A Christmas tradition with Italian roots

If any readers are turning 60 years old this year, they share an anniversary with an amazing piece of American pop culture: “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” first broadcast on CBS TV on December 9th, 1965.

Though Charles M. Schulz’s PEANUTS comic strip was already popular, this one-of-a-kind program, which wedded the Charlie Brown characters to jazz music, skyrocketed it into the public’s full consciousness. “A Charlie Brown Christmas” in now as much a part of the holiday season as mistletoe and hot chocolate.

To be specific, pianist Vince Guaraldi’s music is what gives the show its timeless quality. His score is just as fresh and evocative today as it was in 1965. Time is the ultimate judge of any art’s worthiness. Guaraldi’s score passes that test.

After winning a Grammy award for 1962’s “Cast Your Fate to the Wind,” Guaraldi’s work caught the ear of producer Lee Mendelson, who was looking for someone to score the first-ever Charlie Brown special. He chose Guaraldi.

Even at the time, the choice was controversial. Jazz music? Although universally recognized as America’s greatest contribution to world music, jazz was (and still is) largely ignored by the American public. It seemed an odd fit.

Once people heard the opening chords of “Linus and Lucy,” game over. Backed up by bassist Fred Marshall and drummer (and fellow Italian American) Jerry Granelli, Guaraldi elevated a simple animated cartoon to the level of art.

And surely it wasn’t accidental: The piano (or pianoforte) was invented by Bartolomeo Cristofori in Padua, Italy around 1700. Guaraldi seemed to channel the piano skills of his Italian ancestors.

Whenever you play Guaraldi’s score, no matter which season, it embodies the lyrics in one of its songs: “Christmas time, is here...”

Sing along with Mitch (Miller)? Sure. But you can also swing along with Guaraldi. Happy Anniversary.

Bill Dal Cerro

Chicago