Classical Music in Commercials

Classical Music in Commercials

I seem to recall from the dark recesses of my mind several commercials that I can’t find info on, perhaps because they were about 40 years ago. One showed a cartoon character ascending a podium and conducting a Beethoven Symphony. (I don’t remember which one, but it seems that it was the 5th or 9th.) About the same time was another wordless commercial of an autumnal scene with a deer in the golden grass, accompanied by Beethoven’s Symphony # 6 (“Pastoral”). Finally, these words appeared on the screen: “This moment of softness was brought to you by Zee, a very soft tissue.” A bit more recently, a third one I recall was for a feminine product to the music of Satie’s Gymnopedie # 1.

Some research has brought me to several sources that have identified classical music in commercials, from which I have compiled this listing.

Bach Cello Suite # 1                                                                          AmericanExpress              Current
Beethoven Symphony # 5 in C minor                                           XM Satellite Radio            2007
Beethoven Fur Elise                                                                         McDonald’s                         1980s
Beethoven Symphony # 9 in D minor                                          Starz Cable Movies            1990s
              (The theme is the “Ode to Joy” theme from the 4th movement.)
Bizet “Habanera” from Carmen                                                     Pepsi                                     2001
Copland Fanfare for the Common Man                                       U. S. Navy                            1990s
Copland “Hoedown” from Rodeo                                                  Nat’l  Beef Council             1970s
              (“Beef, it’s what’s for dinner.”)
Debussy “Claire de lune”                                                                 Chanel No. 5                        2005
Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue                                                           United Airlines                    1968
Jenkins Palladio                                                                                DeBeers Diamonds            1990s
              (Diamonds are forever!)
Khatchaturian Sabre Dance                                                           Scrubbing Bubbles              1990s
Mascagni "Intermezzo" from Cavalliera Rusticana                  Kleenex                                  1982
Orff “O Fortuna” from Camina Burana                                       Capital One                           2004
Ponchielli “Dance of the Hours” from La Gioconda                 K9 Advantix                          2004
Prokofiev Peter and the Wolf                                                         Coca-Cola                             2009
              (Played during Super Bowl.)
Rinsky-Korsakov “Flight of the Bumblebee”                              Nasonex                                2006
Rossini “Largo al Factotum” from The Barber of Seville         Hershey’s Kissables            2006

Saint-Saens “Aquarium” from Carnival of the Animals                   
                                                                                                             Disney Cruise Line             1990s
Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture                                                            Quaker Puffed Wheat        1970s

               ("This is the cereal that's shot from guns." [Repeat])     
Tchaikovsky “Dance of the Reed Pipes” from The Nutcracker    Jiffy Lube                        2000

             
See what I mean? We are surrounded by classical music, but don’t know it.

It has occurred to me that if would be difficult to identify a classical theme in a movie or other appearance in media. If one doesn’t know the music by name, how will one recognize it in a larger musical context? I found a website that offers some help here. This is a listing of the top 100 most popular pieces of classical music. There are links to hear these on YouTube, too. They offer only short snippets of music, but they are always the most familiar melodies. And they are identified as they play. Try it out; it’s quite well done. Remember, however, that I am not responsible for the site’s name. If your sensitivities allow it, check out http://www.kickassclassical.com/classical-music-popular-famous-best-top-100-list.html