Rodgers–Carousel Waltz

Instrumental Music: Part Seven.

On May 12, 2017, we published a synopsis of Act One, Scene Two of Carousel, which is usually referred to as the “bench scene.” The heroine, Julie Jordan, has staked out her claim on the carousel barker, Billy Bigelow, and means to reel him in. Here is what we said: “Act One, Scene Two opens on a park bench near the carousel. For the first time, we meet Julie and her friend, Carrie Pipperidge, two workers earning minimum wages at the local cotton mill. They should leave and return to their boarding-house. Carrie returns but Julie stays, intent on winning Billy’s affection. Billy puts up a good fight but eventually falls in love to the tune of “If I Loved You.” This is an excellent example of the conditional love song.

Now, we need to go back to the opening of the show; Act One, Scene One takes place at an amusement part on the New England coast. It is late afternoon; there are two main attractions as the curtain rises. One is “The Beauties of Europe,” complete with a stand for its “barker,” the man who calls out to the passing crowd to get their interest so that they will buy a ticket and enter the tent. The second is “Mullins Carousel,” another attraction, with a stand for its barker, Billy Bigelow. Mrs. Mullins runs the ticket booth.

A note in the four pages of script in the libretto tells us: “This scene is set to the music of a waltz suite. The only sound comes from the orchestra pit. The pantomimic action is synchronized to the music, but it is in no sense a ballet treatment.”

We see but cannot hear the words being exchanged; however, we know that Julie catches Billy’s eye; Mrs. Mullins tries to stop Julie from getting on the carousel; Billy lifts her up and onto the carousel; Mrs. Mullins spurns Billy’s attempt to reconcile; Billy returns to flirt with Julie. The libretto continues: “…the carousel keeps turning at full speed, Billy is leaning closer to Julie, the music rises in an ecstatic crescendo, but the lights, as if they sensed that we have accomplished all we wanted to in this scene, black out and the curtains close.”

The waltz has been labelled “The Carousel Waltz,” and it is one of the most beautiful instrumental pieces of music written for the musical stage. Here is the music from the Capitol Record recording of the movie soundtrack, with the studio orchestra conducted by Alfred Newman. We will discuss him at length at a later date when we discuss the transition of Broadway orchestrators, conductors and music directors to Hollywood.

For now, just enjoy the lush sound of the waltz, “The Carousel Waltz.”