# Which Classical Composer Has More "Hits"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 10, 2008, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-classical-composer-has-more-hits/472086 "2008-11-10T19:40:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![deadindays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@deadindays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deadindays)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-classical-composer-has-more-hits/472086/1 "2008-11-10T19:40:52Z")
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) ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-classical-composer-has-more-hits/472086/2 "2008-11-10T19:47:49Z")
Well, for starters, [Mozart didn’t compose “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ah!_vous_dirai-je,_Maman) (otherwise known as “Ah vous dirai-je, Maman”), just a bunch of variations on it. It’s an old French folk tune. ---
**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:** [November 10, 2008, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-classical-composer-has-more-hits/472086/3 "2008-11-10T20:28:13Z")
Rossini. There are at least three distinct parts of the William Tell Overture that are familiar to everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-classical-composer-has-more-hits/472086/4 "2008-11-10T20:28:58Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-classical-composer-has-more-hits/472086/5 "2008-11-10T20:30:49Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Rossini. There are at least three distinct parts of the William Tell Overture that are familiar to everyone. Not to mention ‘Barber of Seville’ - Ca-a-an’t you see that I’m much sweeter I-i-i’m your little senioriter… ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-classical-composer-has-more-hits/472086/6 "2008-11-10T20:33:50Z")
Tchaikovsky? Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, and the Nutcracker may well have the most “recognizeable” symphonic tunes. ---
**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 10, 2008, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-classical-composer-has-more-hits/472086/7 "2008-11-10T20:36:58Z")
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…) ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/47e85d/32.png) [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Lance_Murdoch)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-classical-composer-has-more-hits/472086/8 "2008-11-10T21:09:02Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Tchaikovsky? > Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, and the Nutcracker may well have the most “recognizeable” symphonic tunes. Also the 1812 Overture and piano concerto No. 1. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-classical-composer-has-more-hits/472086/9 "2008-11-10T21:23:46Z")
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”). ---
**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 11, 2008, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-classical-composer-has-more-hits/472086/10 "2008-11-11T00:55:50Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-classical-composer-has-more-hits/472086/11 "2008-11-11T01:17:03Z")
I think Tchaikovksy wins purely due to **The Nutrcracker**. Of frequently played classical compositions, which other one has so many hummable melodies? ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/57b2e6/32.png) [@Quasimodal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodal)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-classical-composer-has-more-hits/472086/12 "2008-11-11T21:47:05Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-classical-composer-has-more-hits/472086/13 "2008-11-11T21:50:50Z")
Bach has a great many tunes that are still in hymnals all over the world.