The Firefly. Shortly before the writing of the operetta, Trentini appeared in a special performance of Herbert's Naughty Marietta conducted by Herbert himself. When Trentini refused to sing "Italian Street Song" for the encore, an enraged Herbert stormed out of the orchestra pit refusing any further work with Trentini. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... Victor August Herbert (February 1, 1859–May 26, 1924) was a popular composer of light opera. ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Naughty Marietta is a musical comedy, with libretto by Rida Johnson Young and music by Victor Herbert, which opened on Broadway on November 7, 1910: one of its best-known songs is Ah! Sweet Mystery Of Life. ... The encore is an additional extra performance of a musical piece at the end of the regular concert, which is not listed in the event setlist. ... An orchestra pit is the usually lowered area (hence pit) in front of a stage where an orchestra accompanies the performers. ...

Arthur Hammerstein, the operetta's sponsor, frantically began to search for a composer. Not finding anyone who could compose as well as Herbert, Hammerstein settled on the almost unknown Friml for his classical training. After a month of work, Friml produced a glittering score for what would be his first theatrical success. After the success of The Firefly, Friml followed with three more operettas that were successful, though not as successful as The Firefly. These were High Jinks (1913), Katinka (1915) and You're in Love (1917). He also contributed songs to a musical in 1915 entitled The Peasant Girl. Arthur Hammerstein, the uncle of Oscar Hammerstein II, was an opera producer and one of the writers of the song Because of You, a major hit (#1 for 10 weeks) for Tony Bennett in 1951. ... Year 1913 (MCMXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Year 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar (see: 1917 Julian calendar). ... Musical theater (or theatre) is a form of theatre combining music, songs, dance, and spoken dialogue. ...

Friml's greatest successes

Friml wrote his most famous operettas in the 1920's. In 1924, he wrote Rose-Marie. This operetta, on which Friml collaborated with lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II, was a hit worldwide and a few of the songs from it also became hits including "The Mounties" and "Indian Love Call". Friml's use of murder as part of the plot as well as his integrating the music and the plot was ground-breaking for its time. 1924 (MCMXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Rose Marie (born August 15, 1923) is an actress who had a career as a child star under the name Baby Rose Marie, but is best known for her adult role as Sally Rogers on The Dick Van Dyke Show. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For work done with Richard Rodgers, see Rodgers and Hammerstein Oscar Hammerstein II (July 12, 1895 – August 23, 1960) was a New-York born writer, producer, and (usually uncredited) director of musicals for almost forty years. ...

After Rose-Marie's success came two other operettas, The Vagabond King in 1925 with lyrics by Brian Hooker and W.H. Post, and The Three Musketeers in 1928, with lyrics by P.G. Wodehouse and Clifford Grey, based on Dumas's famous swashbuckling novel. In addition, Friml contributed to Florenz Ziegfeld's Follies of 1921 and 1923. The Vagabond King is a 1925 operetta by Rudolf Friml, with a book and lyrics by Brian Hooker and W.H. Post, telling a highly romanticized tall concerning the 15th century poet François Villon. ... 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... Brian S. Hooker, PhD, PE, is a bioengineer and the team leader for the High Throughput Biology Team and Operations Manager of the DOE Genomics: Genomes to Life (GTL) Center for Molecular and Cellular Systems at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). ... Year 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar). ... Called English literatures performing flea, P. G. Wodehouse, pictured in 1904, became famous for his complex plots, ingenious wordplay, and prolific output. ... 1928 Time cover featuring Ziegfeld Florenz Ziegfeld (March 21, 1869–July 22, 1932) was a Jewish-American Broadway impresario who achieved fame by perfecting the United States revue. ... Follies is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Goldman. ... Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for full calendar). ... 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Friml wrote music for many films during the 1930's, often songs adapted from previous work. The Vagabond King, Rose Marie, and The Firefly were all made into films and included at least some of Friml's music. Oddly enough, his operetta version of The Three Musketeers was never filmed, despite the fact that the novel itself has been filmed many times - once as a musical with Don Ameche and The Ritz Brothers. Like his contemporary, Ivor Novello, he was sometimes ridiculed for the sentimental and insubstantial nature of his compositions and often dubbed as trite. Friml was also criticized for the old-fashioned, Old World sentiments found in his works. By the end of the 1930s, Friml had fallen out of fashion. DArtagnan and the Musketeers The Three Musketeers (Les Trois Mousquetaires) is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, père. ... Dominic Felix Ameche (May 31, 1908 – December 6, 1993) was an American actor. ... The Ritz Brothers were a comedy team who appeared in 1930s films, and as live performers from 1925 to the late 1960s. ... Ivor Novello David Ivor Davies (January 15, 1893 – March 6, 1951), better known as Ivor Novello, was a Welsh composer, singer and actor who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the early 20th century. ... The 1930s (years from 1930-1939) were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression, also known in Europe as the World Depression. ...

Later years and legacy

Friml's last stage musical was Music Hath Charms in 1934. A few of his works have seen revivals on Broadway, these include a 1943 production of The Vagabond King and a 1984 production of The Three Musketeers. "The Donkey Serenade" from the film version of The Firefly, "The Mounties" and "Indian Love Call" are still frequently heard, often in romantic parody or comic situations. His piano music is also often performed. 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... This article should be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ... Broadway theatre[1] is often considered the highest professional form of theatre in the United States. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In a November 1939 issue of Time Magazine Friml claimed that Victor Herbert communicated to him through a Ouija board. He said that Herbert told him, "Play five notes." After he played them he said Herbert responded, "Quite charming."^[1] (Clockwise from upper left) Time magazine covers from May 7, 1945; July 25, 1969; December 31, 1999; September 14, 2001; and April 21, 2003. ... Victor August Herbert (February 1, 1859–May 26, 1924) was a popular composer of light opera. ... Ouija (IPA pronunciation: or ) [Or more simply, wee-jee or wee-ja] refers to the belief that one can receive messages during a séance by the use of a Ouija board (also called a talking board or spirit board) and planchette. ...

His two sons also worked as musicians. Rudolf Jr. was a big band leader in the 1930s and 40s, and William, a son from a later marriage, was a composer and arranger in Hollywood. In 1969, Friml was celebrated by Ogden Nash on the occasion of his 90th birthday in a couplet which ended: "I trust your conclusion and mine are similar: 'Twould be a happier world if it were Frimler." Friml died in Los Angeles in 1972 and was interred in the "Court of Honor" at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California. Frederic Ogden Nash (August 19, 1902 – May 19, 1971) was an American poet best known for writing pithy and funny light verse. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... Gates of Forest Lawn Forest Lawn Memorial Park is a cemetery in Glendale, Los Angeles County, California. ... Nickname: The Jewel City Location of Glendale within Los Angeles County and the State of California. ...

Works

• The Firefly (1912)
• High Jinks (1913)
• Katinka (1915)
• The Peasant Girl (1915) - contributor.
• Kitty Darlin' (1917)
• Sometime (1918)
• Glorianna (1918)
• Tumble In (1919)
• June Love (1921)
• Ziegfeld Follies of 1921 - contributor.
• Cinders (1923)
• Ziegfeld Follies of 1923 - contributor.
• Rose-Marie (1924)
• The Vagabond King (1925)
• Ziegfeld's Revue "No Foolin'" (1926)
• The Wild Rose (1926)
• White Eagle (1927)
• The Three Musketeers (1928)
• Luana (1930)
• Music Hath Charms (1934)

Year 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar (see: 1917 Julian calendar). ... Year 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Year 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for full calendar). ... 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Rose Marie (born August 15, 1923) is an actress who had a career as a child star under the name Baby Rose Marie, but is best known for her adult role as Sally Rogers on The Dick Van Dyke Show. ... The Vagabond King is a 1925 operetta by Rudolf Friml, with a book and lyrics by Brian Hooker and W.H. Post, telling a highly romanticized tall concerning the 15th century poet François Villon. ... Year 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar). ... 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Year 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link is to a full 1930 calendar). ...

References

• Cambridge Guide to Theatre, 1992.
• Green, Stanley. Broadway Musicals Show by Show, 5th Ed. Hal Leonard, New York. 1996.
• Green, Stanley. The World of Musical Comedy. Ziff-Davis, New York. 1960.
• Ganzl, Kurt. The Encyclopedia of Musical Theatre (3 Volumes). New York: Schirmer Books, 2001.
• Traubner, Richard. Operetta: A Theatrical History. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, 1983.
• Bordman, Gerald. American Operetta. New York: Oxford University Press, 1981.

External links

• Friml's entry in the Internet Broadway Database
• Friml Archive, UCLA Performing Arts Special Collections. Manuscripts, recordings, correspondence, memorabilia (in process)
• List of Friml's stage works with information about librettists and theatres