Finally! It took 51 years, but the soundtrack of "It's The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown" is finally available. Released last month, it contains some of Vince Guaraldi's best work. Guaraldi had a great knack for crafting catchy piano hooks on his "Peanuts" soundtracks and jazz combo releases. Many listeners who wouldn't seek out jazz otherwise would likely admit how much they enjoy "Linus And Lucy" or "Cast Your Fate To The Wind," among other gems. The entire soundtrack of the 1974 Easter special is excellent, but in my opinion, these are six of the best tracks:
- Easter Theme/Easter Theme (Reprise) (Even if you're the most jaded, cynical listener who ever lived, how can you not smile when Snoopy dances with the bunnies during this number?)
- Music Box Dance (J.S. Bach: Minuet in G major) (Similarly, how could anyone's cynicism not thaw at least a little upon watching Snoopy, Peppermint Patty, and Marcie dance to this lighthearted Baroque excerpt?)
- Peppermint Patty (I wonder how many people's walks have turned into more confident struts or skips upon hearing this keyboard melody.)
- Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92: I. Poco Sostenuto-Vivace (How fitting to use this joyous Beethoven movement for the Easter Beagle's carefree distribution of the eggs. It's a nice reminder, as well, of how well woodwinds and keyboard interact in the right context.)
- Woodstock's Dream (Yes! This is possibly the coolest keyboard hook Guaraldi ever composed for a "Peanuts" special. Of all the tracks I was anticipating, this is my favorite. The title is misleading, as this is actually the underscoring for Snoopy and the kids shopping in the department store for Easter eggs and Sally's shoes while encountering Christmas displays eight months early. A YouTube poster titled this track "Tisn't The Season.")
- Woodstock's Pad (In just 44 seconds, this instrumental incorporates a cross-section of lounge, jazz, and R&B styles to underscore how comfortably Woodstock furnished the birdhouse Snoopy gave him.)
