# ID this industrious/busy music (NOT Raymond Scott's Powerhouse) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 29, 2007, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-industrious-busy-music-not-raymond-scotts-powerhouse/405886 "2007-05-29T08:51:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-industrious-busy-music-not-raymond-scotts-powerhouse/405886/1 "2007-05-29T08:51:27Z")
I’m trying to identify a piece of music I heard that accompanied an online video, trouble is, I can’t remember much in the way of detail. I think it was one of those time-lapse clips where you see a drawing or painting taking shape and the music itself was a sort of restless plucked-string piece. I can sort of hear it in my head, but I don’t know how to describe it. It isn’t Raymond Scott’s _Powerhouse_. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-industrious-busy-music-not-raymond-scotts-powerhouse/405886/2 "2007-05-29T09:06:27Z")
No link to the video? That would be most helpful. You could also try this: [Musipedia: Musipedia Melody Search Engine](http://www.musipedia.org/#) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-industrious-busy-music-not-raymond-scotts-powerhouse/405886/3 "2007-05-29T09:10:36Z")
That’s the trouble, I can’t remember what the video was either - it was definitely some kind of time-lapse thing, and I think it showed something being drawn or sketched, but that’s about it… ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-industrious-busy-music-not-raymond-scotts-powerhouse/405886/4 "2007-05-29T09:31:43Z")
This? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/FNPyM7q7Cuc/hqdefault.jpg "Bob Ross Speedpaint") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNPyM7q7Cuc) (I don’t know what the tune is, but I’ve heard it before) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-industrious-busy-music-not-raymond-scotts-powerhouse/405886/5 "2007-05-29T09:38:37Z")
Thanks, but that’s not it - the music for that one is called _Popcorn_, BTW ---
**Author:** ![What\_s\_That\_Smell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3bc359/32.png) [@What\_s\_That\_Smell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_s_That_Smell)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-industrious-busy-music-not-raymond-scotts-powerhouse/405886/6 "2007-05-29T09:42:21Z")
[QUOTE=Garfield226] This? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FNPyM7q7Cuc/hqdefault.jpg "Bob Ross Speedpaint") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNPyM7q7Cuc) (I don’t know what the tune is, but I’ve heard it before) [/QUOTE] The music accompanying that video is an instrumental called [Popcorn](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popcorn_(song)) Aaagh! Beaten by \*\*Mangetout \*\* I see! But I provided a link! Nyah! ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-industrious-busy-music-not-raymond-scotts-powerhouse/405886/7 "2007-05-29T09:55:56Z")
Busy plucked strings? Could it be David Rose’s [Holiday for Strings](http://www.jazz-on-line.com/ram/VIC47S3095.ram)? (RealAudio link) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-industrious-busy-music-not-raymond-scotts-powerhouse/405886/8 "2007-05-29T10:00:45Z")
Thanks for that - it’s not that piece of music, but it has the same approximate pace and rhythm. It’s more monotonous though. ---
**Author:** ![initech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/439d5e/32.png) [@initech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/initech)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-industrious-busy-music-not-raymond-scotts-powerhouse/405886/9 "2007-05-29T10:11:43Z")
Maybe the Sabre Dance from [Gayane?](http://www.kickassclassical.com/khachaturian_sabre.mp3) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-industrious-busy-music-not-raymond-scotts-powerhouse/405886/10 "2007-05-29T10:25:02Z")
I’m glad you posted that, **initech** because although it’s not that piece of music, I would have mentioned it as being very similar (in terms of tune) - only I didn’t know it was called the Sabre Dance, so I couldn’t say “it sounds like that other bit of frantic music that I also can’t remember the name of”. So, anyway, we’re looking for a piece that has a similar _tune_ to the Sabre Dance and a similar pace and rhythm to Holiday For Strings… ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-industrious-busy-music-not-raymond-scotts-powerhouse/405886/11 "2007-05-29T16:40:03Z")
I’m guessing it’s not Gershwin’s An American in Paris, but is it more like or less like that? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-industrious-busy-music-not-raymond-scotts-powerhouse/405886/12 "2007-05-29T16:49:37Z")
The tunes already mentioned sound like the sorts of things they play behind jugglers, acrobats, tumblers and even clowns at the circus or on TV variety shows. Is that genre what you’re talking about? ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-industrious-busy-music-not-raymond-scotts-powerhouse/405886/13 "2007-05-29T21:15:23Z")
Perhaps “Plink, Plank, Plunk” by Leroy Anderson? His “The Typewriter” and “Fiddle Faddle” are used for busy scenes, too, but they don’t really fit your description. excerpts here: > **[Utah Symphony Orches - Fiddle Faddle: 15 Favorites By Leroy Anderson CD Album](https://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=6821718&style=classical&cart=546525766)** > > Utah Symphony Orches - Fiddle Faddle: 15 Favorites By Leroy Anderson music CD album at CD Universe, This selection of popular favorites spans his career over four. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-industrious-busy-music-not-raymond-scotts-powerhouse/405886/14 "2007-05-30T03:00:56Z")
An arrangement of Mozart’s _Rondo Alla Turca_, perhaps? Found [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4XvEFc-wWw) clip on YouTube; not the original instrumentation, but close enough to recognize if it’s the one you’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-industrious-busy-music-not-raymond-scotts-powerhouse/405886/15 "2007-05-30T03:19:15Z")
Maybe “Dance of the Tumblers” by Rimsky-Korsakov There’s a link to play a sample on [http://www.amazon.com/Rimsky-Korsakov-Greatest-Hits-Nikolay-Andreyevich/dp/B000002C5Z](http://www.amazon.com/Rimsky-Korsakov-Greatest-Hits-Nikolay-Andreyevich/dp/B000002C5Z) ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-industrious-busy-music-not-raymond-scotts-powerhouse/405886/16 "2007-05-30T03:24:06Z")
Two possibilities: _Happy-Go-Lively_, production music piece by Laurie Johnson [(album](http://www.amazon.com/Music-TV-Dinners-Various-Artists/dp/B000000IAW/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-2252210-9209437?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1180495626&sr=8-1)) _The Land of Chocolate_, _Holiday for Strings_-style piece composed by Alf Clausen for _The Simpsons_ ([scene](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziO14aZAEqs)) ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-industrious-busy-music-not-raymond-scotts-powerhouse/405886/17 "2007-05-30T03:55:23Z")
[QUOTE=mobo85] Two possibilities: _Happy-Go-Lively_, production music piece by Laurie Johnson [(album](http://www.amazon.com/Music-TV-Dinners-Various-Artists/dp/B000000IAW/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-2252210-9209437?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1180495626&sr=8-1)) _The Land of Chocolate_, _Holiday for Strings_-style piece composed by Alf Clausen for _The Simpsons_ ([scene](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziO14aZAEqs)) [/QUOTE] I thought about both, and wondered if the OP’s piece might be on this compilation of production music: > **[Various Artists - Music for TV Dinners - Amazon.com Music](https://www.amazon.com/Music-TV-Dinners-Various-Artists/dp/B000000IAW)** > > Various Artists - Music for TV Dinners - Amazon.com Music There are samples from all the tracks, so listen to them all! A lot of the pieces were used in the old _Ren & Stimpy_ cartoons. EDIT: I see you linked to the same thing I did, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![PlasticCloud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbe5ce/32.png) [@PlasticCloud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlasticCloud)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-industrious-busy-music-not-raymond-scotts-powerhouse/405886/18 "2007-05-30T04:01:56Z")
[QUOTE=mobo85] _Happy-Go-Lively_, production music piece by Laurie Johnson [(album](http://www.amazon.com/Music-TV-Dinners-Various-Artists/dp/B000000IAW/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-2252210-9209437?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1180495626&sr=8-1)) [/QUOTE] This is my guess as well… I was just going to post this same tune and noticed you beat me to it! If it’s not this, I’d suppose it’s probably some other KPM or de Wolfe library track. But _Happy Go Lively_ is often the go-to piece for that kind of thing. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-industrious-busy-music-not-raymond-scotts-powerhouse/405886/19 "2007-05-30T04:53:14Z")
My guess: the [Pizzicato](http://www.psycaticsmainecoons.com/Delibes-Clement-Philibert-Leo_Pizzicato-Balle_G-Po25128.mid) from the ballet _Sylvia_ by Léo Delibes. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2007, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-industrious-busy-music-not-raymond-scotts-powerhouse/405886/20 "2007-05-31T21:43:06Z")
I once heard a portion of the [Pizzicato Ostinato](http://www.classicalmidiresource.com/site/cmmmp3/tchaikovsky_symph_no4_.mp3) from Tchaikovsky’s 4th Symphony used in a time-lapse video in which flowers were bursting into bloom and grass was shooting up out of the ground. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-industrious-busy-music-not-raymond-scotts-powerhouse/405886.md?page=2)