Oscar Rasbach


Oscar Rasbach 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". He also studied music with Ludwig Thomas, Julius Albert Jahn, José Anderson, and A. J. Stamm. He became a businessman, but went to Vienna to study piano with Theodor Leschetizky and music theory with Hans Thorton. 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. His obituary in the local news and the Musical Times claimed that he was a founding member of ASCAP, but the 1966 ASCAP Dictionary says that he joined in 1932.

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

  • April, 1932
  • Beloved, 1941
  • Crossing the Bar, 1939
  • Debt, 1926
  • Discovery, 1945
  • The Eagle,, unpublished manuscript
  • Gifts, 1930
  • The Greater Thing, 1941
  • The Laughing Brook, 1926, B.F. Wood Music Co. publisher
  • The Look, 1925
  • Love Shall Light the Haven, 1936
  • Motherhood
  • Mountains, 1930
  • Overtones, 1929
  • Prelude in March, 1941
  • Promise, 1932
  • The Redwoods, 1937, Sherman, Clay & Co. publisher
  • Trees, 1922
  • A Wanderer's Song
  • When I am dead, my dearest, 1941

Piano solo

  • Barefoot Boy, 1939
  • Day Dreams, 1938, Willis Music publisher
  • El Burrito, 1941
  • Étude Mélodique, 1946
  • Evening at Padua Hills, 1939
  • Folk-Song Sonatinas, 1943
  • From 'way Down South, 1934
  • The Old Mill Wheel, 1934
  • Pleading, 1934
  • Scherzo, 1921
  • Spanish Nights, 1934
  • Tango, 1936
  • Valse Charlene, 1936
  • Valse Elaine, 1938
  • The Village Blacksmith, 1939
  • Waltz Improvisation
  • Wishing
  • Woods at Night, 1938

Musical arrangements

  • España, for piano solo
  • Sigh No More, Ladies, for women's chorus, 1959
  • The Skaters, for piano solo, 1941
  • Thou, too, sail on, O Ship of State!, for women's chorus, 1943
  • You and You, for piano solo

Other works

  • Dawn Boy, Indian Operetta in 2 Acts and 3 Scenes, 1933
  • Gifts, violin and piano
  • Open House, operetta
  • Songs Without Words, string ensemble with piano, 1937

Filmography

His song Trees was used in 10 film and television productions:
  • The In-Laws, 1979
  • All in the Family, "The Bunkers Go West", 1978
  • Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall, Episode dated 21 March 1959
  • Melody Time, 1948
  • Blondie in Society, 1941
  • Woman Chases Man, 1937
  • Toyland Broadcast, 1934
  • The Tree's Knees, 1931
  • Dorothy Whitmore, 1928
  • Mme. Ernestine Schumann-Heink, 1927