Based on the memoir by Maria von Trapp, The Sound of Music is a musical drama that follows Maria’s (Julie Andrews) time in Nazi-occupied Austria, where she serves as a governess to the seven children of the widowed naval officer Captain von Trapp (Christopher Plummer), with whom she ultimately falls in love.
For fans of the film, one of the peak highlights is its opening—Maria’s introduction, set against the sprawling hills, singing “The Sound of Music,” as she claims a merger of her existence with nature.
In this article, we’re going to analyze how this one scene did so much for the entire film.
The Scene
The opening sequence of The Sound of Music remains one of cinema’s most effective character introductions, immediately establishing Maria’s essence through both visual spectacle and symbolic meaning.
The camera glides through clouds above snow-covered alpine peaks, descending gradually toward the valleys below. As the camera descends towards the ground, a whole different world is unveiled before your eyes.
The snow is now replaced with lush green forests, and a blue river flows quietly between the hills. Under the bright sun, everything glistens like gold, and the air is filled with the soft chirping of birds.
The camera sweeps through forests and meadows with fluid, purposeful movement, drawing viewers into the landscape. Soon, you reach an abbey—it’s an archaic architectural beauty. You whiz past it, rushing toward the lush green meadows.
As you squint your eyes, you see that there is somebody already there: a young nun. Her arms are spread wide as if she is trying to hug the hills and the wind. She begins singing in bliss:
The hills are alive with the sound of music,
With songs they have sung for a thousand years.
As she sings joyfully, it strikes you that Maria is living our dream. (At the time, I was hell-bent on becoming an actress, all set to travel around to beautiful places and shoot beautiful sequences, until I discovered I’m profoundly camera-shy.)
While the opening is momentous, the song holds a deeper meaning, as it reappears in the film at a heart-warming moment. We’ll get to that shortly.
‘The Sound of Music’Credit: 20th Century Fox
Behind The Scenes
While the location in the story is Austria, the scene was actually shot about 10 kilometers into Bavaria, Germany.
At that time, the land was owned by private farmers. Today, a famous mountain climber owns the place and doesn’t really appreciate outsiders (especially fans) on his property, according to ABC News.
Robert Wise had planned a six-week shoot, but notorious Salzburg rains extended production by five weeks. The weather delays significantly impacted the budget due to the substantial costs of housing and transporting the crew.
Shooting the song “The Sound of Music” was not a cakewalk. In her memoir, Home: A Memoir of My Early Years, Julie Andrews reminisces about how the iconic scene was shot.
She recalled how they would go up to the location, hoisted atop big open ox-pulled carts, and she would sit atop the camera equipment. The weather was bad, it was freezing cold, and there were no bathrooms for miles.
Even technically, the scene was demanding. It had to be shot from a helicopter, and the timing had to be absolutely perfect. It was extremely difficult for Andrews to perform against the strong downward drafts of the helicopter. The strong wind from the helicopter blades would throw her to the ground each time the helicopter stooped low to take its position.
Additionally, it was extremely hazardous for the camera operator, as the only way to shoot without casting shadows was to rig the camera to the operator outside the helicopter, using only straps. When the original camera operator refused to take the shot due to safety concerns, with no one else to fill the position, DP Paul Beeson stepped up.
Despite his vertigo, even in the absence of safety protocols, the passionate cameraman rigged himself to the camera to shoot a scene that made history.
The birch trees were brought up to the mountain for the scene, and the flowing brook was artificial. Finally, on the last day of the shoot in that location, the crew managed to capture Andrews’ iconic shot in just under 20 minutes of sunlight.
Themes and Symbolism
What fascinates me about this opening, and the song, is that they together paint a crystal clear picture of Maria for the audience.
To me, it is one of the most iconic character introductions—not only visually liberating but a sincere peek into the heart and mind of the character. I love how the camera remains static while only she, the wind, and the brook flow in the scene. One song and scene later, you’ll have no questions about Maria’s essence.
Later, Maria seems to be an irresponsible and negligent novice nun who’s not cut out for the life she has chosen for herself.
But when you place her in this scene, you realize she is one of those who believe in grace and divinity beyond the structures of religion. She reveres the divine through its creations and prefers connecting with it in the Alps rather than inside an abbey.
‘The Sound of Music’ Credit: 20th Century Fox
The scene was treated so powerfully that it leaves an indelible impression on our minds until the end of the musical. When Maria is introduced to the seven motherless children as their governess, both parties are struggling with their issues.
The children are defensive, yearning for love, while Maria, a troubled nun, struggles to choose between her religious duties and her desire for a life of her own. Georg von Trapp is a cold and distant man who runs the household with strict discipline.
Over time, with love and the use of music to heal them, Maria wins over the children and brings them together as a family. By this time, she’s grown close to them and started thinking of them as her own children.
The reappearance of the song “The Sound of Music” at this point in the film marks the completion of the character arcs. Each character in the movie has reached their full potential.
Georg walks into the house, following “the sound of music”. He sees his children, standing in a choir, singing “The Sound of Music.” His heart is full. Soon, he joins in; Maria walks in from the other room, hearing the captain’s voice. She watches him finish the song with his children from the threshold.
The song ends, and the kids hug their father. The image is simple but powerful—the family is finally reunited. Their love transcends the screen, amplified by the music. The moment also reveals how much she has fallen in love with this man.
I watch this musical sometimes when I’m sad, but I don’t know why. The happy ending always makes me feel better afterward.
While most people tear up when Maria and Georg finally get married, I usually cry at this cathartic “The Sound of Music” scene, where the children are finally back with their father—the von Trapp family becomes whole again.
Which is your favorite scene from the musical?
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