♪ IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD ♪ ♪ A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR A NEIGHBOR ♪ ♪ WOULD YOU BE MINE?

♪ ♪ COULD YOU BE MINE?

♪ ♪ IT'S A NEIGHBORLY DAY IN THIS BEAUTY WOOD ♪ ♪ A NEIGHBORLY DAY FOR A BEAUTY ♪ ♪ WOULD YOU BE MINE?

♪ ♪ COULD YOU BE MINE?

♪ ♪ I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO HAVE A NEIGHBOR ♪ ♪ JUST LIKE YOU ♪ ♪ I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO LIVE ♪ ♪ IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH YOU ♪ ♪ SO LET'S MAKE THE MOST OF THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY ♪ ♪ SINCE WE'RE TOGETHER, WE MIGHT AS WELL SAY ♪ ♪ WOULD YOU BE MINE?

♪ ♪ COULD YOU BE MINE?

♪ ♪ WON'T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?

♪ ♪ WON'T YOU PLEASE ♪ ♪ WON'T YOU PLEASE ♪ ♪ PLEASE WON'T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?

♪♪ HI, NEIGHBOR.

DID YOU TALK WITH THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE LAST NIGHT ABOUT THE THINGS THAT YOU WONDER ABOUT?

[KNOCK ON DOOR] THERE'S SOMEBODY AT THE DOOR ALREADY.

WHY, IT'S MR. McFEELY!

SPEEDY DELIVERY!

HERE'S THE FILM YOU WANTED.

I HAVEN'T SHOWN THEM THE PICTURE YET.

COULD YOU STAY?

SURE.

WE'LL WATCH IT LATER AND TALK ABOUT IT.

MR. McFEELY HAS A FILM THAT SHOWS PEOPLE MAKING CERTAIN KINDS OF BASS VIOLINS.

BUT FIRST I WANT TO SHOW YOU A PICTURE THAT I BROUGHT, IF YOU'LL JUST WAIT.

NOW, THIS BIG ONE IS A BASS VIOLIN.

YOU SEE, IT'S ABOUT AS TALL AS A MOM OR A DAD.

THIS IS A CELLO, AND THIS IS A VIOLA... AND THIS IS A VIOLIN.

SO THE BASS VIOLIN IS THE BIGGEST, AND THE VIOLIN IS THE SMALLEST OF THESE STRINGED INSTRUMENTS.

NOW, LET'S SEE HOW PEOPLE MAKE BASS VIOLINS IN A FACTORY.

THERE'S THE FILM.

THANK YOU.

IT'LL HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW IT'S DONE.

WE'LL PUT IT IN PICTURE-PICTURE AND SEE HOW PEOPLE MAKE BASS VIOLINS IN A FACTORY.

WHEN PEOPLE MAKE BASS VIOLINS, THEY START WITH SMALL PIECES OF WOOD.

THIS MAN WILL BE BUILDING THE SIDES OF THE BASS VIOLIN FIRST.

THESE PIECES NEED TO BE BENT INTO DIFFERENT SHAPES BEFORE THEY'RE PUT TOGETHER.

THIS MACHINE CURVES EACH PIECE INTO EXACTLY THE RIGHT SHAPE.

I SEE THE STEAM THERE.

NOW IT'S TIME TO GLUE ALL THE DIFFERENT SHAPES TOGETHER.

GLUE THEM?

RIGHT.

HE'LL DO THIS ON SOMETHING CALLED A FRAME.

AS EACH PIECE IS GLUED ON, HE'LL USE CLAMPS TO HOLD EVERYTHING TOGETHER.

I DON'T SEE THE GLUE.

SEE, THERE'S A JAR THERE AND A BRUSH, AND HE BRUSHES ON THE GLUE.

SO THAT ONE PIECE WILL HOLD THOSE OTHERS TOGETHER.

SO HE'S MAKING THE SIDES.

AND WHEN THE GLUE IS DRY, THE WHOLE SHAPE COMES OFF THE FRAME.

THEY ALL LOOK EXACTLY THE SAME.

THAT'S SO THEY'LL ALL SOUND THE SAME.

NOW, WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE?

THESE PEOPLE WILL PUT ON THE FRONT AND BACK OF THE BASS VIOLIN.

THAT'S ANOTHER TYPE OF FRAME.

THAT'S RIGHT.

IT HOLDS THE SIDES IN PLACE WHILE THEY PUT THE GLUE ON.

THERE GOES THE GLUE.

TWO PEOPLE GLUING AT THE SAME TIME.

THERE GOES THE FRONT PIECE, FACE DOWN.

AND HERE COMES THE SIDES.

SO THAT GLUE WILL GO RIGHT DOWN TO THE FRONT PIECE, FACE DOWN.

THE BACK IS PUT ON THE SAME WAY.

AND THAT'S HOW THE BOTTOM OF A BASS VIOLIN GETS MADE.

NOW IT'S TIME TO MAKE THE TOP PART.

IT'S CALLED THE NECK.

THE NECK?

THAT'S RIGHT.

THIS PERSON CUTS THE SHAPE OUT OF A PIECE OF VERY HARD WOOD.

HE MUST KNOW EXACTLY WHERE TO CUT.

YES, HE DOES.

HE'S VERY GOOD AT HIS JOB.

WELL, IT SEEMS LIKE ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE.

YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL.

OH, THERE'S THE NECK.

NOW, THE NECK MUST BE ROUNDED AND SMOOTHED INTO JUST THE RIGHT SHAPE.

WELL, THERE'S A VERY FAST WAY TO CARVE.

IT CERTAINLY IS.

SPEEDY DELIVERY!

THIS PERSON FITS THE NECK INTO THE BODY OF THE BASS VIOLIN.

HE'S GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT FITS EXACTLY RIGHT.

AND IT NEEDS MORE GLUE THERE.

HE'S SATISFIED WITH THAT, BUT IT HAS TO BE PERFECT.

HE'S GLUING IT RIGHT NOW, YOU SEE?

NOW WATCH THIS-- INTO PLACE.

WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

NOW, THE BASS VIOLIN IS PAINTED WITH MANY COATS OF CLEAR VARNISH.

IT MAKES THE INSTRUMENT LOOK AND SOUND GOOD.

SO THEY VARNISH IT AND LET THAT DRY AND THEN VARNISH IT AGAIN?

OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

MANY COATS.

IT CERTAINLY LOOKS GOOD.

THIS PERSON PUTS ON THE BRIDGE AND STRINGS.

THE STRINGS.

HE'LL USE A DRILL TO SPEED UP THE WINDING OF THE STRINGS.

IT'S REALLY STARTING TO LOOK LIKE A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

BUT LISTEN... [WHIR] ♪ ♪ OH, ITS VERY FIRST NOTES.

NOW IS IT FINISHED?

WELL, ALMOST.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ THAT SOUNDS MIGHTY GOOD.

THIS PERSON PUTS IN THE LABEL THAT TELLS WHERE AND WHEN THIS BASS VIOLIN WAS MADE.

EACH ONE HAS A DIFFERENT NUMBER OR NAME?

THAT'S RIGHT.

YOU SEE, HE PUTS IT INSIDE.

NOW IT IS DONE.

HE'LL PACK IT UP, PUT IT IN A BOX, AND SEND IT OUT FOR PEOPLE TO BUY.

AND TO PLAY.

THAT'S VERY INTERESTING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST CELLO PLAYERS IS PLAYING A CONCERT AT THE MUSIC HALL.

YO-YO MA?

I HOPE TO INTRODUCE MY NEIGHBOR TO HIM.

HE'S REHEARSING AT NEGRI'S TODAY.

HE'S BUSY.

SO ARE YOU.

SPEEDY DELIVERY!

THANKS AGAIN.

I LIKE TO LEARN ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS.

I KNOW.

BYE.

LET'S HAVE SOME MAKE-BELIEVE RIGHT NOW.

[DING!

DING!]

LAST TIME IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF MAKE-BELIEVE, CHARLES R. ABER FROM WESTWOOD SUGGESTED THAT EVERYONE MAKE A FESTIVAL.

KING FRIDAY SAID IT SHOULD BE A BASS VIOLIN FESTIVAL, BUT HE'S THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN PLAY ONE.

LET'S PRETEND THAT LADY ABERLIN IS LEARNING HOW TO PLAY ONE.

BUT SHE'S HAVING TROUBLE.

TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF MAKE-BELIEVE.

[DING!

DING!]

[TOOT!]

[DING!

DING!]

[TOOT!

TOOT!

TOOT!]

I KNOW, BUT UNCLE FRIDAY WANTS ME TO LEARN TO PLAY IT.

[DING!

DING!]

HA HA!

YOU'RE TELLING ME!

[DING!

DING!]

[TRUMPET FANFARE] ♪#&$%#'$♪ NIECE ABERLIN, BASS VIOLIN PLAYER, I PRESUME?

ALMOST CORRECT, AS USUAL, UNCLE FRIDAY.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY "ALMOST CORRECT," LADY ABERLIN?

WELL, I AM LADY ABERLIN, THAT'S CORRECT, BUT I AM NOT A BASS VIOLIN PLAYER.

♪&#%#%"♪ WELL, BUT THAT IS A FINE INSTRUMENT I HAVE PROVIDED FOR YOU, MADE BY EXCELLENT INSTRUMENTMAKERS.

JUST HAVING A FINE INSTRUMENT DOESN'T MEAN ONE CAN PLAY IT WELL.

IT'S A GOOD BEGINNING.

KEEP ON PRACTICING.

OUR BASS VIOLIN FESTIVAL WILL BE SOON.

BUT, UNCLE FRIDAY-- NO BUTS ABOUT IT, LADY ABERLIN.

I SHALL LISTEN AGAIN LATER.

OH, HONESTLY!

I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO DO!

♪#&%@♪ BAA BAA!

OH, HELLO, OLD GOAT.

HOW ARE YOU?

BAA BAA BAA BAA.

I'M GLAD.

YOU FOUND ME AT A BAD TIME.

BAA?

UNCLE FRIDAY SAYS I MUST LEARN TO PLAY THIS.

BAA BAA.

YES, BASS VIOLIN.

BAA BAA?

THAT'S RIGHT, FOR THE FESTIVAL.

ARE YOU PLAYING ONE, TOO?

BAA BAA BAA.

WELL, I DON'T, EITHER.

♪#&%@♪ SEE WHAT I MEAN?

♪#&%@♪ HELLO, FRIENDS.

HI, MR. ABER.

I DIDN'T KNOW YOU PLAYED THE BASS VIOLIN.

I DON'T, BUT UNCLE FRIDAY THINKS I SHOULD.

OH, I SEE.

THIS FESTIVAL IS A PROBLEM.

IT CERTAINLY IS.

HELLO, EVERYBODY.

HI, LADY ELAINE.

I'VE GOT YOUR PROBLEM SOLVED.

HOW DO YOU MEAN?

BASS VIOLINS.

WANT TO SEE ME PLAY MINE?

I DIDN'T KNOW YOU COULD.

YOU'LL KNOW IN A MINUTE.

BUT THAT'S YOUR ACCORDION YOU'RE PLAYING!

I KNOW, BUT I FIGURED IF IT LOOKED LIKE A BASS VIOLIN, THAT WOULD DO FOR A FESTIVAL.

YOU'RE VERY CLEVER, LADY ELAINE.

I KNOW.

NOW YOU KNOW.

I HAVE AN IDEA!

MAYBE I COULD JUST DANCE WITH THIS INSTRUMENT.

I DO KNOW HOW TO DANCE.

HOW WOULD YOU DO THAT?

THANK YOU.

[ACCORDION PLAYS] I HAVE THE FEELING WE'LL HAVE MANY DIFFERENT THINGS IN THIS BASS VIOLIN FESTIVAL.

YOU'VE GIVEN US SOME IDEAS, LADY ELAINE.

I'M GOOD AT THAT.

YOU CERTAINLY ARE.

EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE FINE.

[DING!

DING!]

[DING!

DING!]

[TOOT!

TOOT!

DING!]

SOME PEOPLE PLAY AN INSTRUMENT, AND OTHER PEOPLE DON'T.

IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO FIND OUT WHAT WE FEEL GOOD ABOUT DOING AND THEN PRACTICE THAT.

LADY ELAINE LIKES TO PLAY THE ACCORDION, SO SHE DOES THAT WELL.

EACH OF US CAN FIND SOMETHING WE LIKE.

THAT'S WHAT WE'LL WANT TO PRACTICE.

I'D LIKE YOU TO MEET ONE OF MY FAVORITE MUSICAL PLAYERS.

LET'S GO TO NEGRI'S MUSIC SHOP TO MEET THE WONDERFUL CELLIST YO-YO MA.

COME ALONG.

♪ ♪♪ ♪ JOE, I'M ANXIOUS TO SEE YO-YO.

HE'S IN THE BACK.

I'LL BE BACK.

YOU GO ON IN.

THANK YOU.

HEY, YO-YO.

HI, FRED.

I'D LIKE YOU TO KNOW MY NEIGHBOR.

HI.

DO WE HAVE TIME TO VISIT?

SURE.

WHAT WERE YOU PLAYING WHILE I WAITED OUTSIDE?

OH, THAT WAS BACH.

I JUST WAS WARMING UP AND GETTING MY FINGERS MOVING.

DOES NICHOLAS LISTEN?

SOMETIMES.

YEAH.

HE LIKES RIDING MY CELLO CASE.

BUT HE DOES RECOGNIZE THE CELL0, AND HE LIKES--MOVES AROUND TO MUSIC.

YEAH.

MR. MA'S SON IS NICHOLAS.

I JUST WONDERED IF HE'LL EVER PLAY THE CELLO.

I DON'T KNOW.

THAT'S REALLY UP TO HIM.

I HOPE HE'D GET INTERESTED BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I DO.

HE LISTENS A LOT.

IF HE REALLY LIKES AN INSTRUMENT, MAYBE HE'LL PLAY.

IT MUST COME FROM HERE.

ABSOLUTELY.

ABSOLUTELY.

DIDN'T YOU START PLAYING VERY YOUNG?

I WAS 4, AND I FIRST STARTED ON THE VIOLIN.

I HAVE AN OLDER SISTER WHO PLAYS VIOLIN.

I COULD NEVER BE AS GOOD AS SHE WAS, SO I SAID, "FORGET IT.

I'D RATHER PLAY IN THE SANDBOX A WHILE."

THEN ONE DAY I SAW A DOUBLE BASS, AN ABSOLUTELY HUGE INSTRUMENT.

THIS WAS MY TYPE OF INSTRUMENT.

BUT MY PARENTS SAID, "MAYBE YOU CAN LIVE IN IT.

YOU CAN'T CLIMB UP IN IT."

SO WE COMPROMISED ON THE CELLO.

I PROMISED MY PARENTS I'D STICK TO THE CELLO.

I'VE KEPT UP MY END OF THE BARGAIN.

WHEN YOU PLAY, I'M SURE YOU HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT FEELINGS.

AS A CHILD, DID YOU PLAY HAPPY, SAD, OR ANGRY THINGS JUST BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO?

OH, SURE.

I MEAN, THERE WOULD BE TIMES, PLAY TIME, WHEN I'D JUST, IF I WAS HAPPY, I'D... ♪ ♪ ♪♪ ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ I WENT THROUGH SO MANY MOODS.

AFTER I HAD A REPERTOIRE, I'D JUST PLAY THEM.

ONE OF MY FAVORITES WAS THE SWAN.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ AND YOU CAN IMAGINE THE SWAN.

I LOVED TO PLAY THAT.

AND THERE ARE MANY MOODS.

THIS WAS A PEACEFUL, TRANQUIL MOOD.

HAVE YOU PLAYED WHEN YOU WERE ANGRY?

SURE.

THERE'S ONE PIECE I LOVE TO GET INTO.

♪!

♪!

♪ ♪ ♪ YOU KNOW, YOU'RE DIGGING IN WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH AND JUST GOT RID OF FRUSTRATIONS.

YOU FEEL RELIEVED AFTERWARDS?

RELIEVED, ABSOLUTELY RELIEVED.

AND JUST AFTER HAVING GIVEN THIS BURST OF ENERGY, AND, UH, IT FELT GOOD.

WHAT ABOUT THIS CELLO OF YOURS?

DID YOU START WITH THIS ONE?

I STARTED ON A MINIATURE CELLO, 1/16 SIZE.

ME PEOPLE CLAIM IT WAS A VIOLA WITH THE ENDPIN STICKING OUT.

I SAT ON THREE PHONE BOOKS BECAUSE THERE WAS NO CHAIR SMALL ENOUGH FOR ME TO USE.

THIS IS A FULL-SIZE, ADULT CELLO.

I STARTED PLAYING THIS A YEAR AGO.

IT'S AN ITALIAN INSTRUMENT MADE IN 1712.

IT'S VERY, VERY OLD.

IT WAS MADE IN THIS VILLAGE CALLED CREMONA BY A MAN NAMED STRADIVARIUS.

STRADIVARIUS IS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS MAKERS OF STRINGED INSTRUMENTS THAT THERE EVER WAS.

THAT'S RIGHT.

HE LIVED TO BE IN HIS 80s.

HE MADE REALLY GREAT INSTRUMENTS.

THIS ONE IS LIGHT.

TRY HOLDING IT.

IT LOOKS LIKE A HUGE INSTRUMENT-- IT IS VERY LIGHT.

YET IT'S SURPRISINGLY LIGHT.

THE WOOD IS VERY, VERY THIN, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY STRONG, AND IT GIVES A BEAUTIFUL TONE.

IT LOOKS HEAVY.

OH, THERE'S HIS NAME IN THERE AND WHERE HE LIVED.

THAT'S RIGHT.

"CREMONA."

"STRADIVARIUS."

WE HAVE TO TAKE GOOD CARE OF THAT.

OH, SURE.

WHEN I TRAVEL ALL THE TIME, SOMETIMES YOU GO FROM A HOT PLACE TO A COLD PLACE.

ONE THING I DO IN WINTER-- BECAUSE HOUSES ARE HEATED SO MUCH, IT GETS DRY.

THIS DAMPIT HAS A SPONGE INSIDE.

YOU PUT WATER IN IT.

IT LETS OFF HUMIDITY.

I NEVER KNEW THAT.

WE'D LOVE TO HEAR YOU PLAY.

YOU'RE A WONDERFUL PLAYER.

WELL, I'D LOVE TO PLAY SOMETHING FOR YOU.

HOW ABOUT TWO DANCE MOVEMENTS BY A MAN NAMED BACH WHO LIVED, I THINK, AROUND THE BEGINNING OF THE 1700s?

I'D LOVE TO HEAR THAT.

AND PEOPLE WOULD ACTUALLY DANCE TO THIS MUSIC?

OH, SURE, YEAH.

I THINK THEY SHOULD.

OH, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

DID YOU LIKE THAT?

PLAYING SOMETHING FOR SOMEBODY IS JUST LIKE GIVING A PRESENT.

WELL, I SO MUCH ENJOY IT, AND-- DID YOU HEAR THAT?

HI.

BEAUTIFUL, JUST BEAUTIFUL.

WE'VE BEEN HAVING A GOOD VISIT.

IT'S JUST FABULOUS TO HAVE YOU HERE.

WHEN DID YOU START PLAYING GUITAR?

I WAS 6 FOR THE GUITAR.

I PLAYED UKULELE AT 4.

I STARTED WHEN I WAS 4.

I HAD FOUR STRINGS, AND YOU HAVE SIX STRINGS.

COULD YOU PLAY SOMETHING TOGETHER?

MY GUITAR'S RIGHT HERE.

I'D LOVE TO.

YOU LIKE PLAYING WITH OTHERS?

OH, I LOVE TO.

WHAT SONG?

HOW ABOUT SOMETHING WE DO IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD?

TREE, TREE, TREE.

GOOD!

♪ WE LOVE YOU ♪ ♪ YES, WE DO ♪ ♪ YES, WE DO ♪ ♪ WE LOVE YOU ♪ ♪ TREE, TREE, TREE ♪ ♪ TREE, TREE, TREE ♪ ♪ TREE, TREE, TREE ♪ ♪ TREE, TREE, TREE ♪♪ NICHOLAS IS FORTUNATE TO HAVE YOU FOR HIS DAD, AND YOUR GIRLS ARE ALSO FORTUNATE.

THANK YOU.

YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES WHILE PLAYING-- YES.

JUST AS IF YOU ARE MAKING ANOTHER PLACE.

WHEN I CLOSE MY EYES, I CAN THINK BETTER.

I CAN FEEL MORE WHAT I WANT TO SAY THROUGH THE INSTRUMENT.

I AGREE.

WHEN I CLOSE MY EYES-- PUTS YOU INTO A DIFFERENT-- IT'S A DIFFERENT WORLD.

I KNOW YOU'RE BUSY.

I'M VERY GRATEFUL THAT YOU JOINED US.

THANK YOU.

SEE YOU LATER.

OK. TAKE CARE.

BYE-BYE.

WHAT A FABULOUS MUSICIAN.

ISN'T HE?

HE'S SOMETHING.

HE AND HIS MUSIC TOUCH SOMETHING THAT'S SO DEEP INSIDE.

MUSIC CAN DO THAT.

I KNOW.

YOU KNOW, DON'T YOU?

THANKS, JOE.

SEE YOU LATER.

COME ALONG.

AFTER YOU'VE HEARD SOMEONE PLAY BEAUTIFUL MUSIC, SOMETIMES YOU'D JUST LIKE TO HAVE A QUIET TIME TO REMEMBER IT.

LET'S JUST SIT AND THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'VE HEARD.

I LIKE KNOWING PEOPLE WHO USE THEIR LIVES TO MAKE MUSIC FOR OTHERS.

IT GIVES ME A GOOD FEELING THAT THERE ARE SUCH PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD.

♪ IT'S SUCH A GOOD FEELING ♪ ♪ TO KNOW YOU'RE ALIVE ♪ ♪ IT'S SUCH A HAPPY FEELING ♪ ♪ YOU'RE GROWING INSIDE ♪ ♪ AND WHEN YOU WAKE UP READY TO SAY ♪ ♪ I THINK I'LL MAKE A SNAPPY NEW DAY ♪ [SNAP SNAP] ♪ IT'S SUCH A GOOD FEELING ♪ ♪ A VERY GOOD FEELING ♪ ♪ THE FEELING YOU KNOW ♪ ♪ THAT I'LL BE BACK WHEN THE DAY IS NEW ♪ ♪ AND I'LL HAVE MORE IDEAS FOR YOU ♪ ♪ AND YOU'LL HAVE THINGS YOU'LL WANT TO TALK ABOUT ♪ ♪ I WILL, TOO ♪♪ I LIKE TO HAVE A TELEVISION VISIT WITH YOU.

I DO.

AND YOU KNOW WHEN I'LL BE BACK?

THE NEXT TIME.

WE'LL BE TOGETHER THEN.

BYE-BYE.

CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, INC. CAPTIONS COPYRIGHT 1988 FAMILY COMMUNICATIONS, INC. PUBLIC PERFORMANCE OF CAPTIONS PROHIBITED WITHOUT PERMISSION OF NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE