# Looking for a classical piece with a strong rhythm and fun movement. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 5, 2012, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-classical-piece-with-a-strong-rhythm-and-fun-movement/627267 "2012-07-05T04:09:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Helena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c68b51/32.png) [@Helena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-classical-piece-with-a-strong-rhythm-and-fun-movement/627267/1 "2012-07-05T04:09:15Z")
Something like Ravel’s “Bolero” meets “In the Hall of the Mountain King.” Any suggestions? If I can’t find anything else I’ll just use “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” but I was hoping for something just a little longer and maybe with a bit more variation. ---
**Author:** ![Helena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c68b51/32.png) [@Helena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-classical-piece-with-a-strong-rhythm-and-fun-movement/627267/2 "2012-07-05T04:11:06Z")
And not “Humoresque”–I already used that. Though something else along those lines might work, too. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-classical-piece-with-a-strong-rhythm-and-fun-movement/627267/3 "2012-07-05T04:52:45Z")
I love the second part of Monti’s “Czardas” for both of those qualities, but it’s such a short piece, and the part in question is even shorter. [Czardas - Vittorio Monti](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx4nAwWduNI&feature=fvwrel) The part in question starts at about 1:30. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-classical-piece-with-a-strong-rhythm-and-fun-movement/627267/4 "2012-07-05T05:17:48Z")
Give a listen to [Felix Mendelssohn : The Hebrides (Fingal’s Cave) - Overture](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3MiETaBSnc) ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-classical-piece-with-a-strong-rhythm-and-fun-movement/627267/5 "2012-07-05T10:52:44Z")
Danse Macabre? Too seasonal? [Camille Saint-Saëns - Danse Macabre - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyknBTm_YyM) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-classical-piece-with-a-strong-rhythm-and-fun-movement/627267/6 "2012-07-05T12:13:31Z")
How about a Rossini Overture: _The Barber of Seville, The Thieving Magpie_ and _William Tell_ all have those elements. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-classical-piece-with-a-strong-rhythm-and-fun-movement/627267/7 "2012-07-05T15:40:15Z")
The [Gallop](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw0oQ4sD4us), from “The Comedians,” by Kabalevsly. Or [Fortune plango vulnera](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkwuE_xQb-E), from “Carmina Burana,” by Orff. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-classical-piece-with-a-strong-rhythm-and-fun-movement/627267/8 "2012-07-05T16:13:22Z")
“Battle on the Ice” from _Alexander Nevsky_ by Prokofiev. It speeds up as it goes. If you get a good recording, by the climax you should want to be cleaving someone with a battleaxe. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-classical-piece-with-a-strong-rhythm-and-fun-movement/627267/9 "2012-07-05T16:19:23Z")
Found a “[video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vbYJhSAUY0)” of the Nevsky. The exciting bit starts around 2:15. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-classical-piece-with-a-strong-rhythm-and-fun-movement/627267/10 "2012-07-05T16:59:23Z")
Rimsky Korsakov “Le Coq d’Or” (4: The Wedding) ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-classical-piece-with-a-strong-rhythm-and-fun-movement/627267/11 "2012-07-05T21:44:30Z")
“Battle of the Knights,” from Prokofiev’s “Romeo & Juliet”: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Z_hOR50u7ek/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHOBYAClgOKAgwIABABGHIgUChGMA8=&rs=AOn4CLAM8aAKlFFdnBivVnuIBwVk1VcQew "Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet, No 13 Dance of the Knights (Valery Gergiev, LSO)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_hOR50u7ek) ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-classical-piece-with-a-strong-rhythm-and-fun-movement/627267/12 "2012-07-05T23:06:24Z")
Bartrok, “Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion.” Shostakovich’s C major piano concerto. That is all. If you can it through the boring parts (heh) Beethoven’s last piano sonata. For that matter his Op. 126 Bagatelles – all kinds of spritely. Those are solo piano, of course, so might not work for you. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-classical-piece-with-a-strong-rhythm-and-fun-movement/627267/13 "2012-07-05T23:13:38Z")
> [@pinkfreud](#): > > “Battle of the Knights,” from Prokofiev’s “Romeo & Juliet”: > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z\_hOR50u7ek](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_hOR50u7ek) Ooh, yeah! This! I forgot about this… ---
**Author:** ![Helena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c68b51/32.png) [@Helena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-classical-piece-with-a-strong-rhythm-and-fun-movement/627267/14 "2012-07-05T23:24:10Z")
Wow, thanks everybody! Lots of possibilities! ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2012, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-classical-piece-with-a-strong-rhythm-and-fun-movement/627267/15 "2012-07-06T00:46:30Z")
The [Carmen Suite](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYeVz3lkc0I&feature=related), by Bizet. A medley of some of the opera’s greatest music, and since it is a medley, if you’re looking for something with lots of tempo / style changes, this is a fun option. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2012, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-classical-piece-with-a-strong-rhythm-and-fun-movement/627267/16 "2012-07-06T05:02:00Z")
This may be a little overused, though it fits your criteria: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/C4YB0-xji7k/hqdefault.jpg "Turkish march(Rondo Alla Turca ) -mp3 - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4YB0-xji7k) Just discovered this on YouTube, played the way the piece should be: [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXarbUZh71I)