...don't even ignore 'em.
-- Samuel Goldwyn

Thursday, September 21, 2006

CYMBALTA MUSIC: IS IT SCHUMANN?


The drama continues. I don't have an accurate count of the Internet searchers who've wondered what the music is on the Cymbalta TV commercial, but it's a lot. Several commenters to my posts on the subject have suggested that the theme was heard in "Sophie's Choice," the movie, but until now, nobody has identified an actual piece of classical music by name. This week, an anonymous commenter has suggested it's a rearrangement of Robert Schumann's "Kinderszenen [Scenes from Childhood] Op. 15 No. 1 that was played in "Sophie's Choice" by Nathan while sitting on the piano bench with Sophie." Well, it could be. I went here and listened, and it sure sounds like the "composer" of the TV music created something that sounds very much like Schumann's piano piece. There are other places to listen. Just Google "Schumann" and the title above. Unless there's another very similar piece of music out there, I think we've solved the riddle. Just remember why I started posting about this...music and other attention-getting devices have nothing whatever to do with which medicine is right for you.

LINK: Other dehype posts on Cymbalta.

What's new? If you've arrived at this post by searching for a subject, I invite you to see what I'm up to today. Click here to go to the top of the blog.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

where can I watch this commercial online? I am a music major and may be able to solve the mystery if i can get a link.

DAVE NEWTON said...

Try the link in the post -- www.cymbalta.com. I don't remember whether they show it, and couldn't get there a few minutes ago. Come back and tell us all what you find. Thanks.

Dave

Anonymous said...

Hey Dave,
I was just on their site and could not find the commercial. I'm sure its online somewhere but was not able to find it. If I could view or hear the commercial, I could bring it to a few friends (also music majors) and I'm sure we could figure it out. Let me know if anyone can provide a link.

Anonymous said...

I don't get it... the link to the Barnes and Noble website takes me to a page where there are lots of songs. Which song are we talking about?

DAVE NEWTON said...

When you hit the "Listen to samples" link on the Barnes and Noble site I linked to a new window opens and after a few seconds you should hear the first listed sample cut. This is the tune that's similar to the Cymbalta tune.

Anonymous said...

I've heard this piece and played it on the cello... I immeadiately remembered the tune for some reason when the commercial came on.

It is Schumman but the reason it is hard to find a good copy online that matches the Cymbalta is that this piece is pretty open to stylistic interpretations... most of the recordings are as bouncy or airy or bittersweet on the one on the commercial.

However, I think this is about as close as anyone will get to the Cymbalta song--

Kinderszenen, Op. 15:
No 1. Von fremden Ländern und Menschen
preformed by Wilhelm Kempff
Composed by Schumman

avail on itunes
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playlistId=156363912&selectedItemId=156363984&s=143441

DAVE NEWTON said...

Thanks, Jerrod. Let's see if this works...Jerrod left us a link, but the Blogger system doesn't make it a live one. I'll try here:

Jerrod's Schumann link

Anonymous said...

You know, I sought out info on the music in that commercial because I was almost positive it is by one of my favorite composers: Gunnar Madsen http://www.gunnarmadsen.com/
Listen to his "Spinning World" tracks - VERY similar. Kind of an "if you like the cymbalta commercial music, you'll LOVE Gunnar Madsen's waltzes" .. . . enjoy!

Anonymous said...

You know, I really thought I was the only one that loved this song... I can't not belive how many people wants this song as much as I do.. I actually have it recorded on my CABLE box after I watch ER and Grey's Anatomy.. This commerical comes on every time during these shows and I think its on channel 4 or something.. I even cried as I am a Violinist and this piece is driving me crazy cause I want it so BAD!!!! Ahhh I think I am going to Julliard and ask one of the Teacher's there.. I'll keep you posted

Jacqueline

Dreaminjosh said...

I am now almost CERTAIN that this piece was composed by Gunnar Madsen. I don't think anyone will be able to convince me otherwise at this point. Just listen to the piece "Anna" and see for yourself. Obviously not the same piece, but it REALLY sounds like the same composer.

Anonymous said...

Hi, this topic is a year old. I was wondering what the music on the commercial was. The reason I ask is because it might have changed in a year and maybe it's a different song than the one identified here. The one I heard has piano and a clarinet. Thanks.

DAVE NEWTON said...

The last word, so far, on the irrelevant Cymbalta music is, according to the Eli Lilly Company, that the tune was composed for the commercials. You can peruse my other posts -- the link is under "Dehype Hall of Fame" in the right column of this blog. I believe Lilly. Music for commercials is often based on familiar airs and themes. That's the whole idea -- evoke emotional connections with familiar music, but own the music yourself. Naturally, this has nothing to do with the right depression treatment for you. Ask your doctor...to tell you what's right for you, without relying on pharmaceutical company marketing.

Anonymous said...

Dave- I have some musical training and have always wondered about this commercial myself. However, I think the company is right here. It is a simple melody with familiar intervals that you hear in many other pieces. Like many other things in our world, originality is hard to come by now. A lot of music be composed and produced sounds like music from the past. All music uses the same intervals and structures and every once in a while two pieces will sound similar. I have studied and played a few of Schumann's clarinet pieces and well, this melody is a little to simple for his style.

Did you happen to ask the name of the clarinet player when you talked to Eli Lilly?

Anonymous said...

No, Amanda, I didn't ask who the clarinet player on the commercial was. I doubt that the PR person I talked to would have known. My guess is, it was a studio player in New York or L.A. He or she could have been a first-rate symphony orchestra member or a jazz reed player working a session in the classical idiom. By this time, with several generations of new commercials having been produced for the campaign, it could have been several different musicians. Nice job(s), anyway. Thanks for your comment.

Doctor Who said...

Funny, I just saw this commercial, and I swear, I thought that it was an appropriation of the melody from "You Know It's True" by Spiritualized. Maybe it's a different commercial I'm thinking of.

http://ax.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?i=5237083&id=5237103&s=143441

Anonymous said...

I think the "hook" in the "Cymbalta Theme" is based on Bernstein's "Somewhere" in West Side Story and also done as background music in a TIAA-CREF commercial

Anonymous said...

R. Zach Thomas, you have solved the riddle! That's gotta be it... thank you!
- Noelle

DAVE NEWTON said...

Gee, that little snippet I just heard on iTunes -- where R. Zach sent us -- sure sounds exactly like the Cymbalta theme. Many things are possible. Spiritualist could have lifted the commercial theme -- which Lilly told me was written for the commercial campaign; Spiritualist's composer could have done it first for the commercial, then turned it into a song; Lilly could have bought it from Spiritual after hearing it in a concert. Or, both tunes may have a common classical ancestor. Or it could be a ccoincidence. Still a bit of a mystery.

Anonymous said...

Hah, funny - I know the guys that did this. I just ran into one of them outside and was looking up the song to send to someone.

http://www.siblings.com/

The composer is Mario Grigorov

DAVE NEWTON said...

Wow! Thanks a bunch, Anon! I've looked and listened, and this looks like the real deal. I'll follow up and do my first post on the subject in eons. I'm thrilled!

Dave

PS: Write me at dnewton@3rdActs.com, so I can give you proper credit for this find! If you're not too shy.

D

Anonymous said...

I found this video of someone who is attempting to play his or her own version of the song. I hope this helps.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RADUrun8HY4

Anonymous said...

I just found the music. Never posted before, but the web site for the cello performance is...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6yuR8efotI

Enjoy.

Donna in Texas said...

OMG!! I just heard this ad (again!) about 5 minutes ago, and ever since the first time I heard it, I've been intending to search the Internet to find out whether this was a slightly-changed rendition of Robert Schumann's ""Von fremden Landern und Menschen" ("From Foreign Lands and Men", which is an individual piano piece from the larger work "Kinderszenen" ("Scenes from Childhood"). It AMAZES me how many other people were thinking the same thing!

I was a piano major at Stephen F. Austin State University. As part of my Senior piano recital in 1993 I played this piece and a few others from "Kinderszenen".