(continued from page 20) and piano written before he left Russia. wholesome comedy of "Honey Bun," the Later orchestrated by the composer, the longing tenderness of "This Nearly Was piece makes a lovely concert interlude. Mine," and that rollicking hymn to female charms, "There Is Nothing Like a Dame." Symphonic Scenario from South Pacific Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) "The Stars and Stripes Forever!", Arranged and Orchestrated by Robert March Russell Bennett John Philip Sousa (1854-1932)
South Pacific is set on a South Sea With over a hundred marches and island during World War II and is based other popular numbers to his credit, John on stories from James Michener's collec Philip Sousa is known as the "March tion, Tales of the South Pacific. King." His most popular march is "The Metropolitan Opera basso Ezio Pinza Stars and Stripes Forever!", so well loved was dashing as the French plantation- by his fellow Americans that it has owner, and Mary Martin (once she got become almost a second national over her apprehension at playing oppo anthem. site Pinza) was delightful as the Navy Sousa wrote it while he was on a ship nurse who falls in love with him. The returning to the United States from musical's rowdy sailors and plucky nurs Europe. He told a reporter, "I began to es are contrasted with the gentle think of all the countries I had visited, of Polynesians native to the island. the foreign people I had met, of the vast The show, the fourth collaboration by difference between them and American Rodgers and Hammerstein, opened at people — and that flag of ours became New York's Majestic Theater on April 7, glorified . . . and to my imagination it 1949, and ran for 1,925 performances. seemed to be the biggest, grandest flag in As with all their shows (except The the world, and I could not get back under Sound of Music), Hammerstein wrote the it quickly enough. It was in this impa play as well as the song lyrics, but this tient, fretful state of mind that the inspi time he shared authorship of the play ration to compose 'The Stars and Stripes with Joshua Logan, who also directed. Forever' came to me . . . and I could not South Pacific won a Pulitzer Prize (as rest until I had finished." had Michener's book), a Drama Critics The stirring ending has three melodies Award, and numerous other prizes. going at the same time. As Sousa Among the unforgettable numbers explained them, the main theme repre from South Pacific are the love songs sents the North, the piccolo part stands "Some Enchanted Evening" and for the South, and the trombone counter "Younger Than Springtime," the fantasy melody represents the West. of South Sea romance "Bali Ha'i," the — Program Notes © 1997, Woodruff Arts Center
29