# Classical piece "needs no introduction" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 14, 2018, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-piece-needs-no-introduction/816111 "2018-06-14T20:44:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-piece-needs-no-introduction/816111/1 "2018-06-14T20:44:33Z")
This morning I was listening to KUSC (classical), and the deejay announced that an upcoming selection “needs no introduction”. My guess was wrong, and when the piece came on, I had to laugh. Guess what it was. (I’ll post the answer tomorrow.) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-piece-needs-no-introduction/816111/2 "2018-06-14T22:23:46Z")
My guess _would_ have been Beethoven’s Fifth, but that wouldn’t make you laugh out loud. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-piece-needs-no-introduction/816111/3 "2018-06-14T22:38:10Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > My guess _would_ have been Beethoven’s Fifth Yeah, that would have been my “straight answer” guess too. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-piece-needs-no-introduction/816111/4 "2018-06-14T22:42:42Z")
A little something by Saint-Saëns, perhaps? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-piece-needs-no-introduction/816111/5 "2018-06-14T22:50:19Z")
Flight of the bumblebee. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-piece-needs-no-introduction/816111/6 "2018-06-14T22:54:27Z")
OK, I’m going to guess “Also Sprach Zarathustra”, AKA the 2001 theme. ---
**Author:** ![Julius\_Henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@Julius\_Henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Julius_Henry)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-piece-needs-no-introduction/816111/7 "2018-06-14T23:02:59Z")
I’m going to agree with **Chronos** , and you laughed because they played it without the famous Einleitung. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-piece-needs-no-introduction/816111/8 "2018-06-14T23:03:38Z")
Maybe Sorabji’s _Opus clavicembalisticum_, because no matter how much they introduce it, you’re still going “WTF?” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-piece-needs-no-introduction/816111/9 "2018-06-14T23:10:43Z")
> [@Julius\_Henry](#): > > I’m going to agree with **Chronos** , and you laughed because they played it without the famous Einleitung. In that case, they could re-title it in broken English “Zarathustra Sprach This Also” - because it gets cut off 99% of the time. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-piece-needs-no-introduction/816111/10 "2018-06-14T23:13:37Z")
4’33? ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-piece-needs-no-introduction/816111/11 "2018-06-14T23:16:00Z")
That thing about the Alps? (_William Tell_) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-piece-needs-no-introduction/816111/12 "2018-06-15T00:08:44Z")
Whatever the piece, that could explain the laughter: The joke is that it’s played without the much-more-familiar introduction, because it doesn’t need it. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-piece-needs-no-introduction/816111/13 "2018-06-15T01:13:30Z")
I should explain that I laughed because it was not what I expected. I expected Für Elise or the Hallelujah Chorus. Or maybe Mendelssohn’s Wedding March. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-piece-needs-no-introduction/816111/14 "2018-06-15T01:17:43Z")
The Liberty Bell? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-piece-needs-no-introduction/816111/15 "2018-06-15T01:24:58Z")
The Pink Panther theme: Pink, Plunk,Plink? ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-piece-needs-no-introduction/816111/16 "2018-06-15T01:33:14Z")
Fur Elise Clair de Lune ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-piece-needs-no-introduction/816111/17 "2018-06-15T03:15:29Z")
Entrance of the Gladiators ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-piece-needs-no-introduction/816111/18 "2018-06-15T04:35:44Z")
Humouresque? ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-piece-needs-no-introduction/816111/19 "2018-06-15T05:15:27Z")
I have no guess, except that I guess we have to wait until tomorrow to find out. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-piece-needs-no-introduction/816111/20 "2018-06-15T05:30:30Z")
Powerhouse. Rio, by Duran Duran. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-piece-needs-no-introduction/816111.md?page=2)