What Christmas Favorite is Part of Fantasia’s Classical Music Score?
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This holiday season, take a trip back in time with Fantasia’s timeless classical music score. From “The Nutcracker Suite” to “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” these pieces have become synonymous with Christmas. But did you know that one of Fantasia’s most famous pieces, “Night on Bald Mountain,” is actually based on a Ukrainian Easter folk song?
“The Nutcracker Suite” by Tchaikovsky
Fantasia’s opening number, “The Nutcracker Suite” by Tchaikovsky, is one of the most popular pieces of classical music ever written. Many people are surprised to learn that it’s actually a Christmas favorite. The suite was originally written for the ballet “The Nutcracker”, which was first performed in 1892.
“Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy”
“The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” is a ballet composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1892. It is from the ballet The Nutcracker, which was originally composed for the stage but is now better known in its concert suite form. The music is acclaimed for its use of the celesta, an instrument that Tchaikovsky had discovered two years prior and which gives the piece its unique nutty sound.
The “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” is one of the most popular and well-known classical pieces ever written, and has been used in countless movies, TV shows, and commercials. It is perhaps most famously associated with Disney’s Fantasia, where it accompanies a section of animation based on The Nutcracker.
“The Chinese Dance”
The Chinese Dance, originally titled the “Tea” dance, is a lively choreographed piece included in the “Nutcracker Suite” composed by Tchaikovsky. It is one of the most popular Nutcracker Suite dances and was featured in Walt Disney’s Fantasia movie as part of the classical music score.
“The Dance of the Reed Flutes”
The “Dance of the Reed Flutes” is a piece included in “The Nutcracker Suite” by Tchaikovsky. This particular composition is often associated with Christmas, as it is often used as background music for holiday-themed events and performances. It has also been featured in Disney’s “Fantasia” as part of the score for the “Nutcracker Suite” segment.
“The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” by Paul Dukas
Paul Dukas’s “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” is one of the most popular pieces of classical music ever written. It has been featured in many movies, including Fantasia. The music is based on a poem by Goethe, and it tells the story of a sorcerer’s apprentice who tries to do his master’s work while he is away.
“The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”
“The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” is a symphonic poem composed by Paul Dukas in 1897. It is based on the story by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and tells the tale of an apprentice who, left alone in his master’s workshop, tries to do the sorcerer’s work by himself with disastrous results.
The music was originally composed as a ballet score, but was later adapted for orchestra. It was first performed in 1899 by the Virtuosi Hungarici under Felix Weingartner.
This piece of classical music is most famous for being featured in the movie Fantasia, where it is used as the background music for a scene where Mickey Mouse tries to use magic to do his chores for him, with similar disastrous results.
“The Enchanted Garden”
In “The Enchanted Garden,” Mickey is hard at work trying to clean up the workshop before Yen Sid returns. He’s so busy that he doesn’t even have time to take a lunch break. But when he sits down to rest for just a minute, he accidentally falls asleep.
In his dream, Mickey finds himself in a beautiful garden filled with flowers, trees, and fountains. He’s tempted to stop and enjoy the sights, but he knows that he has to get back to work. As he’s about to leave, he hears music coming from a nearby castle. The music is so enchanting that Mickey can’t resist following it.
As he approaches the castle, Mickey sees two figures dancing in the courtyard. He recognizes one of them as Yen Sid, but he doesn’t recognize the other. The two dancers glide around the courtyard effortlessly, their movements synchronized perfectly with the music. Suddenly, Yen Sid vanishs and the other dancer turns into a skeleton!
Mickey wakes up just in time to avoid being caught by Yen Sid. He knows that he won’t be able to forget what he saw in the enchanted garden, but he’ll never tell anyone about it either.
“Night on Bald Mountain” by Modest Mussorgsky
Most everyone who watches Fantasia knows that the “Night on Bald Mountain” segment is one of the most popular in the film. The music is by Modest Mussorgsky, a Russian composer from the late 1800s. The “Night on Bald Mountain” segment was actually not part of the original plan for Fantasia.
“Night on Bald Mountain”
“Night on Bald Mountain” is a Russian musical composition written by Modest Mussorgsky in 1867. The piece was first performed in 1886 and has since become one of the most popular classical music pieces in the world. The piece is best known for its inclusion in the 1940 Disney film Fantasia, where it is set to a scene of nightmarish creatures dancing on top of a mountain.
“Ave Maria”
“Ave Maria” is a Christmas favorite that is part of Fantasia’s classical music score. The piece was composed by Modest Mussorgsky in 1874, and is based on a theme by Franz Schubert. “Ave Maria” is a beautiful and elegant composition that has been enjoyed by classical music fans for generations.
“The Rite of Spring” by Igor Stravinsky
Fantasia, one of the most popular and iconic Disney films, is well-known for its classical music score. The score includes “The Nutcracker Suite” by Tchaikovsky, “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” by Paul Dukas, and “The Rite of Spring” by Igor Stravinsky. While all three pieces are amazing, today we’re going to focus on “The Rite of Spring.”
“The Augurs of Spring”
“The Rite of Spring” by Igor Stravinsky is a classical music composition that was originally written for the 1913 ballet “The Rite of Spring.” The ballet tells the story of a young girl who is chosen as a sacrifice to appease the gods and ensure a good spring harvest. The music is very powerful and emotive, and it has become one of the most iconic pieces of classical music ever written. It is also one of the most popular pieces of music used in movies, TV shows, and commercials.
“The Sacrificial Dance”
“The Rite of Spring” by Igor Stravinsky is a ballet score composed in 1913. The music is neo-classical, with elements of Russian folk music. The story is based on pagan rites of spring, in which a young girl is chosen as a sacrifice to pagan gods. “The Sacrificial Dance” is the section of the score that accompanies the moment when the girl is chosen and she dances herself to death.
