Artist – Various artists
Release Year – 1996
Record Label – Michele Compact Discs
Format – CD compilation
Promoting – M&Ms chocolate sweets/chocolate candy
Theme – Classical music

This might be one of the only promotional releases that I picked up in 2018 that wasn’t part of a haul, as I have been spending the year buying items to fill out my musical knowledge more than scratch my promotional item itch. As soon as I slid this CD out from a very shaky bookcase in my local charity shop I fell in love with the wonderful 90s aesthetic of the M&M characters and design of this ultimately rather mediocre release. These days we are treated to gaudy looking CGI characters with silly New York style accents but there is something oh so sweet about these little mascots that are seen here on the front of this release.

M&M’s, like many items of confectionery in the UK could be classed as being aimed towards more children, or have a playful nature about them. So why in 1996 Mars (the brand owner) decided to give away a 16 track compilation of classical hits with the sweets I am unsure. Performing a loose search on YouTube of “M&Ms 1996” to retrieve examples of commercials or promotions that were happening at the time returns nothing of the sort; actually it was in this period that Mars began to use CGI voiced characters with those stereotypical New York accents – with no sign of class or pomp in sight. A few cautionary Google searches brings up no results either to explain the thinking behind this kind of promotion.

Normally with many of these releases it makes sense, the music found on the CD works with the demographic or style of the product/brand being promoted. Classical music compilations would normally show up on classy products such as whisky, alcohol or upmarket department stores – not colourful shelled chocolates.

Utterly mind boggling, if anyone has any insight as to why or how this CD came to exist please let me know.

Tracklist

1. Volograd Symphony Orchestra – Sleeping Beauty Waltz
2. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – The Toreadors, from Carmen
3. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – Swan Theme, from Swan Lake
4. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – Hebrides Overture (Fingal’s Cave)
5. American Philharmonia Orchestra – The Swan, from Carnival of the Animals
6. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – In The Hall of the Mountain King, from Peer Gynt
7. Sofia Symphony Orchestra – Radetsky March
8. American Philarmonia Orchestra – The Aquarium, from Carnival of the Animals
9. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – Light Cavalry Overture
10. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship, from Scheherazade
11. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
12. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – Dance of the Reed Flutes, from The Nutcracker
13. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – William Tell Overture (finale)
14. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – March to the Scaffold, from Symphonie Fantastique
15. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
16. Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra – 1812 Overture (finale)

Gallery