Mama (family drama, starring Peggy Wood)
(CBS Primetime, 1949 - 1957)
[based upon a popular play called "I Remember Mama"]
Open Theme 1: "Sarabande" 2nd Mvt., from "The
Holberg Suite (Op. 40)"
[aka: "Saraband";
Verified as the THEME in TV Guide article "It Seems To Me
I've Heard That Theme Before" July 28, 1956, pp. 12-13;
Although another Grieg composition ("The Last Spring" from
"Two Elegaic Melodies", Op. 34 -- see below) is the more
well-known THEME associated with this show, at least four
published sources plus TV Theme expert Ray Clark verified
that Grieg's "Sarabande" was used as an OPENING THEME
during the first several seasons of the program;
"The Holberg Suite" was written by the best-known Norwegian
classical composer -- Edvard Grieg, who lived from 1843 to
1907; A Sarabande is a traditional folk dance in triplet
meter (3/4 in this case); Sarabande is the second movement
of this suite for string orchestra in five movements based
upon Norwegian folk tunes]
Original Composer: Edvard Grieg (predates ASCAP & BMI), and
Adapter/Arranger: William Temple ("Billy") Nalle (ASCAP)
Original Publisher: C. F. Peters, Clayton F. Summy Co.,
of Chicago (U.S. Agents)
1978 Publisher: T. B. Harms Co. New Account (ASCAP)
1997 Publisher: Polygram International Publishing (ASCAP),
of Los Angeles, CA
Copyright Date:
Renewal Date:
Recordings:
Theme 2: "Mama" adapted from "Two Elegaic Melodies
(Op. 34, No. 2)"
[aka: "The Last Spring" by Grieg;
aka: "Springtime (No. 2) from Grieg's 'Two Elegaic Melodies'";
The theme music was called "Mama" and was arranged and
adapted by Billy Nalle, from a melody of classical Norwegian
composer Edvard Grieg, from a piece for string orchestra which
he called "Two Elegaic Melodies", Op. 34, No. 2 (1880 - 1881);
This well-known melody has also been played and recorded
separately under various translated titles including
"Springtime" and more famously, "The Last Spring";
Later lyrics were added to the Nalle adaptation by
Joseph Darion (ASCAP) as described in "Theme 3" below.
This music was used as the CLOSING THEME during the show's
run and some sources indicate it was also used for the
OPENING THEME after the first couple of seasons]
Original Composer: Edvard Grieg (predates ASCAP & BMI), and
Adapter/Arranger: William Temple ("Billy") Nalle (ASCAP)
Original Publisher: C. F. Peters, Clayton F. Summy Co.,
of Chicago (U.S. Agents)
1978 Publisher: T. B. Harms Co. New Account (ASCAP)
1997 Publisher: Polygram International Publishing (ASCAP),
of Los Angeles, CA
Recordings:
LP: "Great Music Themes of Television" (1956)
RCA-Victor LPM 1020
Hugo Winterhalter and his Orchestra
ReIssue:
LP: "Great Music Themes of Early Television" (1984)
Franklin Mint-1 (re-issue of RCA LPM 1020)
Hugo Winterhalter and his Orchestra
Theme 3: "Mama"
[In 1953 a copyright was filed under the name "Mama" as if this
was an original composition, despite it being an adaptation of
the earlier Grieg melody described above in "Theme 2"; This
version described in the copyright also included lyrics:
Composers: music by Lou Singer (ASCAP) and
Billy Nalle (ASCAP), with
lyric by Joe Darion (ASCAP)
Publisher: Harry Von Tilzer Music Pub. Co. (ASCAP)
Copyright Date: December 14, 1953; EU 343 078.
Renewal Date: April 23, 1981; RE 89 900.
Recordings:
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