# Please help me :)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me/8268
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [September 23, 1999, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me/8268 "1999-09-23T22:04:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Wicked\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wicked_Blue)
#### Post date: [September 23, 1999, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me/8268/1 "1999-09-23T22:04:00Z")
I have a problem. I have to find out the name of a piece of classical music. The only thing that’s stopping me is that I don’t know the name of the composer. (That’s a pretty big problem 🙂 )
The music is a very common piece, heard in commercials and movies, which leads me to believe it could be from one of the popular composers like Bach or Beethoven. I know next to nothing about classical music, so I don’t know where to start. I need the music on CD before 10/15 because I want to play it at my wedding. I have scoured the Internet, listening to wavs and MIDIs, but I still can’t find it. It is driving me crazy, I am desperate. I am willing to email a wav of myself humming the song to anyone who thinks they might be able to identify it. I am terribly shy, so the thought of humming to anyone kills me, but I will do it if I must. I know if I called my DJ or a music store I wouldn’t be able to hum it ‘live.’ I’d just clam up or not be able to stop laughing.
Straight Dopers, please help this frazzled bride.
Thanks,
Blue
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“I wore an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time…”
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### Author:  [@Eris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eris)
#### Post date: [September 23, 1999, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me/8268/2 "1999-09-23T22:07:00Z")
What type of classical music is it? Symphony, wind ensemble, choral, opera…? What commercials/tv shows do remember it from? I realize it’s hard to describe music with words, but if you can give us hints like the type of instruments used or whether it’s a soprano aria or something, we might be able to narrow it down a little.
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### Author:  [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)
#### Post date: [September 23, 1999, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me/8268/3 "1999-09-23T22:11:00Z")
Blue, have no fear.
I know a little about classical music, just send your hummin’ WAV to me. Don’t feel embarrased, I’ll even reply you a WAV of my voice in return if it makes you feel better 🙂
I’ll do my best to help you, I’ll keep an eye on my in-box for the next few minutes…
cold@xs4all.nl
Coldfire
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“You know how complex women are”
- Neil Peart, Rush (1993)
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### Author:  [@Sealemon88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sealemon88)
#### Post date: [September 23, 1999, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me/8268/4 "1999-09-23T22:16:00Z")
I’ll take that .wav too.
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You say “cheesy” like that’s a **BAD** thing.
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### Author:  [@pluto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pluto)
#### Post date: [September 23, 1999, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me/8268/5 "1999-09-23T22:29:00Z")
Just a couple of guesses – Pachelbel’s Canon and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons are popular classical tunes for weddings, etc. Try those if you haven’t already.
## Any other hints? Lots of strings? What kind of commercials? Mozart’s “Eine Kleine Nachtmusic” is popular but it’s a little jazzy (to my taste) for wedding music.
“non sunt multiplicanda entia praeter necessitatem”
– William of Ockham
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### Author:  [@Sue\_Duhnym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sue_Duhnym)
#### Post date: [September 23, 1999, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me/8268/6 "1999-09-23T22:49:00Z")
If you think it’s really common, why don’t you go buy one of those ‘Mad About the Classics’ cds that is a compilation of a bunch of different tunes.
They’re usually pretty cheap, under $10, and who knows…maybe you’ll find others you like too!
Good luck and congratulations!
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### Author:  [@DW3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DW3)
#### Post date: [September 23, 1999, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me/8268/7 "1999-09-23T22:56:00Z")
Blue,
Email me at [monkeybutt@mindless.com](mailto:monkeybutt@mindless.com) . No joke.
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### Author:  [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)
#### Post date: [September 23, 1999, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me/8268/8 "1999-09-23T23:33:00Z")
Blue,
I am pretty good at this sort of thing, too…Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (check all four- probobly Spring) is a good bet…e-mail me your wav and I’ll give ya a hand…
PS- Don’t be embarrased- I sing kareoke, the ultimate in singing humiliation…
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Run for the hills, folks! Or you’ll be up to your armpits in martians!
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### Author:  [@Wicked\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wicked_Blue)
#### Post date: [September 24, 1999, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me/8268/9 "1999-09-24T02:14:00Z")
I found it!! 🙂 🙂
I found it at Amazon as “Adagio / Karajan” Gustav Mahler(Composer). Thank you guys for all the help. I found it by doing a search for Vivaldi…Thanks pluto and Zette! 🙂
I knew the SDer’s wouldn’t let me down!
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### Author:  [@DW3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DW3)
#### Post date: [September 24, 1999, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me/8268/10 "1999-09-24T02:50:00Z")
Cool. I’ll have to break out my _Vienna Master Series_ and check it out 🙂