Il Paese della Musica

I would rate this in the top 10 short cartoons i've ever seen,totally marvellous stuff. Even if you hate disney films you should see this one. It's got the perfect combination of great animation and music which is the hallmark of the great silly symphonies. The backgrounds are wonderfully rich. It's chock full of action/adventure. Highlight: the moment when the isle of jazz attacks land of symphony, the saxes and trumpets etc blasting out musical notes like missiles, it's something to behold. Available to buy on dvd.(walt disney treasures:silly symphonies). 10/10!!

Now here is a premise that is tailor-made for Silly Symphonies, so much so that it really could have been part of Fantasia.

The Princess of the Isle of Symphony is tempted by the Isle of Jazz and wants to make her own "concert" with a happy saxophone. Her father does not approve (as do I, as saxophones do not belong in a classical orchestra) and locks him up in a metronome jail cell. The two island wage melodic war on each other but eventually "cease fire" when they witness the love of the princess and and the saxophone.

The animation, by future Jungle Book director Wolfgang Reitherman, is bright and cheerful but stops short of showing the "beautiful music" the happy couple make on their wedding night.

Two islands, one devoted to classical music and the other to jazz, are at odds. All the characters are musical instruments. The trees look like double bases. It's the old Romeo and Juliet thing where a saxophone from the jazz island falls in love with a violin from the classical one. They have a tryst, but eventually things begin to collapse when the parents become aware. This is a very clever cartoon with wonderful sound and great creativity.

Music Land is a short film that does not offer anything very new in its plot, but it has quite interesting symbology. This story about instruments belonging to two different musical genres and the romance that arises between the violin princess and the saxophone prince leave an interesting interpretation. The short film is about the union of jazz and symphonic music. It is fascinating because it is about how two musical genres can coexist, despite the differences. Although, on the one hand, it can be interpreted from a social perspective, on the other it is also worth saying that both musical genres can coexist in the same environment without having to say that one is better than the other. Throughout the generations, new genres have often been questioned by audiences belonging to a previous generation. Jazz has never been so discussed, but it has been questioned at a time when symphonic music was considered a high-level art. As time went by, both genres ended up being considered classics and even worked with other genres that came later. Music belonging to rock, heavy metal, rap and pop have been somewhat questioned depending on the artists and lyrics, but time has made these music last long enough to reach classic status and mix with other genres. Currently, the reggaeton and trap categories are also being questioned for their lyrics or quality, but that does not erase the fact that their audience will ensure that in future years they achieve classic status depending on the strong devotion of the fans. The main point is that music can have different aspects and forms and they are not so different because these genres belong to the same art that only evolved and diversified over time. The romance between the violin princess and the saxophone prince in this short film is a good metaphor that the musical genres to which they belong do not prevent both from belonging to the same art and that is why both have the same value. Music Land is a short film that, when viewed as another Disney product, doesn't offer much, but as an allegory about different musical genres having the same value, it is undoubtedly quite interesting to watch. My final rating for this short film is a 9/10.

Swing vs. classical was a theme often used in movies of the '40s, when swing was really at the height of popularity with music lovers, but here it's the dominant theme of a Disney cartoon made in 1935, one of his Silly Symphonies, which some consider to be one of his best.

Princess Violin and Prince Sax are the principals here, so you can see there's not much subtlety going on--but who wants subtlety in a cartoon anyway? The music takes center stage as the two Kingdoms fight over musical dominance and it's the clever use of musical instruments that puts this one over the top. Even their voices are done with musical notes from violin or sax.

When Prince Sax rescues Princess Violin during the heat of battle between the two Kingdoms, all is forgiven and a truce breaks out just in time for the happy ending which has them taking marriage vows. The well stage battle scene is a highlight of innovation.

Lively and well animated, but not one of my favorites of the Silly Symphonies despite the good animation.