Thread: Help me identify this classical music

This is from a documentary. The narration is edited out. Couldn't ID it with Shazam or Soundcloud.

classical piece.mp3

Still haven't identified this....

Some of the harmonies are unusual enough for it to be possibly classical, but I certainly haven't come across it before. Sorry.

Thanks for the input. A few months ago I spoke with the person who made the documentary, but he doesn't remember what this music is, as he made the film over 25 years ago. The music did come from his CD collection. Initially he thought it sounded like Holst. I was thinking that it sounded like ballet or theatrical music; especially with that percussion. Also I have heard some pieces by Edouard Lalo that are similar. It's a mystery for sure.

I do think I notice a somewhat awkward splice fairly early in the selection. Perhaps it is more than one piece? It is very interesting that this piece apparently had a strong appeal to you, for you to seek it out. And I congratulate you on locating the person who made the documentary. (Does he still have that CD collection, or at least recall some favorite pieces that he might have chosen?) Might it have been from an LP? I don't think there was anything like the range or variety of CDs 25 years ago.

(Just out of curiosity, what is the documentary about?)

It's the same piece, I just edited out the narration when I made the clip. That's the splice you hear. The recording could possibly be from an LP. He couldn't recall that particular music segment, unfortunately, when I talked with him. I even e-mailed him a clip of it.

The documentary is about Amtrak at the 20 year mark (1991). Here is a company that sells it. They are not the actual producer of the video.

It also sounds like a ballet/dance piece to me, one that is trying to portray either a peasant dance or ethnic dance (Native American, Chinese)---there's some musical kinship to Borodin's Polovtsian Dances, but only in the musical material that was used by many to convey the exotic atmosphere of the steppes of Central Asia or Hiawatha's wilderness.

Thanks for all of the replies, so far.

I uploaded a 3 1/2 minute clip of this documentary that contains the music and narration (unedited) to see if that adds anything to the discussion.

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This is the music I have ID'ed so far from the entire documentary:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...5uUJpN55QzNHVF
As you can see, it is a very eclectic selection!

Could be Scandinavian too, depicting folkmusic. Listen to Atterbergs ballet De fåvitska jungfrurna Op17; that is not it, but a good comparison. The Amtrak clip’s markedly ‘Bolerian’ sway of melody (it not wanting to land on tonic just yet) would be un-folklike, as also the hocket rhythm. American with Swedish roots?

I realized what it reminds me of---the Siamese Cat song from "Lady and the Tramp." Maybe it's the same composer???

Originally Posted by rhgliere

I realized what it reminds me of---the Siamese Cat song from "Lady and the Tramp." Maybe it's the same composer???

Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, I hope you are kidding.