The Sound of Music Companion

The definitive book on the world’s most beloved musical, published to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the classic film starring Julie Andrews. Sure to be on every fan’s list of favorite things, this beautifully produced volume marks the fiftieth anniversary of the release of the film version of The Sound of Music. Based upon archival material from Rodgers & Hammerstein and the von Trapp family, this is the most authoritative account of how one family’s history was transformed into the enchanting Broadway musical and even bigger motion picture. Included are archival photos, facsimiles of handwritten lyrics, and behind-the-scenes footage—including the real Maria von Trapp meeting with Julie Andrews during filming. The book details every step from real life to page to stage to film to international phenomenon. It profiles every creative artist who helped shape the musical, including the unexpected like Petula Clark, Carol Burnett, John Coltrane, and Noel Coward, and features more than 170 pictures, complete lyrics to several of the most popular songs, rare manuscript pages, a map of Salzburg showing the film’s locations, and film storyboards.

Laurence Maslon is an associate arts professor at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. He wrote the American Masters documentary on Richard Rodgers and was senior consultant on the fortieth-anniversary DVD release of The Sound of Music. Andrew Lloyd Webber is the creator of Cats, The Phantom of the Opera, and many other Broadway hits