15 Pieces of Classical Music That Showed Up in 'Looney Tunes' Cartoons

Bugs Bunny: smart aleck, dynamite enthusiast … Chopin fan? Sit the kids down for a Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies marathon, and they’ll be humming classical refrains before you can say “Th-th-that’s all, folks!” The shorts incorporated everything from light opera to German symphonies. And this wasn’t all idle background noise. Warner Brothers, who produced both Looney Tunes and its equally influential (and far less famous) sibling Merrie Melodies, actively relied on music to help pull off some of the funniest gags in cartoon history. So, kick back, pass the carrots, & let’s enjoy a few comedy classics.

1. Tales from the Vienna Woods, Op. 325 by Johann Strauss II (1868)

As Heard In: A Corny Concerto (1943)

On occasion, director Bob Clampett had some fun at Disney’s expense. "A Corny Concerto" riffs Fantasia (1940) and doesn’t miss a joke. At “Corny-gie Hall,” Elmer Fudd introduces segment number one, emphasizing the "wythm of the woodwinds.” Cut to Porky Pig and his faithful pointer dog in hot pursuit of Bugs, accompanied all the way by the Waltz King’s playful hit. 

2. The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss II (1866)

As Heard In: A Corny Concerto (1943)

Act II sees a mother swan leading her cygnets in a birdsong-based cover of this concert hall staple. When young Daffy Duck paddles over with his off-key honking, she’s none too thrilled—until he saves the day, that is. It’s a hilarious take on Strauss’ best-known offering, though '90s kids will probably still prefer The Simpsons’ low-gravity rendition.

3. Dance of the Comedians from The Bartered Bride by Bedrich Smetana (1866)

As Heard In: Zoom and Bored (1957)

As always, Wile E. Coyote matches wits with his hated Road Runner nemesis. This time around, the climax is set to what’s quite possibly the most beloved Czech opera ever written.

4. Minute Waltz in D-Flat by Frédéric Chopin (1847)

As Heard In: Hyde and Hare (1955)

Bugs spots a piano inside Dr. Jekyll’s house and, being the cultured lagomorph that he is, starts playing away like a pro. Too bad Mr. Hyde shows up to ruin everything.

5. Morning, Noon, and Night in Vienna by Franz von Suppé (1844)

As Heard In: Baton Bunny (1959)

Apparently taking a break from his typical antics, Bugs does an impressive job of conducting Morning, Noon, and Night in Vienna. Like most composers, von Suppé himself was also a conductor—however, unlike a certain buck-toothed character, he wasn’t noted for tearing after obnoxious flies mid-performance.

6. The Barber of Seville Overture by Gioachino Rossini (1816)

As Heard In: The Rabbit of Seville (1950)

Elmer chases Bugs across some local stage when, suddenly, the curtain rises on a production of Rossini’s operatic masterpiece. Without missing a beat (or breaking tempo), that wascaly wabbit assumes the title role and humiliates Fudd in one fell swoop.

7. Beethoven’s 7th by Ludwig van Beethoven (1811-12)

As Heard In: A Ham in a Role (1949)

A well-spoken dog yearns for Shakespearean theatre, but, alas, the two Goofy Gophers spoil his plans via mean pranks. One of them dons a skeleton costume as our oblivious pooch—who’s been reciting non-stop—reaches an eerie ghost scene in Hamlet. Listen closely, and you’ll hear a snippet from the symphony that was strange enough to make 19th-century critics wonder if Beethoven had gotten drunk while writing it.

8. Träumerei (“Dreaming”) by Robert Schumann (1838)

As Heard In: Hare Ribbin’ (1944)

A quick, 38 seconds’-worth of Schumann’s gentle theme plays while Bugs’ latest tormentor—an oafish canine—mistakes him for dead. The ensuing punchline proved so dark that censors had it removed, forcing a severe edit which was shown during its theatrical release. But even that ending has been deemed too much for modern audiences, and hasn't been shown outside of a 2000 episode of The Bob Clampett Show on Cartoon Network. Now the original pre-multiple-censors release is available on the DVD set.

9. Largo al Factotum from The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini (1816)

As Heard In: The Long-Haired Hare (1949)

In The Long-Haired Hare, big-shot opera star Giovanni Jones rehearses at home with this song (best remembered for its famous “Figaro! Figaro!” lines). Meanwhile, Bugs loudly strums his ole banjo off in the distance. An annoyed Jones proceeds to destroy the bunny’s banjo, then harp, and finally tuba and then strings him up by his long, pointy ears. Three seconds later, Bugs declares war, and we all know that Hell hath no fury like a rabbit scorned.

10. Johannes Brahms’ Hungarian Dances (1869)

As Heard In: Pigs in a Polka (1943)

Brahms wrote 21 separate dances based on Hungarian folk music, finishing the lot in 1869. This slapstick take on the “Three Little Pigs” fable is set to assorted highlights from them.

11. The William Tell Overture by Gioachino Rossini (1829)

As Heard In: Bugs Bunny Rides Again (1948)

Even though Rossini lived to be 76, he stopped writing operas at 37. His last was William Tell, which came with one of the most instantly recognizable overtures ever composed. 119 years later, Warner Brothers used the tune in a horseback chase sequence featuring the anger-prone Yosemite Sam (at 1:55 in this clip).  

12. Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 by Franz Liszt (1847)

As Heard In: Rhapsody Rabbit (1946)

Now here’s a ditty whose comedic potential sure didn’t go unnoticed. Rhapsody Rabbit finds Bugs playing it before an adoring crowd only to get rudely interrupted when a rodent decides to help by dancing on the keys. At various points in their careers, Mickey Mouse, Woody Woodpecker, and Tom & Jerry all did similar routines with this exact same piece of music. Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 even appears in 1988's Who Framed Roger Rabbit?—it’s the song Daffy and Donald Duck crank out during their piano face-off.

13. The Overture from The Flying Dutchman by Richard Wagner (1843)

As Heard In: What’s Opera, Doc? (1957)

What’s Opera, Doc? is an undisputed classic. The Library of Congress says as much: in 1992, it became the very first animated short film to be selected for preservation by the National Film Registry. Our story begins with the opening of The Flying Dutchman, which—more than any other work—put Wagner on the map. As his music swells, a diminutive Viking warrior who looks suspiciously like Elmer Fudd conjures up a mighty tempest, evoking Fantasia’s Night on Bald Mountain sequence.    

14. “Pilgrim’s Chorus” from Tannhäuser by Richard Wagner (1845)

As Heard In: What’s Opera, Doc? (1957)

Later on, Elmer shares a duet with the fair maiden Brünnhilde (or rather, Bugs in drag). “Oh, Bwünnhilde,” he swoons, “you’re so wovely!” “Yes, I know it,” quips the Bunny, “I can’t help it!” Their whole exchange takes its music from a highlight from Tannhäuser in which travelers headed for Rome reflect on heavenly forgiveness.

15. Ride of the Valkyries from Die Walküre by Richard Wagner (1870)

As Heard In: What’s Opera, Doc? (1957)

Die Walküre is the second installment in Wagner’s Ring cycle: a set of four operas which combine to tell an epic, 15-hour fantasy about gods, men, and power. For a prelude, Act III gets “Ride of the Valkyries,” wherein divine immortals let loose their mighty battle cry. In What’s Opera, Doc?, Elmer Fudd adds some brand new lyrics, namely, “Kill da wabbit, Kill Da Wabbit, KILL DA WABBIT!”