Oscar Hammerstein II (pronounced /ˈhæmərstaɪn/; July 12, 1895 – August 23, 1960) was an American writer, producer, and (usually uncredited) director of musicals for almost forty years, collaborating on many of the most important pieces of musical theatre of the twentieth century.
Hammerstein won eight Tony Awards and was twice awarded an Academy Award for "Best Original Song", and much of his work is considered to be part of the unofficial Great American Songbook. He wrote an estimated 850 songs, dozens of which have become standards. Hammerstein was the lyricist and playwright in his partnerships; his collaborators wrote the music. Hammerstein collaborated with a number of famous composers, including Jerome Kern, Vincent Youmans, Rudolf Friml and Sigmund Romberg, but his most famous collaboration was with Richard Rodgers.
Hammerstein's name is often mispronounced /ˈhæmÉ™rstiËn/ HAM-É™r-steen. Hammerstein himself, however, pronounced it /ˈhæmÉ™rstaɪn/ HAM-É™r-styen. Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise is a song with music by Sigmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein II from the 1928 operetta The New Moon. One.