Advertisers reach for classical music because a famous work delivers emotion and recognition in two seconds — and because the composition is in the public domain: nobody pays a publisher for Delibes, Bach or Grieg any more. Only the work is free, though. Every recording is protected in its own right, which is why British Airways, Hamlet and Hovis had their own versions recorded. For your spot you need exactly that: a licensed recording. At Artyfile it costs €29.90 once — worldwide, perpetual, including TV, cinema and social ads.
Brand, work and what the spot did with it — each with a source. Next to it: our licensable recording of the same work.
British Airways
Léo Delibes (died 1891) · public domain
In the airline’s advertising since the 1980s — Classic FM dates its breakthrough to a 1989 commercial — and still British Airways’ boarding music.
Source: Classic FM · Campaign
Artyfile Orchestra
Hamlet
Johann Sebastian Bach (died 1750) · public domain
The cigar brand’s “Happiness is a cigar called Hamlet” — for more than 30 years of UK cinema and TV ads, in a jazz version by the Jacques Loussier Trio.
Source: Wikipedia: Hamlet (cigar)
Hovis
Antonín Dvořák (died 1904) · public domain
“Boy on the Bike” (1973, directed by Ridley Scott) used the Largo, played by the Ashington Colliery Band. The Artyfile recording is the Scherzo of the same symphony.
Source: Creative Review · Classic FM
Alton Towers
Edvard Grieg (died 1907) · public domain
The UK theme park’s TV ads have used it so consistently that it works as the park’s unofficial theme tune.
Source: Classic FM · Prolific North
Pampers
Richard Strauss (died 1949) · public domain
The “Pooface” spot set slow-motion shots of babies to the famous sunrise fanfare — grandeur played for comedy.
Source: Classic FM
Chanel N°5
Claude Debussy (died 1918) · public domain
“Le Film” (2004) scored the fragrance’s cinematic campaign with Debussy’s piano piece.
Source: Classic FM
Hong Kong Jockey Club
Gioachino Rossini (died 1868) · public domain
The gallop finale — shorthand for speed and racing — was the Jockey Club’s theme for several years.
Source: Interlude
The works advertising keeps coming back to — sorted by brief. Every recording one-time from €29.90.
These sound classical, but the composition is still protected — you would also need the publisher’s licence:
Mostly works people recognise instantly: the Flower Duet from Lakmé (British Airways), Bach’s Air (Hamlet cigars), Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King (Alton Towers), Dvořák’s New World Symphony (Hovis), Also sprach Zarathustra (Pampers) and Debussy’s Clair de Lune (Chanel N°5). Plus perennials such as Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, the Habanera from Carmen, Rossini’s William Tell Overture, Ravel’s Boléro and Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus.
The Flower Duet from Léo Delibes’ opera Lakmé. British Airways has used it in its advertising since the 1980s and as its boarding music.
The Largo from Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”, played by the Ashington Colliery Band. The 1973 spot was directed by Ridley Scott.
In the Hall of the Mountain King from Edvard Grieg’s Peer Gynt. The park has used it so consistently that it works as its unofficial theme tune.
The composition, yes — if the composer died more than 70 years ago. The recording, no: every performance is protected in its own right. You need either your own recording or a licence for an existing one.
A well-known label recording is negotiated per campaign and quickly runs to four to six figures. An Artyfile recording costs €29.90 once per track, worldwide and perpetual, including TV broadcast. Playing the music publicly as such — in a shop or at an event — is a separate matter for the operator.
Next: Public-domain classical music: rights table · Classical music for videos · Music for commercials
General information, not legal advice. As of October 2026. The brands named used their own recordings or arrangements — the Artyfile recordings are separate performances of the same public-domain works.
