Masterpiece Theatre | The American Collection

About the Series: The American Collection

The Theme Music

American Collection Theme Music

• Go to apple.com to download the free QuickTime player.
• Go to real.com to download free RealPlayer plugin.

The original theme for Masterpiece Theatre's American Collection was created by John Williams -- Academy Award-winning composer of film scores and laureate conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra. Renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma is featured. Recorded in Boston on June 3, 2000, the music was post-produced and mixed in Los Angeles. The theme accompanies the series open and closing credits for each of the films included in the American Collection series, which premiered on PBS on Wednesday, October 25, 2000.

Masterpiece Theatre theme music

• Go to apple.com to download the free QuickTime player.
• Go to real.com to download free RealPlayer plugin.

This now instantly recognizable music was originally written for the court of Louis XV, King of France. The blood-stirring piece is Jean-Joseph Mouret's (1682-1738) "Rondeau" from his Symphonies and Fanfares for the King's Supper.

In 1962 my future wife and I went to one of the Club Med villages in Italy. We were in these little straw huts and every morning we were summoned to breakfast by that theme. It was just magic ... I wanted to use it for Masterpiece Theatre but there was no way I could bear to put a French piece of music on something that was supposed to be English. I went through all kinds of English composers and nothing worked. So, it became the theme. The nice little twist on that is that about five years ago someone from the New York Times went to a Club Med in Mexico and commented on what a classy joint it was because they used the music of Masterpiece Theatre to summon people to meals...

Christopher Sarson, founding father of Masterpiece Theatre and its executive producer from 1970 to 1973.
From Masterpiece Theatre: A Celebration of 25 Years
(Courtesy Bay Books, San Francisco, 1999).