Discover

'"Edelweiss"' is a Rodgers and Hammerstein song from musical and film ''The Sound of Music''. It is named after the edelweiss, a white flower found high in the Alpine hills. In ''The Sound of Music'', the song is used as a double metaphor: it is first sung by lonely Captain Georg Ritter von Trapp, a widower, as he rediscovers music and a love for his children, in a rebirth similar to the flower's rebirth after the snows of winter recede; second, it is sung as a defiant statement of Austrian patriotism by the von Trapp family in the face of the pressure put upon Captain von Trapp to join the navy of Nazi Germany.
The great popularity of the song has led many of its audience to believe that it is an Austrian folk song or even the official national anthem.^[1] In actuality, Austria's official anthem is ''Land der Berge, Land am Strome'', and the anthem used before the ''Anschluss'' was ''Sei gesegnet ohne Ende''. The edelweiss is a popular flower in Austria, and was featured on the old 1 Schilling coin. It can also now be seen on the 2 cent Euro coin. The edelweiss is also worn as a cap device by certain Austrian Army mountain units. However, the edelweiss is in fact the national flower of Switzerland.
The music was written by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and was the final song that the great duo wrote together — Hammerstein would die nine months after the premiere of the musical.

Contents

American church use

Modified (Benediction) lyrics

Legal debate

See also

References

External links

American church use

During the 1970s in America, the song became a popular tune with which to sing the benediction in some Christian churches. At a United Methodist Women's Conference, revised lyrics for the song were handed out with instructions stating that the benediction was to be sung to the tune of ''Edelweiss''. The trend spread quickly across different denominations of Christianity, and it is still very common to hear the benedictory lyrics ("May the Lord, Mighty God") sung to an organ or piano accompaniment of the song from the Sound of Music.

Modified (Benediction) lyrics

:"May the Lord, mighty God,
:bless, preserve you and keep you.
:Give you peace, perfect peace,
:courage in every endeavor.
:Lift up your eyes and see His face,
:and His grace forever.
:May the Lord, mighty God,
:bless, preserve you and keep you!"

Legal debate

Recent debate has centered around the legality of this practice. The parent company holding the rights to Rodgers and Hammerstein's music has explicitly stated that it will prosecute congregations that continue to use the song without permission.[1]

See also

★ The Sound of Music

★ Rodgers and Hammerstein

References

1. http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/07_july/11/maria_facts.shtml

External links

★ The Words of The Song

★ The Words of the Song in English and German

★ Legal information from the General Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church