From Holiday Melodies to Subtle Soundtracks
Friday, December 14, 2007
Vince Guaraldi's soundtrack to the TV special "A Charlie Brown Christmas" is not only one of the best-loved Christmas albums of all time, it's also a jazz classic. Today, eMusic.com editor Michael Azerrad tells us the story behind Guaraldi's classic score. Also: This year's batch of Oscar-worthy films is notable for their relatively spare use of music. Film historian Jon Burlingame explains why directors want subtler music these days. Finally: Conductor David Zinman shares Christmas pieces that use 20th century sounds to evoke traditional moods.
Weigh in: Soundcheck's 2007 music poll
Weigh in: Soundcheck's 2007 music poll
The Music that Made "A Charlie Brown Christmas"
The jazz soundtrack to "A Charlie Brown Christmas", composed and performed by Vince Guaraldi, has become a cornerstone of American pop culture. Michael Azerrad, editor-in-chief of eMusic.com, explains how jazz, animation and Christmas came together - against the wishes of CBS executives.
Directors to composers: Keep it down!
This year's batch of big-budget, high-profile films is notable for a relatively spare use of music. From "No Country for Old Men" to "The Bourne Ultimatum" and "Michael Clayton," understated wins out. Jon Burlingame, film music historian and Variety writer, explains.
Shaking up the Holiday Cocktail
On a new CD, conductor David Zinman presents a trio of Christmas pieces: Christopher Rouse's "Karolju," Polish carols from Witold Lutoslawski, and a Christmas suite by Joaquin Rodrigo. Most remarkably, they all sound Christmas-y but also entirely fresh. Zinman joins us today to talk about evoking familiar moods with new ...