The Real-Life Von Trapp Great Grandchildren Perform A Breathtaking, Impromptu ‘Edelweiss’ Rendition

Mar 29, 2021

The musical talent of the von Trapp family has surpassed generations. The family has showcased their abilities through many ensembles, albums and broadway performances. Their lives have captured the hearts of people from all over the world, with the help of their story being told on the stage and big screen.

The von Trapps is a musical ensemble composed of Sofia, Melanie, Amanda and August von Trapp, great-grandchildren of Georg and Maria von Trapp. The group was formed in Kalispell, Montana, in 2001 and was first called The von Trapp Children. The group has made its way into the hearts of people all over the world, and continues to inspire others with their breathtaking vocal skills.

The von Trapp great-grandchildren performed a stunning rendition of “Edelweiss,” a song made famous from the Broadway musical and film adaptation of “The Sound of Music.” During the a cappella performance, the grown musicians showcase their strong and beautiful harmonies. The performance is serene yet powerful.

The song “Edelweiss” was composed by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein in 1959. This was the last written piece of music from Hammerstein, who died in August 1960. The song was written for the musical “The Sound of Music.”

The name of the song comes from a flower with the same name. Its proper term is leontopodium nivale. The flower itself is white with fuzzy white petals and consists of five or six small yellow clustered spikelet-florets in the center. Edelweiss can be found in the Alps. The flower is unique and beautiful, much like the musical talents of the von Trapp family.

The famous great-grandchildren began their singing escapade after performing in the Broadway musical “The Sound of Music” in 1997. They embarked on an extremely successful career that lasted over a decade. The von Trapps toured multiple countries, including the United States. They received the Special Award for Outstanding Young Family Singing Group at the Young Artist Awards in 2006.

Their discography is eclectic and innovative. According to Discogs, the group explored a variety of genres, including folk, pop and classical music. The von Trapps released multiple full-length studio albums and an EP as a group. They also released a collaborative album with Pink Martini, a band from Portland, Oregon, whose musical style emcompasses classical, jazz, latin and traditional pop. The von Trapps also worked with other artists and were featured on a variety of arrangements.

The group was active until 2016. The performers have since ventured out to work separately in other industries. Melanie currently works in architecture and Amanada has worked at a few universities as a program assistant or officer. Sofia stuck with the music industry but as a marketer rather than a performer.

The von Trapps as a whole have always been a musical family. The original ensemble consisted of 12 family members, including Georg and Maria. They became famous in Austria as the Trapp Family Singers, beginning their career in 1935. They even performed in the United States before moving there permanently.

According to Discogs, their discography is lengthy and full of beautiful music. With plenty of choir sounds and songs about the holiday season, it’s no wonder that the Trapp Family Singers were a hit, inspiring playwrights and filmmakers to share their story with the world.

Maria may single-handedly be responsible for the success of the family. She wrote the book “The Story of the Trapp Family Singers” in 1949, which was the biggest influence for “The Sound of Music.” The book was successful and reached the hands of the agent for Mary Martin, a Broadway star. According to Vanity Fair, the agent convinced Martin to work with Rodgers and Hammerstein, the musical composers of “The Sound of Music,” and work together to create the masterpiece. Maria immersed herself in the project, allowing the group to study her attitude and mannerism to better showcase her character in the production.

The film adaptation was not as smooth for Maria. According to Vanity Fair, the director and production team took the driver’s seat with little want for Maria’s input.

According to a piece in Prologue Magazine by Joan Gearin, the movie provides some creative liberties from the real lives of the von Trapp family. Some facts about the family were either changed or left out completely. The most obvious example of this is that the names, ages and genders of the children were changed. Even the amount of children was changed, from the original family’s 10 to the production’s seven.

Some other notable changes are the locations the family visited and how they traveled. While their personal anecdotes may not have reflected a completely happy picture, the play and movie productions offer brightness and opportunities.

Another difference between the film and the real life of Georg is how he felt about music. The first half of the movie portrays Georg as someone who disapproves of music and is very detached from it. In reality, Georg had the fondest love for the art and loved performing with his family.

Both the broadway musical and film adaptation of “The Sound of Music” are based on the life of the family with some creative differences. The production for the musical began in 1959, with it being made into a film shortly after in 1965. The film stars an array of talented singers and actors, such as Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. More creations based on the original musical have been made since the film adaptation.

“The Sound of Music” is still capturing people’s hearts as recent as the 2010s. In 2013, a live TV production of the musical starring Carrie Underwood aired on NBC. The show reached an audience of 18.62 million viewers. It even garnered an encore presentation and a DVD of the production was later released. Another live version of the musical was presented on ITV, a British television network, in 2015, with 3.82 million people tuning in to watch.

The von Trapp great-grandchildren gave a breathtaking rendition of “Edelweiss.” Sofia, Melanie, Amanda and August blend their voices seamlessly together to find the perfect pitch and balance of harmonies and unison. During the performance, the family looks to each other for encouragement with smiles on their faces. Their tone is stunningly consistent.

The von Trapp great-grandchildren are certainly carrying on their family’s legacy with each beautiful note sung. They lean on each other for support and look at each other with happiness and encouragement in their eyes. It’s clear the family’s love for music is strong, and their love for each other is just as powerful.

Are there any other covers of “Edelweiss” that make your heart soar like the von Trapp family’s version? What other “The Sound of Music” songs would you like to hear as a revived version? Please let us know, and ask your family if it’s time to start up a band and make your own version!