Classical Music in Media
Homework is Fun When It's Not Assigned
My sister-in-law was working on a homework assignment. I was dying to help when I got wind of the assignment.
Does this make me a nerd?
She was assigned with finding classical music in current media.
Right up my alley.
She was struggling to get started. My first thought was the funeral scene from Grown Ups.
What song was Rob Schneider singing?
Ave Maria
and just like that, we were on a roll.
Ave Maria has been used in countless other movies, usually in a serious context, like in Batman:
The song is religious in nature, setting up the Grown Ups scene for the punchline.
The Riddler makes the same song feel grim and unnerving.
Both scenes use the song to flatten the mood before opening the movie back up to its original context.
Die Hard uses Bach to set a luxurious and professional scene.
The server’s offer of champagne helps to set the scene.
I’m no movie critic.
I’m embarrassed to admit that I have seen Grown Ups the most of the movies above.
Maybe I’m not qualified to talk about scene settings and film study.
So, let’s get into some Advertisements
In the ad below Samsung hired David Backham ahead of the 2012 London Olympics.
The well known Beethoven song allows the viewer to participate. Creating the feeling of ‘wait… where have I heard that before.’
This leads into the triumph that is the symphony while showcasing their state of the art phone.
Of course, we’ve got to include something from Apple
The Apple ad uses the upbeat William Tell Overture to tell a story of human innovation.
The song’s tempo helps us follow the fast moving story.
The song insinuates that we will eventually reach a climax/ resolution.
Instead of pinning up the Macbook as humans greatest invention they describe the Macbook as the tool that enables the creation of humans greatest inventions. A smart move on Apple’s part in my opinion.
Honda also used the William Tell Overture in an advertisement.
At least they tried:
Had it been done right, this would have been an incredible stunt.
Similar to the Apple ad, the song was supposed to show speed and innovation.
One of the most famous uses of the song in advertising came from the 1960’s:
“get a lark get a lark get a lark today”
Damn it’s catchy.
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
“Also Sprach Zarathustra” makes pooping look euphoric
This is exactly the feeling Pampers wants to portray.
The slow motion helps tell their story as well.
Pooping is kinda their jam… gross.
Nike used Mozart's Lacrimosa to display triumph and heartbreak
The song perfectly plays both sides of the aisle.
As the winning team it allows you to bask in the glory of victory.
As the losing team it describes the feeling of victory slipping through your fingers at the last moment.
It captivates the viewer. They are invested in a story that demands a resolution.
The whole ad looks like something that Artbutmakeitsports would publish.
An iconic print ad first aired as a TV spot utilizing classical music
Maxwell utilizes the Ride of the Valkyries in its 30 second spot.
The image on the thumbnail became an iconic print ad in itself.
Great ads can tell a story with one standalone image but the story needs to be fully conceptualized
and producing a complete TV spot can help in this process.
Music is often used to set a tone, as in the Die Hard example.
However, in examples like Samsung’s David Beckham commercial, it benefits the advertiser that everyone knows the melody.
There are plenty of songs from these eras that were forgotten about, just like there will be plenty of songs of current that are forgotten.
A recurring theme in the songs we discussed is suspense and resolution
This makes them perfect for advertising and entertainment.
Selecting the right song
The song might not actually matter as much as you think, like in the Maxwell example.
It’s the story that matters most.
However, in the Apple example, the song guides the story all the way through the resolution.
How do you choose the right song?
Wouldn’t you like to know…
In my opinion, the song accompanies a story you’ve already created. Start with the feelings that you want to invoke and the story you want to tell.
The song needs to chaperone your story.
PS: Certain pieces of classical music are timeless. The same things that make them timeless make them perfect for advertising and media.