Rudolf Friml

Rudolf Friml (December 7, 1879 - November 12, 1972) was a composer of operettas, musicals, songs, as well as a pianist.

Musical Comedies

With operetta falling out of fashion as the 1920s neared, Friml moved onto to musical comedy. He scored his first major musical comedy success in 1924 with Rose-Marie. This musical, 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.

Related Topics:
1920s - Musical comedy - 1924 - Rose-Marie - Lyricist - Oscar Hammerstein II

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After Rose-Marie's success came two other musical comedies, The Vagabond King in 1925 with lyrics by P.G. Wodehouse and Clifford Grey, and The Thee Musketeers in 1928. In addition, Friml contributed to Florenz Ziegfeld's follies of 1921 and 1923.

Related Topics:
1925 - P.G. Wodehouse - Clifford Grey - 1928 - Florenz Ziegfeld's - Follies - 1921 - 1923

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Like his contemporary, Ivor Novello, he was sometimes ridiculed for the 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.

Related Topics:
Ivor Novello - 1930s

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Friml retired after writing the operetta Music Hath Charms in 1934. He died in Los Angeles in 1972 and was interred in the "Court of Honor" at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.

Related Topics:
1934 - Los Angeles - Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery - Glendale, California

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A few of Friml's works have seen revivals on Broadway, these include a 1943 production of The Vagabond King and a 1984 production of The Three Musketeers.

Related Topics:
Revivals - Broadway - 1943 - 1984

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