Bugs Bunny

"No character -- much less a rabbit -- has captured the American moviegoer's imagination as thoroughly and uproariously as Bugs Bunny. And no character has dominated the medium of animation for as long as the unabashedly bold Brooklyn bunny.
Bugs Bunny is arguably the most popular and recognizable cartoon character of all time. In a classic role and true to his smart-aleck, self-confident nature, Bugs, rather than flee from a stalking hunter (the ubiquitous Elmer Fudd), faced him down with a disarming, unimpressed - "Ehh, What's up, Doc?"

Whether it's building an elevator for his rabbit hole, tunneling to Sing Song Prison to hide out from hunters, or commanding the stage as a concert pianist in the cult classic, Rhapsody Rabbit, Bugs Bunny has become an international hero. Not only has the world's favorite rabbit made generations of Looney Tunes fans laugh out loud, but he has done it in true prizewinning Bugs style - always cool and ever-so witty. What's up, you ask? Bugs is unbeatable, that's what!"

I've never thought of myself as a huge Bugs fan. I mean, I like him - who doesn't? He's there, embedded immortally in our childhood selves, though we pay him skant attention. But one cartoon that stands out very clearly for me, is the Rhapsody Rabbit. I enjoyed it a lot as a kid, but wasn't aware that it had made such an impact. But years later, when I was studying classical music, I heard Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 and instantly made the connection. I just love that piece. Much later, I actually came across the cartoon and watched it again with immense pleasure. I think there is a part of all of us that remains a child forever.
Classical music is one of my passions, and I always say that it stems from the classical music used in tv programs, cartoons and tv games that I watched/played as a child. Don't ever tell me they're not educational, lol.
I first heard Tchaikovsky's Dance of the Reed Pipes while playing the tv game, Lemmings (remember that one?)
And Leo Delibes, Duet of the Flowers once provided the background music for a British Airways ad, and was later used in a scene in the movie True Romance (Michael's all time fave movie).
So many people think classical music is obscure and has no place in modern society, but I can assure you that it's alive and well in the entertainment industry.

Still on the subject, I made my grandfather a CD of all my classical favourites. I put it in the player to hear if it was good, and became quite immersed in the music. No surprise there, but then Michael came home, and he is notoriously not that crazy about the classics. But he came and sat next to me and we listened the whole CD through. It really meant something to me, because I could see that he was moved by the music and it is something that I have always wanted to share with him.

I love the background of the composers lives. Liszt, for instance, was apparently a bit of a babe, and the first superstar of his times. He played to packed out concert halls, and the women threw themselves at him. He was a very exuberant player, and sometimes a new piano had to be brought out in the middle of a concert, as he'd broken the one he started out with. One can gather that he really put up a show. He was torn between his staid upper-class background and the music of his gypsy blood, and this is clearly reflected in the Hungarian Rhapsody, the two worlds he lived in. Fascinating man!

I'm just amazed that at the push of a button, I can hear the music of the great masters of centuries ago in my very own living-room. I do love technology. Wonder what Liszt & co. would think of it.