Search - Frank Churchill, Oliver Wallace :: Dumbo: Classic Soundtrack Series (1941 Film)

My Only Favorite Disney Soundtrack

microjoe | 05/14/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"No other Disney soundtrack comes close to the style and swing of Dumbo. The songs on this album are more memorable and colorful than the songs on other Disney film albums, especially more contemporary ones. Maybe it's the 1940's era the music conveys that strikes home. (More contemporary Disney themes all seem to blend into each other and combine into a sort of beige hum) There's a subtle jazz influence on Dumbo, as if the writers and composers were challenging the more mainstream movie tracks of the time--no billowy orchestral or stark private eye sounds on this one. The bounce and playfulness of the tunes "Look out for Mister Stork" and "Casey Junior" are offset by the genuine (not saccharine) sadness of "Baby Mine" and "Dumbo's Sadness." Then there are the hallucinations of "Pink Elephants on Parade," a medly which falls in its own category of sophisticated weirdness--part march, part snake-charming tune. This is a Disney Soundtrack with an actual EDGE."

1941 studio composers hit gold

microjoe | 03/03/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a Disney original soundtrack restoration from the 1941 movie original sources by Disney soundtrack restoration producer Randy Thornton. He has taken music recorded in the 1940's, reconstructed it,and de-noised it. Back in 1941 Oliver Wallace was a very talented in-house studio musician and composer with Disney Studios for many years and he wrote the underscore (background music) for Dumbo. In fact there is a demo of a song included on this CD that was not used afterall in the movie, but has been been included here as a bonus and Ollie Wallace himself is the performing musician on the track. Two other 1941 Disney Studio music department staff composers, Frank Churchill and Ned Washington, wrote most of the lyrical songs for the movie. Churchill and Wallace earned an Academy Award for Best Scoring of a Musical Picture, and the song "Baby Mine" was nominated for Best Song. This is the wonderful ballad that is played while mother animals throughout the circus bed down for the nights and cuddle their babies, while poor Dumbo and his mom have to make contact through iron bars. There is a great 15 page booklet included with song lyrics, great liner notes, and terrific artwork from the movie. All total the CD lists 17 tracks and 40 minutes of music. Overall a gem of Disney history, high quality, and very enjoyable to listen to. These restoration Cd's from Disney are a great deal being very affordable. I strongly reccommend."

The Genius of Oliver Wallace

microjoe | 11/17/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Oliver Wallace defined the sound of Disney animated features. He began by orchestrating "Snow White" and "Pinocchio," then going on to shine on his own writing the scores of "Bambi," "Dumbo," "Cinderella," "Alice in Wonderland," and "Peter Pan," not to mention countless shorts, featurettes, and live action Disney projects. His ability to create individual character themes and their many variations and combinations, in my opinion, approaches qualities of Beethoven. Not enough is known about Oliver Wallace (even the liner notes tend to slight him). His work on "Dumbo" is truly magnificent."