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Soundcheck

Tuesday, January 22, 2008
  • Mozart picture

    Classical Music's Perfect Pitch

    Classical music was once used by advertisers to convey elegance and luxury. Increasingly, it signals humor and fun. Today, a look at how advertisers use Mozart to sell sneakers and Verdi to hawk televisions. Our guests include Karl Jenkins, a composer whose works span both the concert stage and ads for companies like Delta and Debeers. Also: Jazz bassist Ben Allison and the members of his quintet, Man-Size Safe, perform live in our studio.

Classical music: the new jingle?

Classical music can exist and even thrive outside the concert hall. In advertising, for instance, it's increasingly commonplace. Today, Karl Jenkins, a composer whose music has been featured famously in ads for Debeers and Delta Airlines, joins us to explain the genre's appeal to marketers.

Karl Jenkins's Web site
Video: Watch Lynx deodorant ad with Jenkins' "Dies Irae"

Ben Allison and Man Size Safe

Jazz bassist Ben Allison named his new quintet "man-size safe" after reading an article in the Washington Post about just such a piece of furniture that Dick Cheney keeps in his office, and whose contents were unknown to all but the vice-president himself. He joins us today with the members of Man-Size Safe, who perform live in the studio.

Ben Allison's web site

The Ill Effects of Urban Noise

Soundcheck

Soundcheck received an overwhelming response to our segment on the effects of urban noise. So much so that Arline Bronzaft decided to address the feedback. Listen to the original segment and read Bronzaft's response.