Which Classical Composer Has More "Hits"?

Cafe Society
1

By hits I mean tunes that everyone would instantly recognize and have stood the test of time like Mozart’s “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” ditty. My guess is either Beethoven (Fur Elise • Moonlight Sonata • Symphony No.5 • Violin Romance • Minuet)* or Mozart.
Thanks!

*(Comma key doesn’t work - sorry)

2

Well, for starters, Mozart didn’t compose “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” (otherwise known as “Ah vous dirai-je, Maman”), just a bunch of variations on it. It’s an old French folk tune.

3

Rossini. There are at least three distinct parts of the William Tell Overture that are familiar to everyone.

4

May I suggest Puccini? O, mio babbino caro, Quando m’en vo, Recondita armonia, E lucevan le stelle, Nessun Dorma, Un bel’ di vedremo, Mi chiamano Mimi. Thanks to various commercials, all instantly recognizable.

5

Not to mention ‘Barber of Seville’ -

Ca-a-an’t you see that I’m much sweeter
I-i-i’m your little senioriter…

6

Tchaikovsky?
Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, and the Nutcracker may well have the most “recognizeable” symphonic tunes.

7

Beethoven and Mozart are good guesses. So’s Bach (Toccata and Fugue in D minor, Air on the G string, Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring, the Brandenburg Concertos, etc. etc.), and Handel. (The Messiah is practically a greatest hits album by itself; and then there’s the Royal Fireworks music, and the Water Music…)

8

Also the 1812 Overture and piano concerto No. 1.

9

Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf was a one-hit wonder.

And he had a very silly name.

I suspect Mozart would win in the “most hits” category among the general population, what with all his recognizable if not precisely identifiable music, including movie credits (“Amadeus”, “Elvira Madigan”).

10

I think I’d have to go with Tchaikovsky. Lots of tunes from the ballets, symphonies and concerti.

And how about Johann Strauss Jr. or Chopin?

11

I think Tchaikovksy wins purely due to The Nutrcracker. Of frequently played classical compositions, which other one has so many hummable melodies?

12

Another vote for Tchaikovsky. His thing was melody, in fact he prized Mozart’s ability to create melodies with ease.

If you want to get goofy…Johannes Strauss was the beginning of pop’s concerts. He churned out the waltzes like the funk brothers churned out motown classics.

13

Bach has a great many tunes that are still in hymnals all over the world.