#189 Musings Beyond the Bunker (Saturday November 6)
Good morning!
MUSIC
I figured it would be fun to explore some of the great classical music used in cartoons. If nothing else (beyond being in the public domain), these melodies add to the action (Barber of Seville) and mood (Tales from the Vienna Woods) and demonstrate that classical music is far more than merely “background” music. Some of the great ones include:
Hungarian Rhapsody #2 by Lizst, “Rhapsody in Rivets” (the amazing arrangement begins a minute in):
Barber of Seville, by Beethoven, Rabbit of Seville—with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Bowl (music starts around :30):
And these:
Tales from the Vienna Woods by Strauss, A Corny Concerto
The Blue Danube, A Corny Concerto (and 2001: A Space Oddysey)
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy by Tchaikovsky, Fantasia
Symphony #6 (Pastoral) by Beethoven, Fantasia (and Soylent Green!)
This is a great article about classical music in cartoons. Tell the truth, weren’t the Warner Brothers and Disney cartoons the place you first became knowledgeable about some of the great classics?: https://www.classicfm.com/composers/liszt/cartoonist-how-generation-learned-classical-music-bugs-bunny/
POETRY
A few people have commented that some of the poetry has sometimes has been inaccessible. As a concession to these folks and in keeping with the theme, some great cartoon quotations:
“It just goes to show ya that a one-eyed jack rabbit can beat a king.”
“Here I go with the timid little woodland creature bit again. It’s shameful, but…eh, it’s a living.”
“I knew I shoulda taken that left turn at Albuquerque!”
--Bugs Bunny
“I disagree but I respect your desire to be stupid.”
“Just remember that everything happens for a reason. So when I smack you upside the head, remember I had a reason.”
“If you’re happy and you know it, you’re probably annoying someone who isn’t.”
--Daffy Duck
“You’re never too old to be young.”
—Snow White
Have a great weekend,
Glenn
From the archives: