What classical music is played in Walt Disney’s Fantasia?

Debuting in 1940, Walt Disney’s Fantasia was groundbreaking in a number of ways. The ambition of its animation, which included meticulous studies of animals, humans and other objects, the use of stop-motion animation and even the unrealised plan to film one section in 3D, was unprecedented. Its sound, which occupied a fifth of the whole budget, was also realised in a new ‘Fantasound’ format, the precursor of modern day surround sound.

Disney had used classical music in previous animations, but this was was a more ambitious in concept. Working with renowned conductor Leopold Stokowski, Disney and his team developed a sequence of animated segments, each with programatic elements closely linked to the accompanying classical music. The aim was to entertain whilst introducing audiences to great works of the classical canon.

By any measure, it seems to have worked, with Fantasia now considered one of the greatest works of animation of the twentieth century. And Disney’s use of, albeit already popular, classical works, has certainly helped to bring these pieces to wider audiences.

Here is our guide to this great work of animation, with links to all the sheet music, so you can play Fantasia on your own instrument (and if you can’t find what you need, remember that members can request new versions of pieces!).

1. J.S. Bach Toccata and Fugue in D Minor

The work opens with live shots of Leopold Stokowski in silhouette as he conducts his own orchestration of Bach’s dramatic piece for organ Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. Signalling to instrumental groups ranged on different sides, the recording emphasises the groundbreaking surround-sound. Gradually this transitions into abstract animations inspired by the music. This section is not so much about storytelling but rather evoking the essence of pure music and form.

2. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker Suite

Disney reimagines Tchaikovsky’s ballet with whimsical depictions of nature. Instead of dancers, we see fairies sprinkling dew, mushrooms performing synchronised dances, and flowers pirouetting gracefully. Highlights include the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, featuring delicate fairy magic, and the Russian Dance, where thistles and orchids perform an energetic, folk-inspired routine. There are also animations for Tchaikovsky’s Chinese Dance, Arabian Dance, Dance of the Reed Pipes and Waltz of the Flowers. You can read more about The Nutcracker in our guide, here.

3. Paul Dukas The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Possibly the most iconic part of Fantasia, this segment features Mickey Mouse as a budding magician who bites off more than he can chew. It was actually the starting point for the whole Fantasia project, this section being realised first, before being incorporated in the larger project.

The animation closely follows the original programme from Dukas’s symphonic poem—Mickey, who is tired of carry water, enchants a broom to do the work for him. Chaos ensues as the broom multiplies and floods the room. Mickey, at first enchanted and awed by his powers, frantically attempts to regain control.

The section was originally designed to bolster the star status of Mickey Mouse, which was on the wane around the time of the film’s release. Needless to say, it more than achieved this, with Mickey to this day being Disney’s most iconic animated character.

4. Igor Stravinsky - The Rite of Spring

In a bold move, Disney tackled Stravinsky’s intense modernistic work, reinterpreting it as a sweeping history of Earth’s creation. This segment depicts the formation of the planet, the rise of primitive life, and the age of the dinosaurs. The music’s primal rhythms and dissonant harmonies are mirrored in the animation’s stark landscapes, erupting volcanoes, and ferocious predators. The segment ends with the extinction of the dinosaurs, a haunting and somber conclusion to this epic tale.

5. Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony No. 6, Pastoral

Beethoven’s lush symphony provides the backdrop for a fantastical vision of Greek mythology. Unicorns, centaurs, fauns, and cupids frolic in a sun-dappled paradise. The story unfolds with playful courtship scenes, a festival honouring Bacchus, and the sudden arrival of Zeus, who disrupts the festivities with a thunderstorm.

6. Amilcare Ponchielli - Dance of the Hours

One of the music humorous and endearing segments of the film, this comedic ballet features anthropomorphic animals performing a parody of classical dance. Ostriches, hippos, elephants, and alligators take turns showcasing their moves, from the delicate to the absurd. Ponchielli’s lively waltz sets the perfect tone for the whimsical choreography, culminating in a chaotic finale as all the animals join in a frenzied dance.

7. Modest Mussorgsky - Night on Bald Mountain & Franz Schubert - Ave Maria

The final sequence contrasts darkness and light. Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain brings a dramatic depiction of Chernabog, a demonic figure, summoning spirits and reveling in chaos atop a mountain. The animation is both terrifying and mesmerizing, perfectly capturing the music’s sinister energy. In contrast, dawn breaks to the serene sounds of Schubert’s Ave Maria. A procession of figures carrying candles winds through a tranquil forest, symbolizing hope and redemption, bring the whole to a powerful emotional conclusion.

And if you like this music….

The success of Fantasia let Disney to produce a sequel, released in 1999 with the title ‘Fantasia 2000.’ As well as reprising Dukas’s ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’, it featured a whole host of other great classical works, most of which you can also find on here on 8notes:
1. Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony No.5
2. Ottorino Respighi - Pines of Rome
3. George Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue
4. Camille Saint-Saëns - Carnival of the Animals
5. Elgar - Pomp and Circumstance Marches 1 (Land of Hope and Glory), 2, 3 and 4.