I heard this tune on an ad, I've heard it before and know its a piece of classical music. But for the life of me I can't name it.

Here is an example of the recurring motif. (please forgive the lame attempt at writing it down.)

da da de la da
da da de la da

da da de la da (Higher pitch)
da da de la da (Higher pitch)

I hope someone can help. I desperately want a copy of it.

Thanks,
Scott

I really can't fathom what you mean, but I'm taking a shot in the dark here:

If it's really bombastic and done by a choir, I'd say it's probably "Camina Burana" by Carl Orff, since it's usd in quite a few commerecials.

O Fortuna (Chorus) O Fortune from "Camina Burana"

O Fortuna
velut luna
statu variabilis,
semper crescis
aut decrescis;
vita detestabilis
nunc obdurat
et tunc curat
ludo mentis aciem,
egestatem,
potestatem
dissolvit ut glaciem.

Sors immanis
et inanis,
rota tu volubilis,
status malus,
vana salus
semper dissolubilis,
obumbrata
et velata
michi quoque niteris;
nunc per ludum
dorsum nudum
fero tui sceleris.
Sors salutis
et virtutis
michi nunc contraria,
est affectus
et defectus
semper in angaria.
Hac in hora
sine mora
corde pulsum tangite;
quod per sortem
sternit fortem,
mecum omnes plangite!

Another shot in the dark: "Dance of the Hours" has been bastardized many times in ads over the years, and has had lyrics added ("Hello mudder, hello fadder...")

Sorry, no its not those suggestions. There is no vocals, or choir.
The music starts with a harp kind of sound (I think) playing the tune I wrote before.

Another piece of useless information was that the ad was about space travel and the mood fitted the images perfectly. Much like how 2001 had the danube waltz.

The music wasn't bombastic like Carmina, it was more serene. And it had a definite symphony sound to it.

thanks,
Scott.

sorry, but i have a classical music question also.
its a very popular piece thats probably been used in movie trailers and movies hundreds of times. it was the song at the very very end of jackass the movie and used as the opening for the mtv vma's of 1999 with chris rock as host.

No offense, but if you're wanting a serious answer, I think we're going to need a little more than "da da de la da". Do you know enough about music to tell us what key it's in? What's the time signature, 4/4, 3/4? Do you at least know which company's ad it's in?

De Nada,
Los Infidel

Ok. My attempt to vocalise the music failed but I remembered that I recorded the clip onto video. I then used the windows sound recorder and a cheap microphone to copy the sound to my computer.

Try and listen to the music in the background. At around the 25 sec mark there is an uninterrupted part of it.

http://www.geocities.com/tessek48/music.mp3

I'm sorry about the guy talking.
The file is only 500Kb.
THis is my last hope.

Thanks,
Scott

Sounds like the theme to ET to me.

Unfortunately, most of the music is buried too far under the voices to pick out what may be a main theme, but it does sound familiar...just can't place it. Again, what company's ad is it?

Sorry its actually not an AD. It was on a station here in Australia that doesn't have commercials. It was a short 5min doco about an aussie astronaut they put on to fill in time before the next program started.

On another board where I asked the same question someone suggested the Peer Gynt suite. It was close but not the right one.

I emailed the tv station but have so far got no reply.

The clip sorta reminds me of Dvorak's "New World Symphony," but I'm not entirely certain.

I thought I would let you all know I found out what it was.
It was...

Hebrides Overture (or Fingle's Cave Overture), by Mendelssohn.

THanks,
Scott

There are AUSSIE ASTRONAUTS!?!

You link doens't work, but from your transmuisization, it is obviously Super Mario Bros when you enter the dungeon!