# The Defining work by a classical composer to you **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 14, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-defining-work-by-a-classical-composer-to-you/560617 "2010-11-14T02:42:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-defining-work-by-a-classical-composer-to-you/560617/1 "2010-11-14T02:42:24Z")
When you hear the name “Ludwig van Beethoven”, what song appears in your head? I’m not asking what your favorite work by that composer is, or what their best work/greatest hit is, but what work do you instantly connect to the name? I’ll get the ball rolling. Feel free to copy and/or add to my list: Bach - Brandenburg Concerto #3, Movement 1 - also my go-to answer when someone asks what Baroque music sounds like Beethoven - Symphony 5, Movement 1 (dah dah dah DUM. Far from my favorite Symphony, but it’s impossible not to associate Beethoven with it) Brahms - Hungarian Dance #5 Dvorak - that motif that’s all over the Requiem Grieg - Anitra’s Dance from Peer Gynt Handel - Alla Hornpipe from Water Music (I know it would be Hallelujah from The Messiah for most of you, but as a hornist, I always remember Handel as being the first composer to give public exposure to the instrument, and this was the piece that first premiered the instrument) Haydn - Horn Concerto 2, Movement 1 (this was the audition piece I used when I was in high school, so I played this over and over and over) Liszt - Hungarian Rhapsody #2 (thank you Friz Freleng!) Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto in d, Movement 1 Mozart - A Little Night Music, Movement 1 (I swear to god this is the 1st track on not just every Mozart greatest hits album, but EVERY classical music compilation) Rimsky-Korsakov - Procession of the Nobles, from Mlada Prokofiev - Peter’s theme from Peter & The Wolf Rossini - William Tell Overture Saint-Saens - Danse Bacchanal from Samson & Delilah Schubert - Symphony 8, movement 1 (c’mon, they used it on the Simpsons, by a elementary school band!!! “oh good, Unfinished, this shouldn’t take long!”) Stravinsky - Finale from The Firebird Suite Suppe - Light Cavalry Overture (thank you, Walt Disney!) Tchaikovsky - 1812 Overture (not proud of this one, but I can’t lie) Wagner - Ride of the Valkyries, from Die Walkure ---
**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:** [November 14, 2010, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-defining-work-by-a-classical-composer-to-you/560617/2 "2010-11-14T03:50:54Z")
It’s hard to list the “defining” work, and not necessarily my “favorite.” Albéniz: Suite española: Asturias Bach: Air on a G String Barber: Adagio for Strings Beethoven: Symphony #7 Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique Bernstein: Overture to “Candide” Bizet: l’Arlésienne Borodin: Dances from Prince Igor Brahms: Symphony #3 Chopin: “Minute” Waltz Copland: Appalachian Spring Debussy: Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun Delibes: Coppelia Dukas: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor: Mad scene Dvorak: New World Symphony: 2nd Movement Elgar: Pomp & Circumstance #1 Falla: Ritual Fire Dance Franck: Symphony in d Grieg: Peer Gynt Suite #1: Beginning Handel: Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus Haydn: “Surprise” Symphony: 2nd Movement Holst: The Planets: Mars Khachaturian: Gayne Lehar: The Merry Widow Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody #2 Mendelssohn: Midsummer Night’s Dream Mozart: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik Mussorgsky: Night on Bald Mountain Offenbach: Gaité Parisienne Orff: Carmina Burana: O Fortuna Paganini: Caprice #24 Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet Puccini: La Bohème Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto #2 Ravel: Bolero Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez: Adagio Rossini: William Tell: Overture Saint-Saëns: Carnival of the Animals Satie: Gymnopédie #1 Schubert: Symphony #9 Schumann: Carnaval Scriabin: Etude, op 8 #12 Sibelius: Finlandia Strauss, Johann Jr: Blue Danube Waltz Smetana: Má Vlast: The Moldau Strauss, Richard: Also Sprach Zarathustra: Intro Stravinsky: The Firebird: Finale Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet: “Love Theme” Verdi: La Traviata Vivaldi: Four Seasons: Autumn Wagner: Ride of the Valkyries ---
**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:** [November 14, 2010, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-defining-work-by-a-classical-composer-to-you/560617/3 "2010-11-14T16:44:15Z")
> [@fusoya](#): > > When you hear the name “Ludwig van Beethoven”, what song appears in your head? > … > Beethoven - Symphony 5, Movement 1 (dah dah dah DUM. Far from my favorite Symphony, but it’s impossible not to associate Beethoven with it) Yep, that’s the one! > [@](#): > > Dvorak - that motif that’s all over the Requiem Dvorak - Maybe something from the “New World” symphony (the “Going Home” theme from the slow movement?), maybe the opening of the “American” string quartet, maybe one of the Slavonic Dances. > [@](#): > > Grieg - Anitra’s Dance from Peer Gynt Grieg - Maybe “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” maybe the dramatic opening chords of the Piano Concerto. > [@](#): > > Haydn - Horn Concerto 2, Movement 1 (this was the audition piece I used when I was in high school, so I played this over and over and over) Haydn - Probably the “Lark” string quartet (Op 64 #5) > [@](#): > > Liszt - Hungarian Rhapsody #2 (thank you Friz Freleng!) Liszt - Maybe that one (for the same reason), or maybe the instrumental version of the Mephisto Waltz. > [@](#): > > Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto in d, Movement 1 Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto - Movement 3. Or maybe the Midsummer Night’s Dream overture. > [@](#): > > Mozart - A Little Night Music, Movement 1 (I swear to god this is the 1st track on not just every Mozart greatest hits album, but EVERY classical music compilation) Absolutely. > [@](#): > > Rimsky-Korsakov - Procession of the Nobles, from Mlada Scheherazade. > [@](#): > > Prokofiev - Peter’s theme from Peter & The Wolf Possibly, although the Piano Concerto #3 is a candidate. I could probably come up with a longer list if I took more time (which I don’t have right now). Sometimes it’s a matter of which piece I happened to hear and become familiar with first; sometimes it’s what’s most ubiquitous in pop culture. ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-defining-work-by-a-classical-composer-to-you/560617/4 "2010-11-15T03:05:40Z")
One thing that’s always amazed me about classical music is how many one-hit-wonders out there who actually composed a ton of decent music…just like it is in the present! Vivaldi is pretty much only known for the Four Seasons concertos in pop culture, but he did a ton of other great music, including being one of the more prolific composers for the bassoon. Tchaikovsky was probably one of the more “popular” composers, between his 3 ballets and 1812, but his Symphonies don’t get the attention they deserve - #6 is one of the most amazing/disturbing pieces of instrumental music you’ll ever listen to (with a really out of place Scherzo movement thrown into the middle). Still, the finale from 1812 is still the first thing that pops into my head when I think his name. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-defining-work-by-a-classical-composer-to-you/560617/5 "2010-11-16T01:34:29Z")
I think the OP mixed up Brahms and Dvorak. ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-defining-work-by-a-classical-composer-to-you/560617/6 "2010-11-16T15:59:09Z")
No I didn’t. Brahm’s Hungarian Dance #5 is one of the catchiest pieces of music in the history of classical music. Remember that Dvorak orchestrated the set of 21 dances, but Brahms originally composed them (for Piano, although I prefer the orchestral version of #5, I associate them with Brahms). Dvorak’s Requiem \>\>\>\>\>\> Brahm’s Requiem (seriously, who does a requiem in GERMAN? Latin all the way!) ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-defining-work-by-a-classical-composer-to-you/560617/7 "2010-11-16T16:16:43Z")
Bach: Brandenburg Concerto #2, third movement. Also, Great Fugue in G-Minor Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante in E-Flat Minor(?) (K364) Beethoven: the 9th ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-defining-work-by-a-classical-composer-to-you/560617/8 "2010-11-17T02:07:15Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante in E-Flat Minor(?) (K364) You called? E-Flat Major actually. Good choice. ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-defining-work-by-a-classical-composer-to-you/560617/9 "2010-11-17T04:44:13Z")
I’m afraid if you don’t consider Beethoven’s two defining works to be Wellington’s Victory and the 8th symphony, then you don’t understand Beethoven. I’m serious. ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-defining-work-by-a-classical-composer-to-you/560617/10 "2010-11-17T05:07:09Z")
> [@D18](#): > > I’m afraid if you don’t consider Beethoven’s two defining works to be Wellington’s Victory and the 8th symphony, then you don’t understand Beethoven. > > I’m serious. Ya, but the OP is clearly looking for their most memorable or popular tune. It’s obviously the start of the 5th, or Ode to Joy from the 9th. Heck, even the Egmont overture ranks near the top for me. I like **Panache** ’s list, but I offer a few alternatives: For Lehar, which Merry Widow bit are we talking about? There were a few really popular arias in there. I wrote a large paper all about his work, and so I’m guessing you mean the Vilja aria. HM goes to his earlier waltz, Gold and Silver. Borodin: No one outside of Russia (and me) has seriously watched Prince Igor. What you mean is the Polovetsian Dances, which have been done to death in so many renditions. HM goes to the nocturne of string quartet #2, which was done throughout Ren and Stimpy and Rocko’s modern life, to name two pop culture sources. Puccini: I go with Nessun Dorma from Turandot. “Che Geleda Manina” is very pops, but N.D. has been done to DEATH. Verdi is La Donna E Mobile. How did two people put Schubert and not mention a “Ave Maria” or “Die Winterreise?” Did you people never try hitting on Sopranos or what? 😃 Vivaldi’s Spring is more kitsch than his Fall. Debussy’s “Claire de Lune” edges out the afternoon of the Fawn. I’m crushing on this thread, lol. I need to get back to Latin homework. Here’s some original contributions: Shostakovich: the second waltz from the suite for promenade orchestra. MacDowell: To a wild rose. ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-defining-work-by-a-classical-composer-to-you/560617/11 "2010-11-17T05:21:06Z")
Also, Mozart to me is the Rondo Alla Turka, and Handel is ever immortalized in the “Arrival of the Queen of Sheba” from Solomon. I have my organ teacher to thank for the latter. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-defining-work-by-a-classical-composer-to-you/560617/12 "2010-11-17T05:24:26Z")
Beethoven: Ode to Joy ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-defining-work-by-a-classical-composer-to-you/560617/13 "2010-11-17T19:08:10Z")
For me, Mozart would be either Rondo Alla Turka or Sonata in C, K545, 1st movement. I learned to play both of these on the piano. The latter piece is also associated with Granny on Sylvester and Tweety Bird cartoons.