Classical Notes: March 27, 2007 Archive

TV news notes

Posted at 2:06 PM on March 27, 2007 by Don Lee

Having been addicted to the tube as a kid, I carry around old TV show themes in my head. For several years, that was about the only place I could hear such music. At a certain point in TV history, producers started plunging right into the action without a preamble of any kind. But now, as The Christian Science Monitor points out, shows like Desperate Housewives are bringing themes back.

It occurs to me that news shows never banished theme music. But they don't use many classical tunes anymore. Where once Beethoven's 9th announced NBC's Huntley-Brinkley Report, we now hear a John Williams fanfare. Back in the days of Edward R. Murrow, CBS Reports started out with Appalachian Spring. That big Bach fan William F. Buckley introduced Firing Line with a Brandenburg Concerto.

One show that has held on to a classical theme (by Rimsky-Korsakoff) is the syndicated pundit fest Inside Washington.

Surely there must be more. What am I missing?