In paying such lavish tribute to Victor Herbert yesterday, on the 100th anniversary of his death, I failed to notice until later in the day that two notable American composers of our own time only recently passed.
One was Richard M. Sherman, of the famous Sherman Brothers, the super-successful songwriting team whose work graced such childhood classics as “Mary Poppins,” “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” “The Jungle Book,” “The Aristocats,” “Bedknobs and Broomsticks,” “The Slipper and the Rose,” “Snoopy Come Home,” and “Charlotte’s Web,” among many, many others. For Disney’s theme parks, they wrote “It’s a Small World (After All).”
I saw all of these films as a kid, and many of them in the theater. Another that I remember, which I caught on vacation in Wildwood, NJ, with my family, was an adaptation of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” starring little Johnny Whitaker of “Sigmund and the Sea Monsters” fame. It featured songs by the Shermans and arrangements by John Williams, presumably hired on the basis of his Academy Award winning work on “Fiddler on the Roof.” Two years later, everyone would think twice about wading into the surf, thanks in large part to Williams’ music for “Jaws.”
Richard Sherman was preceded in death by his brother, Robert B. Sherman, in 2012. Together they received nine Academy Award nominations (with two wins, for “Mary Poppins,” including one for Best Original Song for “Chim Chim Cher-ee”), two Grammy Awards, and 23 gold and platinum certified albums.
Richard Sherman was 95 years-old.
The other notable American composer is Paul Schoenfield, who died in Jerusalem on April 29.
While his “Café Music” became something of a popular hit, I’ve also always been fond of his “Klezmer Rondos” for flute, baritone and orchestra. Equally, “Four Parables,” for piano and orchestra, is a wackily attractive piece, in a funhouse mirror sort of way.
In addition to his achievements as a composer, Schoenfield was also a talented pianist. Among his discography as a performer is a collection of the complete works for violin and piano of Béla Bartók, recorded with Sergiu Luca.
Although he composed much that is immediately accessible, Schoenfield clearly tended toward an introspective disposition. He was enthralled by mathematics and Talmudic studies. He moved to Israel following his retirement as professor of music at University of Michigan in 2021. (He was born in Detroit in 1947.)
I’m sorry he had to pass during such a turbulent time. Schoenfield was 77 years old. R.I.P.
“Café Music”
“Klezmer Rondos”
The first of Schoenfield’s “Four Parables”
Richard Sherman talks about being tasked with coming up with “It’s a Small World”
Sherman plays and sings in Walt Disney’s office
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Bwl4MuYsQs
“Chim Chim Cher-ee”
