Grab a Kleenex for this one. In this scene from Truly, Madly, Deeply (1990), Juliet Stevenson plays an amateur pianist named Nina whose boyfriend recently died. As Nina is grieving at her piano, she’s imagining her late boyfriend (a professional cellist) playing his duet part in Bach’s Sonata No.3 for Cello & Piano.

Suddenly, Nina realizes the cello part she’s hearing is actually real. That’s because her boyfriend (played by Alan Rickman) has returned from the afterlife to be with her.

This scene, and the unpredictable plot that follows, was so powerful it compelled the BBC to scrap their plans to debut the film on British TV and instead send it straight to movie theaters.

For director Anthony Minghella, it was the smash hit that brought every major US movie studio to his doorstep, launching a string of Oscar winners including The English Patient (1996), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), and Cold Mountain (2003).

When I played this scene for my fiancé, she said, “They don’t make movies like this anymore.”

The verbal interplay between Nina and Jamie (Rickman’s character) occurs inside such supernatural – yet familiar – circumstances; the story takes you into the emotional cracks and crevices that exist between husband and wife in a way that can only fiction can. Non-fiction (i.e. celebrity autobiographies, local TV news & tabloids, historical essays) dares not go to such places.

The ending is what gets me (*spoiler alert). As it turns out, you can’t be married to someone who is technically a ghost. Life doesn’t work that way. At the end of the story, in a nine-word exchange between Rickman and one of his fellow ghosts, we realize his whole purpose for returning from the dead was to give his beloved girlfriend a way to take him off the pedestal; and move on with her life.

Roger Ebert called Truly, Madly, Deeply “‘Ghost‘ for grown-ups”. Great movie. Check it out.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truly,_Madly,_Deeply
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Minghella

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Mike Bielenberg is a professional musician and co-founder of http://www.musicrevolution.com, a production music marketplace with over 48,000 tracks online where media producers, video producers, filmmakers, game developers, businesses  and other music buyers can license high-quality, affordable royalty-free music from an online community of musicians. mbielenberg@musicrevolution.com.

We have nearly 50,000 tracks covering every genre of music on MusicRevolution.com (www.musicrevolution.com ). This week’s featured track is “Serenity” by Jérôme Chauvel. This is a dreamy, sentimental track perfect for films, documentaries and broadcast programming.

“Serenity” (#01788111)

http://www.musicrevolution.com/royalty-free-music-track/01788111/serenity

Track Description—

“Serenity” – A composition full of emotion and nostalgia. Perfect for films, documentary projects, television, inspirational videos, and any project needing a gentle yet motivational background.

Track Metadata—

• Moods— Dreamy, inspiring, sentimental
• Instruments—Acoustic guitar, organ
• Genres— Documentary, folk, new age
• Applications—Broadcast programming, film, Internet, on hold

Length — 2:55

About Jérôme Chauvel–

Jérôme Chauvel composes instrumental music, often used by multimedia and broadcasting professionals. He is strongly influenced by artists such as Air, Steve Hillage, Bjork and Laurie Anderson. Chauvel’s style generally turns around electro, chill-out, ambient, tech-house music, complete with a psychedelic touch. Click here to listen to all of Chauvel’s tracks.

With nearly 50,000 tracks online in our production music library, MusicRevolution.com (www.musicrevolution.com) has some of the best royalty-free music available anywhere.

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Chris Cardell is the co-founder of MusicRevolution.com http://www.musicrevolution.com, a royalty-free music marketplace with nearly 50,000 tracks online where media producers, video producers, filmmakers, game developers, advertisers, businesses and other music buyers can license high-quality, affordable royalty-free music from an online community of professional musicians. MusicRevolution.com also provides custom music production and custom background music streams. The entire MusicRevolution.com production music library is available for third-party distribution and bulk licensing for background music / in-store music for retail, restaurants, hotels and businesses, and for other commercial applications.

We have nearly 50,000 tracks covering every genre of music on MusicRevolution.com (www.musicrevolution.com ). This week’s featured track is “Blue Spotlight” by Brian Salter. This is an energetic, tech house track perfect for retail, advertising and broadcast programming.

“Blue Spotlight” (#00000506)

http://www.musicrevolution.com/royalty-free-music-track/00000506/blue-spotlight

Track Description—

“Blue Spotlight” – Energetic house / tech-house dance track combining a bright and spacious lead melody with funky, driving synth patterns. Touches of lush, shimmering synth effects evoke fashion or trendy leisure themes. Retail.

Track Metadata—

• Moods— Energetic, hi-tech, inspiring
• Instruments– Synth
• Genres— Electronica, holiday, sports
• Applications—Advertising, broadcast programming, film, presentation

Length— 3:09

About Brian Salter —

Brian Salter is an experienced composer and sound designer.  Beginning with a classical music education, he started his career in computer game development and the early days of the Internet in Silicon Valley. In a long relationship with Beatnik, founded by music industry pioneer Thomas Dolby Robertson, he participated in the development of content and design for the Beatnik Audio Engine, the polyphonic music and audio mixing software used in a majority of the world’s mobile phones, as well as working as a staff composer for Robertson’s Headspace Music Library. Past clients and partners include Nokia, SonyEricsson, WebTV/MSNTV, Sony Music Online, Columbia Japan, MTV, and Danger Inc.

Brian Salter covers a range of genres, specializing in orchestral and instrumental soundtracks for drama and documentary, with an emphasis on melody and expressive emotion. Click here to listen to all of Salter’s tracks.

With nearly 50,000 tracks online in our production music library, MusicRevolution.com (www.musicrevolution.com) has some of the best royalty-free music available anywhere.

________________________________________________________________________

Chris Cardell is the co-founder of MusicRevolution.com http://www.musicrevolution.com, a royalty-free music marketplace with nearly 50,000 tracks online where media producers, video producers, filmmakers, game developers, advertisers, businesses and other music buyers can license high-quality, affordable royalty-free music from an online community of professional musicians. MusicRevolution.com also provides custom music production and custom background music streams. The entire MusicRevolution.com production music library is available for third-party distribution and bulk licensing for background music / in-store music for retail, restaurants, hotels and businesses, and for other commercial applications.

We have over 49,000 tracks covering every genre of music on MusicRevolution.com (www.musicrevolution.com ). This week’s featured track is “Earthshine” by Cullen Film Music. This is an epic orchestral track with real strings. Perfect for film and documentaries.

“Earthshine” (#02813738)

http://www.musicrevolution.com/royalty-free-music-track/02813738/earthshine

Track Description—

“Earthshine” – Epic orchestral hybrid, trailer type track with real strings. Pulsating and rhythmic this piece starts quietly and builds to a monumental climax with thrilling choir. Introspective but a real tension builder. Use in fantasy or warfare scenes where action is imminent. Preparing for disaster.

Track Metadata—

• Moods— Energetic, inspiring, suspenseful
• Instruments— Horn section, strings, trumpet
• Genres— Documentary, drama, orchestral
• Applications—Broadcast programming, film, Internet

Length– 2:48

About Cullen Film Music —

Cullen Film Music, or Entropik, is the award-winning partnership of husband and wife Dan and Deryn Cullen. Dan (composer/ producer/ guitar) pays tribute to the gods of prog and the orchestral masters of the 20th century from Mahler to Stravinsky. Deryn (cello/ composer) is a worshiper of classical music in general with a strange bias towards anything written for cello. Entropik have composed scores for feature films, short films and video games, and have had their music licensed for ad campaigns, TV series (including a recent episode of 90210) and live events.

Click here to listen to all of Cullen Film Music’s tracks.

With over 49,000 tracks online in our production music library, MusicRevolution.com (www.musicrevolution.com) has some of the best royalty-free music available anywhere.

________________________________________________________________________

Chris Cardell is the co-founder of MusicRevolution.com http://www.musicrevolution.com, a royalty-free music marketplace with over 49,000 tracks online where media producers, video producers, filmmakers, game developers, advertisers, businesses and other music buyers can license high-quality, affordable royalty-free music from an online community of professional musicians. MusicRevolution.com also provides custom music production and custom background music streams. The entire MusicRevolution.com production music library is available for third-party distribution and bulk licensing for background music / in-store music for retail, restaurants, hotels and businesses, and for other commercial applications.

The world has become exponentially noisy and splintered since Beethoven was alive and my college music curriculum was written (surely the same year). Nonetheless, my music professors claimed there are five things that make a music composition what it is: harmony, melody, timbre, rhythm and form. By mastering those dimensions, a music creator may clear a place in advance on their mantle for shiny trophies. I guess that’s helpful advice when writing music for a concert hall, but I’ve come to believe there’s a sixth aspect that music creators must consider…and that is “context”. Under what circumstances will your listener experience this piece of music?

I currently write code for a living. And I love it. But doing it well means insulating myself from the outside world. Thankfully, Apple Music’s “Chill” station provides me with a bubble made of spacious, sugary pieces like:

“Winterbreak” by MUNA

“Heights” by Shallou

These artists succeeded at creating a peaceful, profound, provacative backdrpop for busy brains like mine to make cool stuff.

But in a busy world, there are many contexts in which these tracks wouldn’t work at all..if my fiance and I are driving to a fun party; if my team was celebrating a big win at the office. For times like that, the musical backdrop has to be:

“Three Time Loser” by Rod Stewart (1975)

So when creating a piece of music, always try to imagine the “context” in which it will be experienced. Your listeners and – more importantly – the people paying you, will appreciate it.

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Mike Bielenberg is a professional musician and co-founder of http://www.musicrevolution.com, a production music marketplace with over 48,000 tracks online where media producers, video producers, filmmakers, game developers, businesses  and other music buyers can license high-quality, affordable royalty-free music from an online community of musicians. mbielenberg@musicrevolution.com.

We have over 49,000 tracks covering every genre of music on MusicRevolution.com (www.musicrevolution.com ). This week’s featured track is “Morning Train” by Salieri Music. This is an uplifting, motivational corporate track.

“Morning Train” (#015093333)

http://www.musicrevolution.com/royalty-free-music-track/01509333/morning-train

Track Description—

“Morning Train” – Motivational corporate music track with uplifting piano, strings, pads, upbeat drums and synth sounds. Positive and emotional music that will bring success to your project, video, presentation, promo or other audiovisual media. Happy, optimistic.

Track Metadata—

• Moods— Corporate, energetic, inspiring
• Instruments— Bass, electric guitar, piano
• Genres— Corporate, pop, rock, sports
• Applications—Advertising, broadcast programming, presentation, product for sale

Length— 3:06

About Salieri Music —

Alex Khaskin of Salieri Music is based in Thornhill, Ontario, Canada. With over 800 tracks on MusicRevolution.com, Salieri Music produces music in a range of genres. Click here to listen to all of Salieri Music’s tracks.

With over 49,000 tracks online in our production music library, MusicRevolution.com (www.musicrevolution.com) has some of the best royalty-free music available anywhere.

________________________________________________________________________

Chris Cardell is the co-founder of MusicRevolution.com http://www.musicrevolution.com, a royalty-free music marketplace with over 49,000 tracks online where media producers, video producers, filmmakers, game developers, advertisers, businesses and other music buyers can license high-quality, affordable royalty-free music from an online community of professional musicians. MusicRevolution.com also provides custom music production and custom background music streams. The entire MusicRevolution.com production music library is available for third-party distribution and bulk licensing for background music / in-store music for retail, restaurants, hotels and businesses, and for other commercial applications.

MusicRevolution.com’s (www.musicrevolution.com) community of professional musicians has helped us to create one of the most comprehensive and fastest growing production music libraries available anywhere. MusicRevolution.com now has over 49,000 tracks of royalty-free music online. Single tracks start at just $9.99. Most tracks are priced at $49.99. Subscriptions start at just $149.99.

MusicRevolution’s royalty-free music library covers every genre and style of music, including: On Hold, Fun, New Age, Rock, Comedy, Corporate, Drama, Energetic, Orchestral/Classical, Christmas/Holiday, Acoustic Guitar, Hip Hop, Retail, Sentimental, Advertising, Electronica, Country, Jazz, Piano and Vocals.

We’ve helped hundreds of companies like IBM, Coca Cola, Microsoft, Ford, The Cartoon Network and many others with their music projects. With over 49,000 tracks online and access to hundreds of professional musicians, MusicRevolution.com (www.musicrevolution.com) has some of the best royalty-free music available anywhere.

________________________________________________________________________

Chris Cardell is the co-founder of MusicRevolution.com http://www.musicrevolution.com, a royalty-free music marketplace with over 49,000 tracks online where media producers, video producers, filmmakers, game developers, advertisers, businesses and other music buyers can license high-quality, affordable royalty-free music from an online community of professional musicians. MusicRevolution.com also provides custom music production and custom music streams. The entire MusicRevolution.com production music library is available for third-party distribution and bulk licensing for background music / in-store music for retail, restaurants, hotels and businesses, and for other commercial applications.

There is a phenomenon among live musicians that is unmistakable when it happens, but hard to label. So I’m creating a label for it….”road tight”.

“Road tight” is the telepathy that occurs between musicians who have been on the road together for many weeks and have learned each other’s idiosyncrasies (both personal and musical). They’ve mastered the show to the point where it’s generally a boring experience unless they escalate it…perhaps by listening more intently to one another, tuning in more to the audience, or spontaneously re-writing the material.

My apple-to-apples comparison of “road tight” occurred when I was asked to play keyboards and sing lead with Corey Smith’s band for one gig. Corey and his band travel constantly throughout the Southeast, but for some reason Corey couldn’t attend this particular event…a local fundraiser. So his guitarist said, “We’ll make up a new band name, brainstorm a set list and just go for it. Just come out and have fun with us.”

It was totally fun. The crowd loved the songs. We sounded fine. But much like going to bed with someone for the first time…there were unfamiliar parts; along with some general anxiety.

And then Corey unexpectedly showed up. People started pulling out their camera phones. His guitarist said, “Just go back to your keyboard and try to hang on. We’ll take it from here.”

To use transportation metaphors, playing the first set without “road tightness” was like riding an ATV…fun, but all over the place; not much control. The second set with Corey was like riding in the backseat of a Maserati with a professional driver. Those dudes were reading each other’s minds. There wasn’t a shred of doubt about what was coming next. There were musical inside jokes. I felt like that feeble nuclear scientist on a Navy Seal mission the trained killers have to tolerate. It was exhilarating. It was “road tight”.

So imagine what “road tight” must been like during the Prohibition Era, before recorded music, when – on any given night in New York City – a hundred live bands were finishing a five-night run at Club Wherever. Imagine wandering into a speakeasy where a twenty-piece jazz ensemble possessed that same level of road-tightness Corey and his band had….then thirty more clubs like it in the same 10-mile radius.

I think 1930 was arguably when jazz – a purely American art form – prospered most as a living organisim.

So, dear reader, please enjoy this lovingly assembled collection of Jazz tracks – dedicated to my friends in the Corey Smith Band – and the “road tightness” of yesteryear which they commemorate:

And please enjoy these excellent tracks by Corey Smith’s guitarist – Mike Hines:

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Mike Bielenberg is a professional musician and co-founder of http://www.musicrevolution.com, a production music marketplace with over 48,000 tracks online where media producers, video producers, filmmakers, game developers, businesses  and other music buyers can license high-quality, affordable royalty-free music from an online community of musicians. mbielenberg@musicrevolution.com.

We have nearly 49,000 tracks covering every genre of music on MusicRevolution.com (www.musicrevolution.com ). This week’s featured track is “An Unfinished Life” by katcamusic. This is a beautiful, dramatic, moving track.

“An Unfinished Life” (#02072532)

http://www.musicrevolution.com/royalty-free-music-track/02072532/an-unfinished-life

Track Description—

“An Unfinished Life” – Romantic and emotional track for your motivational and uplifting presentations, advertising, promotional videos, YouTube, films, sports…. General mood of this song is reflection, good days, bad days, for the soul, for the heart, love, nostalgic, melancholic and happiness. Beautiful, dramatic, dreamy, rhythmic, successful, passionate.

Track Metadata—

• Moods— Dreamy, inspiring, sentimental
• Instruments— Acoustic guitar, bass, piano, strings, synth pad
• Genres— Corporate, documentary, drama, orchestral
• Applications—Advertising, film, Internet, on hold

Length– 2:18

About katcamusic —

Carlos Estella of katcamusic is a Spanish keyboardist and composer who creates heavenly tracks, filled with the message of peace and love. While his melodic strings and orchestral pieces draw on influences like Hans Zimmer, Vangelis, Mike Oldfield, and Enya, his Dramatic works blend New Age atmospheres with Electronic and Orchestral elements, as well as beautiful choirs and uplifting vocals. From peaceful and spacey soundscapes, to edgier sci-fi-inspired soundtracks, Carlos’ cinematic compositions are perfect for Film, TV and Commercial productions. Click here to listen to all of katcamusic’s tracks.

With nearly 49,000 tracks online in our production music library, MusicRevolution.com (www.musicrevolution.com) has some of the best royalty-free music available anywhere.

________________________________________________________________________

Chris Cardell is the co-founder of MusicRevolution.com http://www.musicrevolution.com, a royalty-free music marketplace with nearly 49,000 tracks online where media producers, video producers, filmmakers, game developers, advertisers, businesses and other music buyers can license high-quality, affordable royalty-free music from an online community of professional musicians. MusicRevolution.com also provides custom music production and custom background music streams. The entire MusicRevolution.com production music library is available for third-party distribution and bulk licensing for background music / in-store music for retail, restaurants, hotels and businesses, and for other commercial applications.

We have over 48,000 tracks covering every genre of music on MusicRevolution.com (www.musicrevolution.com ). A few weeks ago we highlighted our extensive collection of Christmas and Holiday music. Since we are still in the Holiday season, we wanted to feature a single Holiday track that is worth checking out. This week’s featured track is “Holiday Treeing” by Scewby Mundo. This is a fun, funky variation of “Oh Christmas Tree”.

“Holiday Treeing” (#00018041)

http://www.musicrevolution.com/royalty-free-music-track/00018041/holiday-treeing

Track Description—

“Holiday Treeing” – “Oh Christmas Tree” with a funky, beat rock, pop strumming acoustic guitar and vibes. Happy, celebration, holiday.

Track Metadata—

• Moods— Sentimental, serious
• Instruments— Acoustic guitar, vibraphone
• Genres— Documentary, holiday, pop
• Applications—Advertising, broadcast programming, film, Internet

Length — 1:08

About Scewby Mundo —

Dewey Dellay of Scewby Mundo composes music for television, film, Internet, games, and theater. Past composing work includes National Geographic Television shows – Chinese Mummies (Emmy nominated), Finding Anastasia, Virus Hunters, Chachapoya, Last Christians of Bethlehem, Afghan Warrior, The Discovery Channel’s Miami Jail, Oprah Winfrey, Date Patrol, America’s Spookiest Places, My First Home, among many others. Dewey received an Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Design, and IRNE for his composition and sound design in theater. Mood is paramount and the music has to be motivating. Categories include – Quirkitudes, Dramatica, Worldish, Tekitude, Jazzitude, and Hip Fresh. Click here to listen to all of Scewby Mundo’s tracks.

With over 48,000 tracks online in our production music library, MusicRevolution.com (www.musicrevolution.com) has some of the best royalty-free music available anywhere.

________________________________________________________________________

Chris Cardell is the co-founder of MusicRevolution.com http://www.musicrevolution.com, a royalty-free music marketplace with over 48,000 tracks online where media producers, video producers, filmmakers, game developers, advertisers, businesses and other music buyers can license high-quality, affordable royalty-free music from an online community of professional musicians. MusicRevolution.com also provides custom music production and custom background music streams. The entire MusicRevolution.com production music library is available for third-party distribution and bulk licensing for background music / in-store music for retail, restaurants, hotels and businesses, and for other commercial applications.