Ludwig van Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony: as abstract sequence of the struggle between good and evil, a theme dear to Disney, between a group of colorful butterflies and little black demons. Simple, streamlined designs with great stage effects to illustrate what is probably Beethoven’s most famous work.
The Pines of Rome by Ottorino Respighi: a day in the company of a pod of whales swimming in the ocean deeps. An army of whales transforms into huge birds and the ocean becomes the sky and the sky the ocean. All accompanied by Respighi’s majestic music, underscoring the powerful feeling of the images. This piece begins with citation of a nursery rhyme "O quante belle figlie, madama Doré".
Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin recounts the hopes and dreams of a group of New Yorkers. Classic music but inspired by jazz, and a good way to express the stress of hectic modern life, right from early morning in the metropolis. A frenetic pace not only for adults but also for the little girl who has to go to dance, singing and piano lessons and then runs after a ball in the midst of traffic.
The Intrepid Tin Soldier (2nd Piano Concerto by Dmitri Shostakovich) is the transposition of a well known fairytale by Andersen. We witness the hardships of a legless tin soldier willing to do anything to win the heart of a musicbox ballerina. He rides on a paper boat through the sewers and encounters a group of rats. In this version the finale is a happy one: the soldier defeats the black gnome, throwing him in the fire and thus can join his beloved ballerina.
The Animals’ Carnival (finale) by Camille Saint-Saëns has seven flamingos as stars, one of which can’t manage to keep in time with his companions because of his passion for the yoyo.
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Paul Dukas. Mickey Mouse battling with the brooms. This superfamous cartoon was part of the 1940 Fantasia.
In Pomp and Circumstance (Marches 1,2, 3, 4) by Sir Edward Elgar even Donald Duck becomes a star like Mickey Mouse and helps Noah on his Ark. But he can’t find his beloved Daisy, who he believes was left ashore in the flood. Magnificent animals are immersed in the magical atmosphere of the flood. The final parade of the animals returning to land accompanied by Elgar’s regal march is a truly great moment, culminating in the unhoped for meeting of Donald and Daisy.
Finally in the Suite from Igor Stravinsky’s Firebird, we find the theme of life and death in the adventures of a charmingly expressive Spirit of Spring struggling with the terrible Firebird, a destructive volcano, finally overcome by the power of Nature. The extraordinary expressiveness of the music is accompanied by impressive images in which fire’s destructive force is countered by the generating power of Nature. |
