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Author	Topic: Musical Humour

Marian Schedenig Oscar® Winner	I don't know if I can describe this, but I'll try. Sometimes composers write little "things" into their cues that make parts of them (or the whole cues) very funny to me. For instance, there's a tiny bit in Visitor in San Diego from Williams' Lost World that makes be laugh every time I hear it (before the long action part that takes up the second half). I used to play the Morning Serenade from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet over and over again because I found the combination of orchestration and melody so funny. My latest discover is the Musette from Sibelius' King Christian II, for similar reasons. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? Any other examples?
posted 05-26-2002 07:18 AM PT (US)

Camillu Oscar® Winner	Alan Silvestri's score to Grumpy Old Men contains a little passage which doesn't quote directly, but hints at, the Jaws theme. It's heard when Matthau is searching for a fish which is stinking up his car, and makes the whole scene much funnier. The Yoda theme in ET always brings a smile to my face too...
posted 05-26-2002 07:37 AM PT (US)

Marian Schedenig Oscar® Winner	Those are both funny, but not exactly what I was referring to (I told you I couldn't describe it very well ). What I meant was PURELY musical humour, without any special context. Not the use of themes, or quotes, or anything. Simply the music, or instrumentation, or melody being - funny. (A bit like the pauses in Shore's Concerning Hobbits, but they're not THAT funny) NP: Jean Sibelius: The Swan of Tuonela (Bournemouth SO, Berglund)
posted 05-26-2002 07:42 AM PT (US)

Camillu Oscar® Winner	Ok I get it...... My mistake - just realised I didn't read you post properly. I see what you mean. Can't think of any right now though...
posted 05-26-2002 07:50 AM PT (US)

miss tonya Oscar® Winner	Funny, I was going to post a similar topic over at FSM! The reason is because I was watching Airplane last night(For the billionth time!) and it always makes me laugh at the end when Bernstein has that female chorus oohing and ahhing, rising in key until they're screeching at the end! I wonder if that was his idea or the Zucker's idea? Either way, a brilliant take on an old cliche!
posted 05-26-2002 11:20 AM PT (US)

James Oscar® Winner	Shostakovich's Tahiti Trot. I'm sure I can think of more... will chime in later. Kirk
posted 05-26-2002 11:36 AM PT (US)

Brad Wills Oscar® Winner	Marian, I'm surprised you didn't cite Goldsmith's The Great Train Robbery. Specifically the arrangments of the main theme with cupped trumpet accompaniment punctuated by the lower strings that underscore the shots of the keys going into the velvet lined box. While the whole score is a joy from beginning to end, those little snippets make me smile every time. Too bad you can't hear them outside the film...yet.
posted 05-26-2002 12:22 PM PT (US)

John Zimmer Oscar® Winner	In A Bug's Life Newman quotes a passage very simmaler to Psycho. Jz NP: Carlito's Way
posted 05-26-2002 02:01 PM PT (US)

Marian Schedenig Oscar® Winner	quote: Originally posted by Brad Wills: Marian, I'm surprised you didn't cite Goldsmith's The Great Train Robbery. True, those sequences are very amusing. Though I also find the riding waltz funny, luckily that one is on the CD.
posted 05-26-2002 02:51 PM PT (US)

JJH Oscar® Winner	Williams' use of the Ark theme in The Last Crusade. NP -- Namtab, Namfle Ynnad
posted 05-26-2002 02:58 PM PT (US)

jonathan_little Oscar® Winner	quote: Originally posted by miss tonya: Funny, I was going to post a similar topic over at FSM! The reason is because I was watching Airplane last night(For the billionth time!) and it always makes me laugh at the end when Bernstein has that female chorus oohing and ahhing, rising in key until they're screeching at the end! I wonder if that was his idea or the Zucker's idea? Either way, a brilliant take on an old cliche! If I remember the Zucker, Zucker, and Abrahams commentary on the Airplane DVD correctly, I believe that was Elmer's idea. They loved it, and I think it's a riot too.
posted 05-26-2002 03:20 PM PT (US)

miss tonya Oscar® Winner	quote: Originally posted by Brad Wills: Marian, I'm surprised you didn't cite Goldsmith's [b]The Great Train Robbery. Specifically the arrangments of the main theme with cupped trumpet accompaniment punctuated by the lower strings that underscore the shots of the keys going into the velvet lined box. While the whole score is a joy from beginning to end, those little snippets make me smile every time. Too bad you can't hear them outside the film...yet. [/B] I know that Varese has licensed this for this year, but is there something you're not telling us?!?!?!?! If it IS coming out expanded, it seems to me that those little "key" pieces would be left off, only because they're about 4 seconds in duration(If I remember correctly). Of course, they could be tacked on to the end of the track that they follow(NO PUN INTENDED!!!)
posted 05-26-2002 03:33 PM PT (US)

Marian Schedenig Oscar® Winner	I hope it's really coming out this year. And I've said it before, this is one of those scores where every single note should be released. None of the cues is wasted, and all of them should hold up very well on their own. NP: Sibelius: Spring Song (Bournemouth SO, Berglund)
posted 05-26-2002 03:35 PM PT (US)

Kevin Oscar® Winner	quote: Originally posted by jonathan_little: *If I remember the Zucker, Zucker, and Abrahams commentary on the Airplane* DVD correctly, I believe that was Elmer's idea. They loved it, and I think it's a riot too.** Yeah, and they even said they asked Bernstein to purposely write a "B-movie" type score. Pretty funny Tonya. I was watching that movie last night as well. I saw it was on television, and then threw in the DVD. Kevin
posted 05-26-2002 04:08 PM PT (US)

John Zimmer Oscar® Winner	Horner's use of the Braveheart theme in Bicentennial Man! Oh wait.... Jz NP: The Power of One
posted 05-27-2002 06:30 AM PT (US)

Tom_B_Stone Oscar® Nominee	quote: Originally posted by Marian Schedenig: Those are both funny, but not exactly what I was referring to (I told you I couldn't describe it very well ). What I meant was PURELY musical humour, without any special context. Not the use of themes, or quotes, or anything. Simply the music, or instrumentation, or melody being - funny. (A bit like the pauses in Shore's Concerning Hobbits, but they're not THAT funny) [b]NP: Jean Sibelius: The Swan of Tuonela (Bournemouth SO, Berglund)[/B] I'll cite Randy Newman's Maverick. The humor is achieved through the juxtapositioning of themes, tempos, volume, and styles. There is a bit of musical slapstick too, but it is really pretty subtle.
posted 05-27-2002 01:59 PM PT (US)

soundtrackman Oscar® Winner	one of my favorites is the squeeky-toy used in one of the cues on "The 'Burbs" (sorry, I don't have the disc in front of me, so I can't say which track). Makes me smile every time I hear it. Mark T.
posted 05-28-2002 01:36 PM PT (US)

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