Musical Moments from Chopin

1946 film

Musical Moments from Chopin

Directed by| Dick Lundy
Story by| Ben Hardaway
Milt Schaffer
Produced by| Walter Lantz
Music by| Darrell Calker
Animation by| Laverne Harding
Les Kline
Grim Natwick (unc.)
Paul J. Smith (unc.)
Casey Onaitis (unc.)
Sid Pillet (effects, unc.)
Backgrounds by| Fred Brunish
Color process| Technicolor

Production
company

Walter Lantz Productions

Distributed by| Universal Pictures

Release date

* February 25, 1946 (1946-02-25)

Running time

| 7:46
Language| English

Musical Moments from Chopin (also known as Chopin's Musical Moments)[1] is a Musical Miniatures cartoon, co-starring Andy Panda and Woody Woodpecker. It was directed by Dick Lundy and released on February 25, 1946.

It was nominated for an Academy Award for best short subject in 1946, losing to MGM's Tom and Jerry cartoon The Cat Concerto, which also featured a piano concert setting.

## Plot

[edit]

This short starts with Andy Panda performing a Chopin polonaise on stage. As he does so, Woody Woodpecker wanders out and starts polishing the piano, and seems impressed by Andy's playing. Woody then plays along with Andy on the following pieces, either on the same or another grand piano, with increasing cut-aways to the animal audience and their own antics.[2] At some point, an intoxicated horse up in the rafters who was trying to light his cigar tries to use a ceiling lamp to light it, but accidentally causes it to fall and spread a fire onto the stage. Andy manages to finish his piano performance while Woody extinguishes the flames.

## Analysis

[edit]

The short would be the first Musical Miniatures cartoon produced by the studio, and is the only entry to receive an Academy Award nomination for best short subject.[3] This was Lantz's eighth Academy Award nomination.[4]

Dick Lundy previously tested the concept in the 1946 Andy Panda cartoon, The Poet & Peasant. It was proven to be a success as it was also nominated for an Academy Award. Lundy would direct all of the remaining Musical Miniatures cartoons until the studios brief closure.[5]

The short features music by Frédéric Chopin played by Woody and Andy, which includes:

* Polonaise in A major, Op. 40, No. 1[2] (played in the opening theme)
* Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53
* Fantaisie-Impromptu in C-sharp minor, Op. 66[2]
* Ecossaise in D major, Op.72/3
* Mazurka in B-flat major, Op. 7/1[2]
* Scherzo No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 31

In 1958, the television show The Woody Woodpecker Show premiered, and continued on the air in various forms for the next four decades. Episode 18 of its first season included Musical Moments from Chopin along with other Lantz cartoons, and a making-of involving Lantz and storyboarding.[6]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Results displayed by award category". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
2. ^ a b c d Gengaro, Christine Lee (December 20, 2017). Experiencing Chopin: A Listener's Companion. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 146\. ISBN 978-1-4422-6087-0.
3. ^ Gitlin, Martin; Wos, Joseph (March 15, 2018). A Celebration of Animation: The 100 Greatest Cartoon Characters in Television History. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 70\. ISBN 978-1-63076-279-7.
4. ^ Lenburg, Jeff (2006). Who's who in Animated Cartoons: An International Guide to Film & Television's Award-winning and Legendary Animators. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 198\. ISBN 978-1-55783-671-7.
5. ^ Lenburg, Jeff (2006). Who's who in Animated Cartoons: An International Guide to Film & Television. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 217. ISBN 155783671X. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
6. ^ "Wacky Weed/ Musical Moments From Chopin/A Moment With Walter Lantz/Beach Nut". TV.com. Retrieved June 5, 2015.

## External links

[edit]

* Musical Moments from Chopin at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

Woody Woodpecker

Media|

| Short films|

* Knock Knock (1940)
* Woody Woodpecker (1941)
* Pantry Panic (1941)
* Ace in the Hole (1942)
* The Dizzy Acrobat (1943)
* The Barber of Seville (1944)
* The Beach Nut (1944)
* Ski for Two (1944)
* The Loose Nut (1945)
* Musical Moments from Chopin (1946)
* Wet Blanket Policy (1948)
* Hypnotic Hick (1953)
* Convict Concerto (1954)

|

Feature films|

* Woody Woodpecker (2017)
* Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp (2024)

Series|

* The Woody Woodpecker Show (1957–1977)
* The New Woody Woodpecker Show (1999–2003)
* Woody Woodpecker (2018–2022)

Characters|

* Woody Woodpecker
* Pooch the Pup
* Andy Panda
* Buzz Buzzard
* Chilly Willy
* Wally Walrus
* Gabby Gator
* Fatso the Bear
* Inspector Willoughby
* Maggie & Sam
* The Beary Family

Video games|

* Férias Frustradas do Pica-Pau (1996)
* Woody Woodpecker Racing (2000)
* Game Boy Color
* Woody Woodpecker: Escape from Buzz Buzzard Park (2001)
* Universal Studios Theme Parks Adventure (2001)
* Woody Woodpecker in Crazy Castle 5 (2003)

Related|

* Filmography
* Merchandise
* The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Classic Cartoon Collection
* The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Classic Cartoon Collection: Volume 2
* Who Framed Roger Rabbit
* Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster

* v
* t
* e

Frédéric Chopin

Concertante works|

* Variations on "Là ci darem la mano", Op. 2
* Piano Concerto No. 1 Op. 11
* Fantasy on Polish Airs, Op. 13
* Rondo à la Krakowiak, Op. 14
* Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 21
* Andante spianato et grande polonaise brillante, Op. 22
* Allegro de concert, Op. 46

Chamber music
and songs|

* Introduction and Polonaise brillante, Op. 3
* Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 8
* Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 65
* Grand Duo concertant

* 19 Polish Songs

Ballades|

* No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23
* No. 2 in F major, Op. 38
* No. 3 in A♭ major, Op. 47
* No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52

Études|

| Opus 10|

* No. 1
* No. 2
* No. 3
* No. 4
* No. 5
* No. 6
* No. 7
* No. 8
* No. 9
* No. 10
* No. 11
* No. 12

|

Opus 25|

* No. 1
* No. 2
* No. 3
* No. 4
* No. 5
* No. 6
* No. 7
* No. 8
* No. 9
* No. 10
* No. 11
* No. 12

Trois nouvelles études|

* Trois nouvelles études

Impromptus|

* No. 1 in A♭ major, Op. 29
* No. 2 in F♯ major, Op. 36
* No. 3 in G♭ major, Op. 51
* Fantaisie-Impromptu in C♯ minor, Op. posth. 66

Mazurkas|

* 4 Mazurkas, Op. 6
* 5 Mazurkas, Op. 7
* 4 Mazurkas, Op. 17
* 4 Mazurkas, Op. 24
* 4 Mazurkas, Op. 30
* 4 Mazurkas, Op. 33
* 4 Mazurkas, Op. 41
* 3 Mazurkas, Op. 50
* 3 Mazurkas, Op. 56
* 3 Mazurkas, Op. 59
* 3 Mazurkas, Op. 63
* 4 Mazurkas, Op. 67
* 4 Mazurkas, Op. 68
* Posthumous mazurkas without opus numbers

Nocturnes|

* 3 Nocturnes, Op. 9
* 3 Nocturnes, Op. 15
* 2 Nocturnes, Op. 27
* 2 Nocturnes, Op. 32
* 2 Nocturnes, Op. 37
* 2 Nocturnes, Op. 48
* 2 Nocturnes, Op. 55
* 2 Nocturnes, Op. 62
* Nocturne in E minor, Op. posth. 72
* Nocturne in C♯ minor, Op. posth.
* Nocturne in C minor, Op. posth.

Piano sonatas|

* No. 1 in C minor, Op. 4
* No. 2 in B♭ minor, Op. 35 (Funeral March)
* No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58

Polonaises|

* Introduction and Polonaise brillante, Op. 3
* Andante spianato et grande polonaise brillante, Op. 22
* 2 Polonaises, Op. 26
* 2 Polonaises, Op. 40 (Military)
* Polonaise, Op. 44 (Tragic)
* Polonaise, Op. 53 (Heroic)
* Polonaise-Fantaisie, Op. 61
* 3 Polonaises, Op. posth. 71
* Posthumous polonaises without opus numbers

Preludes|

| Opus 28|

* No. 1 in C major
* No. 2 in A minor
* No. 3 in G major
* No. 4 in E minor
* No. 5 in D major
* No. 6 in B minor
* No. 7 in A major
* No. 8 in F♯ minor
* No. 9 in E major
* No. 10 in C♯ minor
* No. 11 in B major
* No. 12 in G♯ minor
* No. 13 in F♯ major
* No. 14 in E♭ minor
* No. 15 in D♭ major
* No. 16 in B♭ minor
* No. 17 in A♭ major
* No. 18 in F minor
* No. 19 in E♭ major
* No. 20 in C minor
* No. 21 in B♭ major
* No. 22 in G minor
* No. 23 in F major
* No. 24 in D minor

|

Others|

* Prelude in C♯ minor, Op. 45
* Prelude in A♭ major (ded. Pierre Wolff)
* Devil's Trill Prelude

Rondos|

* Rondo in C minor, Op. 1
* Rondo à la mazur in F major, Op. 5
* Rondo in E♭ major, Op. 16
* Rondo in C major, Op. posth. 73 (versions for solo piano and two pianos)
* Rondo à la Krakowiak, Op. 14

Scherzos|

* No. 1 in B minor, Op. 20
* No. 2 in B♭ minor, Op. 31
* No. 3 in C♯ minor, Op. 39
* No. 4 in E major, Op. 54

Waltzes|

* Grande valse brillante in E♭ major, Op. 18
* 3 Waltzes, Op. 34
* Waltz in A♭ major, Op. 42
* Waltz in D♭ major, Op. 64, No. 1 (Minute)
* Waltz in C♯ minor, Op. 64, No. 2
* Waltz in A♭ major, Op. 64, No. 3
* Waltz in A♭ major, Op. 69, No. 1 (Farewell)
* Waltz in B minor, Op. 69, No. 2
* 3 Waltzes, Op. posth. 70
* Waltz in E minor, Op. posth.
* Waltz in E major, Op. posth.
* Waltz in A minor, Op. posth.
* Waltz in A minor (rediscovered 2024)

Miscellaneous|

With opus numbers
Variations brillantes in B♭ major on "Je vends des scapulaires" from Hérold's Ludovic, Op. 12
Boléro, Op. 19
Tarantelle in A♭ major, Op. 43
Allegro de concert, Op. 46
Fantaisie in F minor, Op. 49
Berceuse in D♭ major, Op. 57
Barcarolle in F♯ major, Op. 60
Marche funèbre in C minor, Op. posth. 72/2
Three Écossaises, Op. posth. 72/3
17 Polish songs, Op. posth. 74

Without opus numbers
Album Leaf (Moderato) in E major, B. 151
Andantino in G minor (arr. of the piano part of the song Wiosna), B. 117
2 Bourrées, B. 160b
Canon in F minor, B. 129a
Cantabile in B♭ major, B. 84
Contredanse in G♭ major (doubtful), B. 17
Fugue in A minor, B. 144
3 Fugues; arr. from Cherubini's Cours de contrepoint et de fugue, KK. VIIa/2
Galopp in A♭ (Galop Marquis), P. 2/13
Introduction, Theme and Variations in D on a Venetian air, for piano 4-hands, KK. IVa/6
Klavierstück in B♭ (1834), P. 2/6
Klavierstück in E♭ (1837), P. 2/5
Klavierstück in E♭ (1840), P. 2/10
Largo in E♭, B. 109
2 Polish songs, B. 51, 132
Variations in A major, Souvenir de Paganini, B. 37
Variation in E major for Hexameron, B. 113
Variations in E major for flute and piano on "Non più mesta" from Rossini's La Cenerentola, B.9, KK. Anh. Ia/5
Variations in E major on the air "Der Schweizerbub", a.k.a. Introduction et Variations sur un Lied allemand, B. 14

Ballets to Chopin|

* An Evening with the Royal Ballet
* The Concert
* Dances at a Gathering
* In the Night
* A Month in the Country
* Other Dances
* Les Sylphides (Chopiniana)

Cultural depictions|

* Nocturne of Love (1919 film)
* Youth of Chopin (1952 film)
* Chopin: Desire for Love (2002 film)
* Chopin (opera)
* Eternal Sonata (video game)
* Musical Moments from Chopin (cartoon)
* Chopin, Chopin! (2025 film)

Family|

* Nicolas Chopin
* Tekla Justyna Chopin
* Ludwika Jędrzejewicz

Other topics|

* Health
* Heart
* Biographies
* Memorials
* Chopin National Edition
* Fryderyk Chopin Institute
* International Chopin Piano Competition
* Fryderyk Chopin Museum
* Chopin Year

* {{Ballades}}
* {{Concertante}}
* {{Études}}
* {{Mazurkas}}
* {{Nocturnes}}
* {{Polonaises}}
* {{Preludes}}
* {{Scherzos}}
* {{Waltzes}}

* {{Frédéric Chopin}}
* List of compositions by genre
* List of compositions by opus number

* Category

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