New Repertoire Form
Shores Studio
Title of song/aria: Soliloquy
Composer: Richard Rodgers
Poet/Librettist: Oscar Hammerstein II
Date of Composition and musical era: 1945, Contemporary (Or Golden Age Musical Theatre)
A word-by-word translation (also written into the music)
This word-by-word translation will be memorized by: N/A
Diction questions: N/A
I am secure with the notes and rhythms of this song/aria
I am having difficulty with the notes/rhythms in the following sections (list measure numbers): I
trip up every so often, but that’s more a product of the length of the song than any particularly
hard sections.
I plan to have this song/aria memorized by: 10/4/24
COMPOSER. Please write a paragraph providing basic information about the composer’s life
and musical style (include dates, nationality, musical era to which they belong, etc.).
Richard Charles Rodgers (June 28, 1902 - December 30, 1979) was an American musical
theatre composer who is credited with 43 Broadway musicals and over 900 songs. His most well-
known collaboration is with Oscar Hammerstein II. Together they would go on to pave the
golden age of musical theatre. He survived jaw cancer, a heart attack, and a laryngectomy, before
ultimately passing at age 77.
POET/LIBRETTIST. Write a paragraph providing basic information about the poet’s life and
compositional style (include dates, nationality, literary era to which he/she belongs).
Oscar Greely Clendenning Hammerstein II (July 12, 1895 – August 23, 1960) was an
American librettist, theatrical producer, lyricist, and director in musical theatre. He co-wrote 850
songs, many of which are standards for vocalists and jazz musicians to this day. He was
significantly more focused on writing the story, rather than the songs. He is credited along with
Rodgers for paving the golden age of musical theatre.
Is this composition part of a larger work (opera, song cycle, oratorio, musical)? If so, please
include an additional paragraph about the larger work. Where does your song/aria fall in the
context of the larger work (act/scene, song number, etc.)?
This song is from Carousel, specifically after Billy Bigelow loses his job as a carousel
barker. He learns he is about to become a father, and sings this in response, excited and scared at
the prospect of having a kid. It’s the second to last song in Act 1, although personally I think it
functions better as an act closer than act 1 finale.
What is the poem/text about (what is happening, general emotions being conveyed)? Who is
singing it? Why? To Whom are they singing it?
Billy is singing it to his future child. He goes through a plethora of emotional states,
excited that he’s having a kid, pride in what his boy can become, a stern sense of responsibility
detailing how his kid won’t be pushed around, before transitioning in mood entirely when
realizing he might have a girl. The emotions become softer, more protective and loving, before
moving into frustration that he won’t be able to provide for her like he wants to, leading to a very
poor impulsive decision.
How does the composer express this text through the music? What challenges does this
composition present to you (musical, vocal, expressive, language challenges, etc.)?
The music paints the emotions all the way through the song. The more excited segments
are bouncier, up-tempo, intense almost. The song lives in a land of grandeur and almost an
americana sound for the majority of its run, until Bill realizes he might have a daughter. The
music shifts into a much softer, more legato styling, before building once more at the end when
Bill exclaims that he’ll give his daughter the life she deserves by any means necessary.
Have you listened to a recording of this work? If so, please list the names of the performers
(include singer, pianist/name of orchestra, conductor if applicable):
Gordon MacRae, the Soliloquy 1956 movie
