Anna Rudolph

Anna Rudolph (1924-1995) was a songwriter, composer, artist, author and playwright.

Also found listed as Anna Lemmer Badenhorst Rudolph or Anna L.B. Rudolph

Biography

Born Anna Lemmer Badenhorst Swart on 9 April 1924 in Potchefstroom, where she grew in a very musical fam,ily. She studied to be a teacher at the Pretoriase Normaalkollege from 1942 tot 1944.

In 1945 she married the lecturer and playwright Coenraad Frederik Rudolph (generally known as Coenie Rudolph), with whom she had three daughters and a son - all of them musical. The family often performed together and cut a number long playing records of their performances.

Having studied singing, she became a well know singer in Pretoria, i.a. as member of the Cantare singing group, and gradually evolved into an author starting with stories for children, moving on to adult short stories and novels, and finally to plays, musicals and operettas.

One of her most lasting contributions came through her realization that there was a gap in the market for Afrikaans childrens songs, and she began writing and composing these. As part of the process she (and her family in many cases) recorded and broadcast the songs as well. In 1985 her collection of folk songs was published.

She died on 2 September 1995.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

Wrote musicals and one-act plays, and in the 1960s was encouraged by DALRO to produce works specifically for use by schools and amateur groups.

Her plays include: 'n Nooi vir Koelspruit (1964), Bye om 'n aster (1967), Skrikkeljanie (libretto for an operetta for young children, 1968), Tollie Tollieman (1968), Ouma se dinge (1969), Die dooie sel (1969), Die noodsein (1969),

She also co-authored a number of musical works, including Skrikkeljanie (1968), Die Silwer Sambreeltjie (or The Silver Umbrella, 1970) and Prys vir 'n meisie (libretto for a musical, with J. Pierre Malan, 1971). Met liefde aan Marlies (libretto for a musical, with Xander Haagen, 1972).

Besides her plays, she wrote and composed many songs and compiled song books , including Volksangbundel van Anna Rudolph (1985) and Nuwe liedjies vir almal (1996)