Classical Baby
Classical Baby is an American animated television series for young children and families directed by Amy Schatz and produced by HBO. The animation was created and designed by Maciek Albrecht and MaGiK World Animation. Classical Baby is designed to introduce young children to masterpieces from the worlds of music, art, dance, and poetry. This series first aired on HBO Family on May 14, 2005.
| Classical Baby | |
|---|---|
|  Series DVD cover | |
| Directed by | Amy Schatz | 
| Country of origin | USA | 
| No. of episodes | 17 | 
| Production | |
| Running time | 25 Minutes | 
| Production company | Home Box Office | 
| Release | |
| Original network | HBO HBO Family | 
| Original release | May 14, 2005 – present | 
The series has won 4 Emmy Awards, the Peabody Award, the Directors Guild of America Award, Parents’ Choice Awards, and others.
The series won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Children's Program and two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation, one given to animator Barbara Wierzchowska, and one to Jarek Szyszko.[1][2][3]
It won a Peabody Award in 2005. The judges wrote: "This whimsical, charming, deceptively simple marriage of animation to the music of Tchaikovsky, Puccini, Boccherini, Mozart, Vivaldi, Beethoven, Bach and Ellington becomes an interactive treat for young children and parents alike."[4][5]
In 2017, two new lullaby-themed episodes aired on HBO and HBO Family: "Classical Baby: The Lullaby Show 1" and "Classical Baby: The Lullaby Show 2."
More Classical Baby episodes aired on HBO Max.
Episodes
    
Classical Baby is currently available on HBO and HBO Max On-Demand as 6 different episodes:
- Classical Baby: The Music Show (May 14, 2005)
- Classical Baby: The Art Show (May 14, 2005)
- Classical Baby: The Dance Show (May 14, 2005)
- Classical Baby (I'm Grown Up Now): The Poetry Show (April 12, 2008)
- Classical Baby: The Lullaby Show 1 (December 24, 2017)
- Classical Baby: The Lullaby Show 2 (December 25, 2017)
Additional Episodes had been available previously, which consisted of selections taken from the first two episodes, and are not included on the DVD version:
- Classical Baby 1 (June 4, 2005)
- Classical Baby 2 (June 5, 2005)
Music from the show
    
    The Music Show
    
- Open, Music: "Piano Concerto No. 1"
 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
 performed by Philharmonic Slavonica
- Bear Hugs, Music: "The Flower Duet" from Lakmé
 by Léo Delibes
 performed by Mady Mesplé (soprano) and Danielle Millet (mezzo-soprano)
 Orchestre du Théatre National de l'Opéra-Comique, Alain Lombard
- Baby's Hands, "Von fremden Ländern und Menschen" from Kinderszenen, Op. 15, No. 1
 by Robert Schumann
 performed by Vladimir Horowitz, piano
- Baby Steps, "Dance of the Reed-Flutes"
 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
 performed by the Berlin Philharmonic, Peter Wohlert, conductor
- Busy Caterpillar, "Prelude" from Cello Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007
 by Johann Sebastian Bach
 performed by Yo-Yo Ma, cello
- The Cow Song, "O mio babbino caro" from Gianni Schicchi
 by Giacomo Puccini
 performed by Ying Huang, soprano, London Symphony Orchestra, James Conlon, conductor
- Good Morning, Peer Gynt: "Morning Mood"
 by Edvard Grieg
 performed by CSFR State Philharmonic Orchestra (Kosice), Stephen Gunzenhauser
- Night Music, "Eine kleine Nachtmusik"
 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
 performed by Capella Istropolitana Wolfgang Sobotk, conductor (a Baby)
- Aquarium, "Aquarium" from The Carnival of the Animals
 by Camille Saint-Saëns
 performed by Chamber Ensemble Philippe Entremont and Gaby Casadesus, pianos
- Musical Faces, "A Mare Encheu"
 by Heitor Villa-Lobos
 performed by Christina Ortiz
- Appalachian Spring, "Appalachian Spring Ballet Suite" Moderato coda movement
 by Aaron Copland
 performed by London Symphony Orchestra, Aaron Copland, conductor
- The Cricket on the Roof, "Stamping Dance" from Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56
 written by Béla Bartók
 performed by Midori, violin, Robert McDonald, piano
- My Blanket, "Clair de Lune"
 by Claude Debussy
 performed by CSR Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava), Keith Clark, conductor
- "Lullaby"
 by Johannes Brahms
 performed by Budapest Strings (ending credits)
The Art Show
    
- Open, Music: Piano Concerto No. 1
 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
 performed by Philharmonic Slavonica
- Frogs, Music: Gymnopédie No. 3 by Erik Satie, painting by Claude Monet
- I Love You, Music: Piano Trio No. 1 in Bb, 2nd Mvt by Franz Schubert, paintings by Mary Cassatt
- Shapes, based on a painting by Joan Miró, with music by Johann Sebastian Bach, Keyboard Concerto No. 5 in F Minor, BWV 1056: II. Largo
- The Museum, with music by Gabriel Fauré, Dolly Suite, Op. 56
- Trucks, with music by Duke Ellington, painting by Fernand Léger
- Dance Class, Music: Dance of the Hours by Amilcare Ponchielli, painting by Edgar Degas
- The Conductor, Music: The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss, performed by Vienna Opera Orchestra (a Baby)
- The Kiss, Music: Salut d'Amour by Edward Elgar, painting by Marc Chagall
- Art Faces, Music: "Habanera" Carmen Suite No. 2 by Georges Bizet
- Busy Bees, with music by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, painting by Jackson Pollock
- City Streets, with music by Count Basie, painting by Piet Mondrian
- The Sculpture Garden, with music by Scott Joplin
- The Starry Night, with music by Claude Debussy, painting by Vincent van Gogh
- Baby paints with music by Frédéric Chopin – Prelude in A Major, Op.28 No. 7 (a baby)
- Lullaby by Johannes Brahms performed by Budapest Strings (ending credits)
The Dance Show
    
- Open
 Music: "Piano Concerto No. 1" Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (performed by Philharmonic Slavonica)
- Waltz of the Flowers
 Dance inspired by George Balanchine
 Music "Waltz of the Flowers" from "The Nutcracker" "Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky"
- Dancing Sheep to Sheep, featuring Cheek to Cheek
 Music Irving Berlin performed by The Boston Pops
- Barn Dance
 Dance inspired by the "Dance of the Little Swans"
 from "Swan Lake" Music Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (London Festival Orchestra)
- Mambo
 Music "Mambo No. 5" (Original 1940s recording) performed by Pérez Prado (babies)
- The Ugly Duckling - The Swan
 Dance inspired by Anna Pavlova
 Music "The Swan" from "The Carnival of the Animals" Camille Saint-Saëns by Joshua Bell
- The Rectangles
 Dance inspired by Jerome Robbins
 Music "Prologue" from "West Side Story" by Leonard Bernstein
- The Scarecrow
 Dance inspired by Martha Graham
 Music Aaron Copland
- Tap Dance
 Dance inspired by the Nicholas Brothers
 Music "I Got Rhythm" George and Ira Gershwin
- Sleepy Lion
 Music "Mbube" performed by Miriam Makeba & the C. Mitchell Trio
- Dancers
 dance inspired by Pilobolus
 Music Erik Satie
- The Hippo Dance
 Music "Sugar Rum Cherry" by Duke Ellington
- Dancin' in the Rain (a baby)
- Lullaby by Johannes Brahms performed by Budapest Strings (ending credits)
The Poetry Show
    
- Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost - narrated by Susan Sarandon
- The Swing by Robert Louis Stevenson - performed by Beverly Gile & Frances Archer
- The Red Wheelbarrow by William Carlos Williams
- Grassy Grass Grass by Woody Guthrie - narrated by Elizabeth Mitchell
- The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear - narrated by John Lithgow
- Sonnet XVIII by William Shakespeare - narrated by Jeffery Wright
- Mariposa (Butterfly) by Federico García Lorca - narrated by Andy Garcia
- This Is Just To Say by William Carlos Williams
- Skylark by Johnny Mercer
- April Rain Song by Langston Hughes
- A Very Valentine by Gertrude Stein
- Who Has Seen the Wind? by Christina Rossetti
- How Do I Love Thee? by Elizabeth Barrett Browning - narrated by Gwyneth Paltrow
- Ending Credits
The Lullaby Show 1
    
- Open, Music: Piano Concerto No.1 by Pyotr llyich Tchaikovsky performed by Philharmonic Slavonica
- Naptime “Drume Negrita” a Cuban Lullaby, sung by Bola de Nieve
- Moonlight “Liebesträum No. 3” music by Franz Liszt performed by Balázs Szokolay
- The Kiss “Suliram” an Indonesian Lullaby, sung by Miriam Makeba
- Little Willow, written, sung and performed by Paul McCartney
- The Violin “Oyfn Pripetshik” a Yiddish lullaby, performed by Itzhak Perlman
- Goodnight “Goodnight” written and sung by Laurie Berkner
- Night Light “Gymnopédie No. 1” music by Erik Satie performed by Kiara Kormendi (a Baby)
- Night Swim “White Seal Lullaby” based on a british poem by Rudyard Kipling, written sung and performed by Corinne Bailey Rae
- Hush-A-Bye “Hush-a-Bye” an American traditional, sung by Peter, Paul & Mary
- Cradle Song “Schlafe, mein prinzchen, schlaf’ ein” a German Lullaby, sung by Rita Streich (soprano)
- The Dream “Hush, Hush (Thula, Thula)” a Zulu lullaby, sung by Harry Belafonte
- Sweet Dreams “Dream Angus” a Scottish Lullaby, sung by Gary Lightbody
- Lullaby by Johannes Brahms performed by Budapest Strings (ending credits)
The Lullaby Show 2
    
- Open, Music: Piano Concerto No.1 by Pyotr llyich Tchaikovsky performed by Philharmonic Slavonica
- The Painting “Méditation from Thaïs” music by Jules Massenet performed by Camerata Transylavnica
- Bedtime “Fais Do Do” a French lullaby, sung by Elizabeth Mitchell & Lisa Loeb
- Twilight “Lullaby” music by George Gershwin performed by Serafin String Quartet
- Little Buckaroo “Hush Little Baby” an American traditional, sung by Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, Lucy Wainwright Roche & David Mansfield
- Flying “Barcarolle from Tales of Hoffmann” music by Jacques Offenbach performed by Keith Clark & Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra
- Hugs “Sleep Little One (Nami Nami)” an Arabic Lullaby, sung by Oumaima Khalil and Marcel Khalife
- Meditation “Berceuse in D-Flat Major, Op. 57” music by Frédéric Chopin performed by Jane Coop (a Baby)
- Flower Dance “O Cravo Brigou Com A Rosa” a Brazilian lullaby, sung by Natasha Llerena and Heitor Pereira
- Underwater “Nana” music by Manuel de Falla
- Barefoot “Dreaming” music by Amy Beach performed by Ambache
- Cuddle “A La Nanita Nana” a Spanish Lullaby, sung by Marta Gómez
- Falling Leaves “Wiegenlied, Op. 49, No. 4” music by Johannes Brahms, performed by Yo-Yo Ma
- Lullaby in Ragtime sung by Ron Sexsmith (ending credits)
References
    
- "Cartoon Network wins six Emmys". Los Angeles Times. 2005-08-18. Retrieved 2014-12-01.
- "Nominations Search". Television Academy. Archived from the original on 2018-02-06. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
- Baisley, Sarah (2005-09-12). "South Park, Clone Wars and Lost Win Animation and VFX Primetime Emmy Awards". Animation World Network. Retrieved 2014-12-01.
- Fitzgerald, Toni (2006-04-05). "And to 'South Park,' a rudeness award". Media Life Magazine. Retrieved 2014-12-01.
- 65th Annual Peabody Awards, May 2006.