Business News Deals Labels & Publishers

Imagem buy the Rodgers & Hammerstein organisation

By | Published on Wednesday 22 April 2009

Imagem Music Group, the relatively young contender in the music publishing domain, which has already bought up some of the pop catalogues of the now defunct BMG Music Publishing, and prominent classical publisher Boosey & Hawkes, has announced it has acquired the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organisation which owns and administers all the songs and musicals written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II – which includes the likes of ‘Oklahoma!’, ‘Carousel’, ‘South Pacific’, ‘The King And I’ and ‘The Sound Of Music’ – as well as the works of over 200 other writers, including many other stage musicals. They also currently represent Andrew Lloyd Webber’s catalogue of tunes in North America.

The deal will see Imagem take ownership of both the Rodgers & Hammerstein catalogues, and its New York based business operations. The publisher’s existing management team, including President Theodore S Chapin, will continue to run the company.

Confirming the deal, Imagem top man André de Raaff told reporters: “Our purchase of the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organisation is a once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire the publishing and theatrical rights of some of the most beloved shows and songs ever written. We are also delighted to have the benefit of the knowledge and expertise of Ted Chapin and the RHO staff within the Imagem Music Group and I see great synergy opportunities with our Boosey & Hawkes organisation. I personally believe that the world of musicals in which RHO is a leading player will grow further on a worldwide basis and we look forward to adding value to these rights through long term cultivation and development”.

Representatives of the Rodgers and Hammerstein families both welcomed the deal.

Rodger’s daughter Mary Rodgers Guettel said: “My father always believed in moving forward. This is a big and wonderful step, and I am thrilled by the new opportunities that André and his team bring to my father’s songs and shows. The Rodgers family is committed to this phenomenal organisation, which will continue to [also] represent the shows my father wrote with Larry Hart, as well as a few shows I wrote, and my son Adam’s shows”.

Meanwhile, Hammerstein’s daughter, Alice Hammerstein Mathia, said: “The collaboration between my father and Richard Rodgers was extraordinary. That they kept everything together, including the management of their copyrights, is a testament to their shared vision, and now that vision will be continued in this promising new venture”.

Aside from the many songs and musicals the R&H Organisation has acquired over the years, the late Rodgers and Hammerstein’s own musical collaborations continue to generate much interest and income, of course, aided in the UK by the recent Lloyd Webber/BBC initiated revival of ‘The Sound Of Music’, not to mention the continued popularity of the sing-a-long version of that musical’s film adaptation. Though if they want a post takeover royalties boost, perhaps Imagem could persuade Simon Cowell to get showtune loving Susan Boyle to sing ‘You Never Walk Alone’ when she next appears on ‘Britain’s Got Talent’. Get Ashton and Demi tweeting and earn some YouTube cash. Though not via PRS. They probably ought do their own deal with Google first.



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