Whose idea was it to feature jazz music in the soundtrack? Speaking to both producer of all the Peanuts specials Lee Mendelson and one of the last remaining musicians on the Christmas album, drummer Colin Bailey, self-confessed Peanuts fan Mark Youll was keen to learn more about this magical film, and what it was about Vince Guaraldi's mesmerising score that made it an instant Christmas classic. Paul's Episcopal Church in California), again spitting with snow a conversation about the meaning of Christmas is underpinned by delicately-planted delicate chords and the faint swishing of brushes and double bass. But it's the opening scene that instantly conjures up the spirit of the season as 'Christmas Time is Here' is sung by a children's choir ( from St.
In one scene the screen is white with falling snowflakes as the children glide across the ice to the bouncy jazz waltzer 'Skating'. But it was other Guaraldi originals, assembled as a soundtrack on the Fantasy label, that proved most memorable throughout the film's 25 minute run. Deemed suitable for the Christmas special too 'Linus & Lucy' featured along-side swing arrangements of traditional favourites (Hark, the Herald, O Tannenbaum, What Child is This), Mel Tormè's 'Christmas Song' (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)andalsoBeethoven's Für Elise. One of the tunes Guaraldi surrendered for the Schulz doc was the now infamous 'Linus & Lucy', a catchy latin-laced tune that quickly became one of Guaraldi's signature pieces and has since become as instantly detectable as the Peanuts franchise itself. As a former sideman to such jazz luminaries as Cal Tjader, Ben Webster and Woody Herman, Guaraldi was signed up to work on the special in the Autumn of 1965, exactly two years after Mendelson first heard the pianist's Grammy-winning composition 'Cast Your Fate to the Wind' (from the album Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus) and hired him to write some music for a documentary he was making on Schulz.
Schulz had to write a script and Guaraldi the score, both to a brief that would encapsulate both the commercial and traditional values of Christmas. Within such a short time frame creator Charles M. In fact, the music is so rich and seductive throughout that many remember the film's music as being some of the first jazz they ever heard.Īs a bit of a back-story, the special was commissioned by the Coca-Cola Company (itself linked to Christmas) and director Bill Melendez and producer Lee Mendelson were given the green light to put it all together just three months prior to its transmission date. While much of the short film's success is down to its endearing characters and storyline, it was undoubtedly the wonderful, all-swinging score composed by the late, great pianist Vince Guaraldi (and performed by his trio) that defined it an instant classic.
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