Top 20 famous Pieces of Classical Music

WieWaldi · 2025-06-06T12:18:48+00:00

Recently a friend (non-musician) showed me a video of a nice classical piece. And he told me its name. I recognized this piece in a heartbeat and told him,...

twocats

BartK G string

That's the only part that's drawing my attention 🤣

twocats

This is the big one that everyone knows!

Wedding March - from Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream

BartK

There is plenty of classical music that everyone knows but can't necessarily name exactly by source.

Ode to Joy from Beethoven's 9th Symphony
Ride of the Walkyries from Wagner's Ring of the Niebelungen cycle.
In the Hall of the Mountain King from Grieg's 1st Peer Gynt suite
Sunrise from Richard Strauss' Also sprach Zarathustra
and my favourite... Eric Carmen's All By Myself from Rachmaninov's 2nd concerto 🙃

Ornstein

Piano is so dominant. For all of classical music, it has at least 10 of the 20 spots I'd say.
Beethoven Fur Elise
Beethoven Moonlight sonata
Chopin Raindrop prelude
Chopin Fantasie impromptu
Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody no. 2
Liszt-Mendelssohn Wedding March
Mozart Rondo Alla Turca
Rachmanionff-Korsakov Flight of the Bumblebee
Debussy Claire de Lune
Liszt-Paganini La Campanella

For Violin, I think it's only Vivaldi Four Seasons. Possibly Tchaikovsy concerto? I wonder if the violin concerto is more recognizable than the 1st piano concerto.
Tchaikovsky Nutcracker (especially Sugar Plum Fairy)
Bach Air on a G String
Beethoven 5th and 9th symphonies
Overture from Bizet Carmen
Overture from Rossini William Tell
Wagner Ride of the Valkyries
Puccini Nessun Dorma
Grieg In the Hall of the Mountain King and Morning Mood

I wanted to put in Brahms 3rd and Dvorak New World symphonies but there are a few opera overtures or arias that probably are more recognizable.

BartK

Ornstein Rachmanionff-Korsakov Flight of the Bumblebee

ITYM Rimsky-Korsakov

Jane

Top 5, top of head:

Fur Elise
First movement of Beethoven's 5th symphony
First movement of Beethoven's "moonlight" sonata
Pachelbel's Canon in D
If you're born before 1960:
Theme from Lone Ranger (i.e., William Tell Overture)
Otherwise
Liszt's 2nd Hungarian Rhapsody

WieWaldi

BartK You are right. Still, Rachmaninov is sometimes associated to this piece -

I guess, if someone plays it today, it is often Rachmaninov's arrangement.

If you would ask me on the street in two months, chances are high I would tell it is Rachmaninov, because his name is more present. Or I simply mix em up. Similar like Helsinki-syndrome vs Stockholm-syndrome. 😅

Ornstein

BartK I do mean Rachmaninoff-Korsakov, I'd argue it and La Campanella (Liszt-Paganini) have usurped the original compositions in the public consciousness.

thepianoplayer416

I'd say Maurice Ravel "Bolero". The first performance the audience walked out and booed.
Johann Strauss "Radetzky March"... the piece we hear out of Vienna on New Year. Gets the audience hand clapping every time.
Bach "Chaconne" from Partita #2 in Dm for solo violin. (He wrote the piece when still in mourning over his first wife Maria Barbara's sudden passing). May not be Classical music's best but at least the greatest violin solo ever written.
Bach "Toccata & Fugue" in Dm.
Vivaldi "4 Seasons".
Tchaikovsky "1812 Overture".
Tchaikovsky "Romeo & Juliet Overture-Fantasia".

Simonb

Hi, how do you spoiler your answer??

Cheers

WieWaldi

Simonb

Write a few lines
of text you want to spoiler
like this, mark and press the
exclamation mark

Simonb

Thanks WieWaldi

Josephine

One I didn't read in this topic yet is

The blue Danube

Oh, and when I was a child Andre Rieu was on the radio all the time with Shostakovich’s second waltz . I have to admit I was completely in awe because I never heard classical music, except Le Carnaval des Animaux, which I also loved. My parents didn't listen to classical music, but Andre Rieu had a hit record so it was on a cd or lp with hit songs my parents bought, and I listened to it a million times, sitting on the floor with my head between the speakers.

Another one that comes to mind is Nessun dorma.

MRC

OK, shooting from the hip:

Beethoven FürElise
Vivaldi 4 Seasons
Mozart Kleine Nachmusik
Strauss Blue Danube Waltz
Beethoven Moonlight sonata!<

Those were the first that popped to mind; with more thought I might make some other choices.

Ornstein

Blue Danube Waltz is a big one as is Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture.
Also I forgot Tchaikovsky Sleeping Beauty.

In my first list, I'm demoting La Campanella / Fantasie Impromptu / Bach Air on a G String for those 3.

thepianoplayer416

The Overture to Mozart “Marriage of Figaro”. It’s the theme to the 1983 American movie “Trading Places” with Dan Aykroyd & Eddie Murphy.

Beethoven Romance #2 in F Op.50 for solo violin & strings ensemble. Beautiful violin solo.

AaronSF

Flight of the Bumblebee: Rimsky-Korsakov
Ride of the Valkyries: Wagner
Adagio for Strings: Barber
Ave Maria: Schubert
Für Elise: Beethoven
"Minute" Waltz: Chopin
Adagio: Albinoni
Prelude #1, Well-Tempered Clavier-Book 1: Bach
Rondo alla Turca, Piano Sonata K331: Mozart
"Surprise" Symphony: Haydn
Hungarian Dance No. 5: Brahms
Blue Danube Waltz: Johann Strauss
1812 Overture: Tchaikovsky
Waltz of the Flowers: Tchaikovsky
Spring, Four Seasons: Vivaldi
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2: Liszt
Bolero: Ravel
Sabre Dance: Khachaturian
Canon in D: Pachelbel
Dance Macabre: Saint-Saens
Andante from Piano Concerto No. 21 ("Elvira Madigan): Mozart
La Donna è Mobile; Rigoletto: Verdi
String Quintet Op. 11, No. 5 (first movement): Boccherini
Charge of the Light Brigade: von Suppé

WieWaldi

I thinks, that's it. I evaluated all answers and we have a list.
No joking, google will have to change their official ratings, now!!

This 48 pieces are the top 20 famous pieces of classical music:

8 — Für Elise (Beethoven)
5 — Four Seasons (Vivaldi)
4 — Canon in D (Pachelbel)
4 — Moonlight Sonata (Beethoven)
4 — Rondo alla Turca (Mozart)
4 — Ode to Joy (9th Symphony) (Beethoven)
3 — 5th Symphony (Beethoven)
3 — Clair de lune (Debussy)
3 — Ride of the Walkyries (Wagner)
3 — Hungarian Rhapsody no 2 (Liszt)
3 — Blue Danube (Strauss, Johann)
2 — Air on the G String (Bach)
2 — Figaro (Mozart)
2 — Fantaisie-Impromptu (Chopin)
2 — Eine kleine Nachtmusik (Mozart)
2 — Theme from Carmen (Bizet)
2 — Wedding March (Mendelssohn)
2 — In the Hall of the Mountain King (Grieg)
2 — Flight of the Bumblebee (Rimsky-Korsakov)
2 — Overture from Willem Tell (Rossini)
2 — Nessun Dorma (Puccini)
2 — Bolero (Ravel)
2 — 1812 Overture (Tchaikovsky)
1 — La fille aux cheveux de lin (Debussy)
1 — Also sprach Zarathustra (Strauss, Richard)
1 — All by Myself (Carmen)
1 — Raindrop Prelude (Chopin)
1 — La Campanella (Liszt)
1 — Sugar Plum Fairy (Nutcracker) (Tchaikovsky)
1 — Morning Mood (Grieg)
1 — Radetzky March (Strauss, Johann)
1 — Chaconne (Bach)
1 — Toccata & Fugue (Bach)
1 — Romeo & Juliet Fantasy Overture (Tchaikovsky)
1 — Sleeping Beauty (Tchaikovsky)
1 — Adagio for Strings (Barber)
1 — Ave Maria (Schubert)
1 — Minute Waltz (Chopin)
1 — Adagio (Albinoni)
1 — Prelude no 1 (Bach)
1 — Surprise (Haydn)
1 — Hungarian Dance No 5 (Brahms)
1 — Waltz of the Flowers (Tchaikovsky)
1 — Sabre Dance (Khachaturian)
1 — Dance Macabre (Saint-Saens)
1 — Andante from Piano Concerto No 21 (Mozart)
1 — La Donna e Mobile; Rigoletto (Verdi)
1 — String Quintet op 11 no 5 (Boccherini)
1 — Charge of the Light Brigade (von Suppé)

Sorted by composer:

19 — Beethoven
9 — Mozart
6 — Tchaikovsky
5 — Bach
5 — Vivaldi
4 — Chopin
4 — Debussy
4 — Liszt
4 — Pachelbel
4 — Strauss, Johann
3 — Grieg
3 — Wagner
2 — Bizet
2 — Mendelssohn
2 — Puccini
2 — Ravel
2 — Rimsky-Korsakov
2 — Rossini
1 — Albinoni
1 — Barber
1 — Boccherini
1 — Brahms
1 — Carmen
1 — Haydn
1 — Khachaturian
1 — Saint-Saens
1 — Schubert
1 — Strauss, Richard
1 — Verdi
1 — von Suppé

Interesting finding during writing all the names together:

The people that limited their answers to only a few, got a lot of matches with other votes. (As expected)
The people that made a complete list of about 20 famous pieces had many of them flying alone. (As expected)
Many of that famous pieces were totally unknown to me. Doesn't speak much about my classical music knowledge... 🤫

On the other hand, my 6 votes are the top 6 in the list. This makes me a classical music expert 😂.

iternabe

These came to my mind:

Mozart - Rondo Alla Turca
Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake Main theme
Beethoven - Fur Elise
Schumann - Traumerei
Bizet - Carmen Prelude
Debussy - Claire de Lune
Pachelbel - Canon in D
Rossini - William Tell Overture
Strauss Jr - Blue Danube
Rachmaninov - Variation on a Theme of Paganini (18th variation)!<

trecorda

Fantasy Impromptu Chopin
Andante from Concerto in C Mozart
Concerto no 1 in Bflat minor Tchaikovsky ( opening theme)
Requiem (movements from) Mozart ( thanks to the movie Amadeus)
Schubert Serenade
Brahms Lullaby
Waltz Shostakovich
Theme from Etude Op 10 (B major) Chopin
Jesu Joy Chorale Bach
Sonata in C K545 Mozart
The Four Seasons Vivaldi
The Ritual Fire Dance Katchachurian (incorrect spelling)
The Dance of the hours
Widmung (Devotian) Schumann
Remembrance ( from Album for the Young) Schumann
On Wings of Song Mendelssohn
Oh for the Wings of a Dove Mendelssohn
La Campanella Liszt
un Sospiro Liszt Concert Etude
Consolation in Dflat
Funeral in Bflat minor March Chopin
Raindrop Prelude Chopin
Hallelujah Chorus Handel
Whiter Shade of Pale ( music by JS Bach (not sure of original name by Bach)
Concerto in Csharp minor no 2 Rachmaninov ( 2nd movement)
Prelude in Gminor ( Millitaire ) Rachmaninov
Polonaise in A major (Military )
Nocturne in Csharp minor (Op Posth)
Queen of the Night Mozart ( aria)
Prelude in C Bach ( from WTC bk 1)
Largo by Handel
Italian Concerto Bach ( opening theme)
Hungarian Dance no 2 Liszt
Moonlight Sonata ( Ist movement Adagio) Beethoven
(Pathatique (sp?) Sonata in C minor op 13 ( Adagio from) Beethoven
Clare de Lune Debussy
The Girl with the Flaxen Hair ( Prelude) Debussy
Traumerei Schumann
Theme (choral theme) from 9th symphony Beethoven ( Ode to Joy)
Opening of the Symphony no 5 Beethoven
Prelude in Csharp minor Rachmanihov
Waltz in A-flat major Brahms
Hungarian Dance. Brahms