Oscar Rasbach (August 2, 1888 – March 23, 1975)Oscar Rasbach at IMDb web siteMusical Times, May 1975, Vol. 116, p. 470 was an American pianist, composer and arranger of art songs and works for piano.
Biography Oscar was born in Kentucky, but studied "academic subjects in Los Angeles".Baker's Biographical Dictionary, p. 1476 He also studied music with Ludwig Thomas, Julius Albert Jahn, José Anderson, and A. J. Stamm.Baker's Biographical Dictionary, p. 1476, and Claghorn, p. 367 He became a businessman, but went to Vienna to study piano with Theodor Leschetizky and music theory with Hans Thorton.Baker's Biographical Dictionary, p. 1476 He returned to the United States in 1911 and settled in San Marino, California. There he worked as a pianist, accompanist, teacher, and choral director.ASCAP Biographical Dictionary, p. 588 His obituary in the local news and the Musical Times claimed that he was a founding member of ASCAP,Musical Times, May 1975, Vol. 116, p. 470 but the 1966 ASCAP Dictionary says that he joined in 1932.ASCAP Biographical Dictionary, p. 588
Music Rasbach composed two operettas, around 20 published songs, solos for student pianists, and a few arrangements and instrumental pieces. His most important musical composition was his 1922 setting of Trees, the popular poem by Joyce Kilmer, published by G. Schirmer. It was performed and recorded by many important singers of the 20th century, such as Ernestine Schumann-Heink, John Charles Thomas, Nelson Eddy, Robert Merrill, Paul Robeson, Richard Tauber and Mario Lanza. More recently, tenor John Aler recorded it on a program entitled Songs we Forgot to Remember, and Julian Lloyd Webber included an instrumental version for cello and piano on his Unexpected Songs cd.
Musical compositions
Songs for voice and piano All published by G. Schirmer unless noted
April (text by Elsie M. Fowler), 1932 Beloved (text by Josephine Johnson), 1941 Crossing the Bar (text by Alfred, Lord Tennyson), 1939 Debt (text by Sara Teasdale), 1926 Discovery (text by Gilean Douglas), 1945 The Eagle, (text by Alfred, Lord Tennyson), unpublished manuscriptCopy located in the New York Public Library, OCLC number 24412285. Gifts (text by Juliana Horatia Ewing), 1930 The Greater Thing (text by C.T. Davis), 1941 The Laughing Brook (text by Elizabeth Ellis Scantlebury), 1926, B.F. Wood Music Co. publisher The Look (text by Sara Teasdale), 1925 Love Shall Light the Haven (Prothalamium) (text by Leigh Hanes), 1936 Motherhood Mountains (text by Leigh Hanes), 1930 Overtones (text by William Alexander Percy), 1929 Prelude in March (text by Gilean Douglas), 1941 Promise, 1932 The Redwoods (text by J. B. Strauss), 1937, Sherman, Clay & Co. publisher Trees (text by Joyce Kilmer), 1922Also published in versions for vocal duet, 7 various choral settings, 2 piano duet versions, piano solo, solo instrument and piano (violin, cornet, and saxophone), and full orchestra. A Wanderer's Song (text by John Masefield) When I am dead, my dearest (text by Christina Rossetti), 1941
Piano solo Barefoot Boy, 1939 Day Dreams, 1938, Willis Music publisher (John Thompson's students series for the piano) El Burrito, 1941 Étude Mélodique, 1946 Evening at Padua Hills, 1939 Folk-Song Sonatinas (In Colonial Days, etc.), 1943 From 'way Down South (Turkey in the Straw), 1934 The Old Mill Wheel, 1934 Pleading, 1934 Scherzo, 1921 Spanish Nights, 1934 Tango, 1936Also arranged for violin and piano by Josef Piastro-Borisov. Valse Charlene, 1936 Valse Elaine, 1938 The Village Blacksmith, 1939 Waltz Improvisation Wishing Woods at Night, 1938
Musical arrangements España (Emmanuel Chabrier), for piano solo Sigh No More, Ladies (James H. Rogers/Shakespeare), for women's chorus, 1959 The Skaters (Emil Waldteufel), for piano solo, 1941 Thou, too, sail on, O Ship of State! (text by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) (Engelbert Humperdinck, "Abends, will ich schlafen gehn" from Hansel and Gretel), for women's chorus, 1943 You and You (Johann Strauss II, Die Fledermaus), for piano solo
Other works Dawn Boy, Indian Operetta in 2 Acts and 3 Scenes (book and lyrics by C. Allen), 1933 Gifts, violin and piano Open House, operettaMentioned in Baker's Biographical Dictionary, p. 1476, and Claghorn, p. 367 Songs Without Words, string ensemble with piano (arr. by Louis Hintze), 1937
Filmography His song Trees was used in 10 film and television productions:IMDb web site
The In-Laws, 1979 (uncredited) All in the Family (TV series), "The Bunkers Go West", 1978 (uncredited) Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall (TV series), Episode dated 21 March 1959 (uncredited) Melody Time, 1948 Blondie in Society, 1941 Woman Chases Man, 1937 (uncredited) Toyland Broadcast (short), 1934 (uncredited) The Tree's Knees (short), 1931 Dorothy Whitmore (short), 1928 Mme. Ernestine Schumann-Heink (short), 1927
Footnotes
References
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http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0711017/