In my previous blog post, I listed 25 pieces of classical music that everyone with any music experience should have listened to and have at least a little familiarity. By the time I got to the end, I realized that 25 wasn't nearly sufficient. 50 isn't either, but I probably will stop for now after this list. Again, I'm not claiming these are the best works out there (although some of them are), but there the ones that you should know if you're going to be literate in the genre.
You can find all of these on any streaming service such as Spotify, Amazon, Apple, or YouTube. When possible with the latter, please seek professional recordings. There are some good school and student ensemble recordings for sure, but your first experience with these works should be of the highest quality playing and sound quality.
Note to parents: one thing that occurred to me after posting the first in this series is that your child (especially if very young) might lack the patience to listen to all of these pieces. In this case, I definitely recommend two things. First, find a recording of YouTube that is a live performance from a professional orchestra. Second, watch the clock at let it go to at least 3 minutes, preferably 5 minutes. If it's too trying on their patience at that point, then try again with another piece on another day. But please make the effort. Students who make an effort in listening to non-popular music are more likely to continue doing well with formal studies than those who don't.
Here is the list, once again alphabetical by composer.
26. J.S. Bach: Concerto for Two Violins: Bach's masterworks require a more mature listening approach, so I've been careful to recommend some famous works that are much more accessible even to young listeners. The "Bach Double" is easy to listen to and enjoy!
27. Bela Bartok: Music for Stringed Instruments, Percussion, and Celesta - This is a 4 movement piece of slow-fast-slow-fast. The two slow movements are wonderfully creepy! It is good Halloween music, enough so that Stanley Kubrick used excerpts of it in The Shining.
28. Ludwig Van Beethoven - Piano Sonata op. 27, no. 2 "Moonlight". This 3-movement piece has 2 of the most famous movements in piano history of drastically different moods.
29. George Bizet: Carmen Suite No. 1 - The opera Carmen is a treasure chest of famous melodies. There are two suites, but if I'm going to give you one essential piece, it would be this first suite.
30. Benjamin Britten: Young Person's Guide to Orchestra - This is a masterful piece by one of the most successful British composers of the 20th century. There is a version with narrator and one without. I personally prefer the one without, but I would highly recommend that my younger listeners try the one with narration such as this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WrlwY-Kjp4 It's a great way to be introduced to the instruments and families of the orchestra.
31. Frederick Chopin: Etudes op. 10. These are 12 short but impressively difficult pieces to play on piano. Definitely watch these with video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izIMf9-pQGk
32. Paul Dukas: The Sorcerer's Apprentice - Mickey Mouse in wizard's hat with enchanted brooms? Fantasia 1940? Need I say more? Okay, this is a famous piece from an underrated composer with music that perfectly suits the title.
33. Edward Elgar: Pomp & Circumstance No. 1 - Okay kids, you must listen to all of this because it's only 5 minutes, and the famous part is in the middle. If you've ever been to a graduation, you've heard this. The fun part is the part you might not have heard. (Note: It won't make my top 50 list of "must-hear" pieces, but if you like Elgar at all after this, please check out the superb Enigma Variations, a longer but much better work)
34. Franz Joseph Haydn: String Quartet op. 76, no. 3 "Emperor" - Haydn essentially invented the string quartet, an ensemble you're likely to see at a wedding today. The slow movement of this one is known as the Emperor's hymn, and eventually became the national anthem of Germany.
35. Felix Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 "Italian" - The opening of this piece is some of the happiest music you'll ever hear.
36. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik": serenade for string orchestra - It has 4 movements, and all of them are famous, but you'll especially recognize the first one.
37. Carl Orff: Carmina Burana - This is classical music's version of a one-hit wonder! The opening of this huge piece for chorus and orchestra is a staple piece of movie trailers everywhere! Listen to this on big speakers, and feel the power!
38. Johann Pachelbel: Canon in D - I simply couldn't believe that I left this off my previous list, given that it is quite possibly the most famous piece of classical music EVER! If you can find a version for 3 violins and basso continuo, you can hear it in its original form. Otherwise, you'll find every arrangement imaginable.
39. Sergei Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet, suite No. 2 - I once heard one of these great pieces on a credit card commercial for a few years.
40. Giacchino Rossini: The William Tell Overture - If you've watched your share of Looney Tunes cartoons, you'll say to yourself 3 separate times, "Ah, so THAT'S where that came from!" Several generations cannot listen to the last 3 minutes without thinking of The Lone Ranger. (Bonus: Also check out the Overture to the Barber of Seville. It's almost as famous, and not quite as long.
41. Camille Saint-Saens: Carnival of the Animals - The composer's last name is pronounced "San-Sahn", and he has a life that's worthy of a movie adaptation. This piece has two of his most famous melodies with The Swan and Aquariums. In regards to the latter piece, listen to it and imagine the original music for the Harry Potter films sounding like they do without this piece existing first.
42. John Philip Sousa: The Stars and Stripes Forever - I once taught a 12 year old student who had never heard this piece before, having lived in this country his whole life. That still astounds me to this day. I don't know how you could miss this piece, but it's a must-hear from a composer rightly known as The March King. Fun fact: more people heard John Philip Sousa's band perform live than those who heard the Beatles live.
43. Johann Strauss Jr: On the Beautiful Blue Danube Waltzes: There are a lot of abbreviated versions out there. Accept nothing shorter than 9 minutes, and with full orchestra. This piece is remarkable for just how many catchy melodies happen one after another.
44. Igor Stravinsky: The Firebird - This exists as a longer ballet score or shorter suite. I'm fine with whichever choice you make, but I LOVE the ballet. If you tried Rite of Spring from the previous list and had a hard time with it, please don't resist trying this. It was written 2 years earlier when Stravinsky was still writing music inspired by his more traditional influences. It's still very original, but much more accessible!
45. Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Overture to Romeo & Juliet - Single movement piece that has a very famous theme in the second half.
46. Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Overture to 1812. Beethoven got 2 pieces on the last list, and Tchaikovsky might have written more music that has made its way into popular culture than anyone, including Beethoven, Mozart, and Chopin, and that's saying something. This piece has French and Russian melodies going against each other, and real canons firing! One of the ironies of life is that this Russian piece is very often performed around American 4th of July concerts!
47. Ralph Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis - for an unusual combination of double string orchestra and string quartet, this is one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written.
48. Antonio Vivaldi: The Four Seasons op. 8, no.1-4 - These are 4 separate multi-movement concerti for violin and string orchestra. If you're impatient, at least do this: Listen to the first movements of Spring, Winter, and Fall. Then listen to the last movement of Summer.
49. Richard Wagner: The Ride of the Valkyries - A short and stirring introduction to this composer (pronounced "Vagner").
50. Richard Wagner: Prelude to Act 1 of Lohengrin: Another fast piece with a catchy melody! As a 4-minute bonus, check out the Bridal Chorus in its original form, a piece that millions of brides have heard during their own processional.
Again, let me know if you've heard these, the ones you love, and the ones you didn't care for. Also, let me know if there are ultra-famous pieces I should have included.
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