This is the #1 website in the world for famous classical, popular classical, and best classical music! It's the top Classical works from movies, commercials, cartoons, songs, video games and ringtones.
 

Pronounced "ar-NO." French composer who moved to Hollywood to compose for film.

The Charge Suite (suite)
Bugler's Dream 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Nicknamed "Olympic Fanfare," this piece is synonymous with the Olympics. Composed in 1958, it has been the theme music for television coverage of the Olympics since 1968. Revamped by John Williams as part of his "Olympic Fanfare And Theme" for the 1984 Olympics.

Pronounced "Bock," and his first name is pronounced "YO-hawn." More famous for his piano and organ playing than his compositions, but his works are all we have to remember him by. Bachaholics know his music is more about the journey than the destination, and is known for interweaving two or more melodies into any given piece. Famous for "The Well Tempered Clavier," his "Brandenburg Concertos" and these:

Air On A G String 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  From "Underwear Suite"... uh, "Orchestral Suite No. 3." Sampled in the 1997 Sweetbox song "Everything's Gonna Be Alright."

Bouree In E Minor 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  A staple among classic rock musicians, including Led Zeppelin and Jethro Tull. Novelty classic rock tribute artist Tenacious D included this in their 2001 song "Rock Your Socks," and in their 2006 film "Tenacious D In: The Pick Of Destiny," captured on the film's soundtrack as the song "Classico." By the way, the two other pieces in "Classico" are Beethoven's "Für Elise" (below) and Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" (below).

Cello Suite No. 1 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Number one of six. Collect 'em all! Popularized by contemporary cellist Yo-Yo Ma (no relation to Yo Mama). His version is used in the 2003 film "Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World."

Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  A beautiful Baroque piece often used as wedding music. Another name for his "Cantata No. 147."

Minuet In G 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Not to be confused with Beethoven's (below). This one is found in Bach's "Anna Magdalena Notebook," a book of music he put together for his second wife. Scholars think Christian Petzold, a friend of Bach's, actually wrote this piece. The tune to the 1965 hit "Lovers' Concerto" by The Toys. Willie Nelson recorded this as "Bach Minuet In G" in 1986.

Toccata And Fugue In D Minor 
Preview  Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  This pipe organ tune is commonly associated with mad scientists, Dracula, vampires and Halloween. And "Phantom Of The Opera" (below), although this piece has nothing to do with it. A portion of this piece plays before the big plane crash in the 2004 film "The Aviator." Used in the trailer and opening scene of the 1975 film "Rollerball." Look for violinist Vanessa Mae's 1995 version of this piece from her CD "The Violin Player."

Honorable Mention:  For more Bach you may have heard, check out "Cantata No. 140 (Sleepers, Wake)," "Cantata No. 208 (Sheep May Safely Graze)," and "Brandenburg Concerto No. 3."

American composer. Died the year Britney Spears was born.

Adagio For Strings 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  This somber piece says "mourning." Appeared in Oliver Stone's 1986 film "Platoon," which was parodied in the 1996 "Seinfeld" episode "The Fatigues." Also in the 2001 movie "Amélie." You may have heard electronic versions of this piece by techno DJ William Orbit in 2000 and DJ Tiesto in 2005.

Pronounced "BAY-toe-ven," his music can be summed up in one word: Moody. Considered the world's most important composer for moving music from "Classical" to "Romantic" composition, Beethoven was deaf by the time he finished his famous 5th Symphony. Immortalized by Gary Oldman in the 1994 film "Immortal Beloved," and by Ed Harris in the 2006 film "Copying Beethoven."

5th Symphony 
Preview  YouTube  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Duh-duh-duh-duuuuuuh... This is the most famous Classical Music piece ever. A disco remake of this piece titled "A 5th Of Beethoven" by Walter Murphy appeared in the 1977 film "Saturday Night Fever," which was then used in Robin Thicke's 2003 song "When I Get You Alone." Judge Judy's theme music. Featured in a 2007 TV commercial for XM satellite radio (along with Snoop Dogg). The neighbor girl's ringtone in the 2007 movie "Disturbia."

Für Elise 
Preview  YouTube  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Also called "Bagatelle in A Minor." Anyone who's ever heard a child practicing piano has heard this. He composed this for Elizabeth, one of his students. Used in a late 1980's McDonald's TV commercial with a little girl at a piano recital singing alternate lyrics in her head, "Oh I wish I was already there, instead of here, playing this song, so I could have my chocolate shake, a cheeseburger, and also, whoops, and also fries..." Featured in the 2006 film "Tenacious D In: The Pick Of Destiny," and on the soundtrack in "Classico," along with Bach's "Bouree In E Minor" (above) and Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" (below).

Minuet In G 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Not to be confused with Bach's (above). This is the one in the 1962 film "The Music Man." Students used Professor Harold Hill's "Think System" to play it.

Moonlight Sonata 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  The first movement of "Piano Sonata No. 14." The Peanuts character Schroeder, a noted Beethoven fan, plays this in the 1985 animated version of the 1967 musical "You're A Good Man Charlie Brown" while Lucy sings.

9th Symphony
Preview  Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Beethoven's ninth and final symphony is one of the most famous symphonies ever. He was the first major composer to feature a choir as prominently as instruments in a symphony, which is why it's also called the "Choral" symphony. He was completely deaf (and def, yo) when he composed it. This second movement is famous as the opening theme for the Huntley-Brinkley Report, the precursor to NBC Nightly News.

9th Symphony: Ode To Joy 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  This 4th and final movement of Beethoven's 9th Symphony is often referred to as a "symphony within a symphony." Used in the 1988 film "Die Hard," when the crooks crack the safe and get the money. Played on electric guitar in the trailer for "Live Free Or Die Hard." Also used in the mid-90s "Movies, movies, movies, movies..." ad for the cable channel Starz. The tune to the 1907 Henry van Dyke hymn "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee." The European Anthem since 1972.

Pronounced "bee-ZAY." It's important to note that Bizet was in the hizet for shizet. French opera composer famous for his "L'Arlesienne Suite," and these:

Carmen (ballet)
Habanera 
Preview  Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Beyonce sang to this tune in a 2003 "Joy Of Pepsi" ad, after starring in a 2001 urban revival of Carmen titled "Carmen: A Hip Hopera." Kind of a tango.

Carmen (ballet)
Les Toreadors (The Toreador Song) 
Preview  Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  The first part of this piece is the theme for the "Bad News Bears" movies from the late 1970's. The second part is often heard in parodies.

Pronounced "bock-er-EE-nee." Italian composer and cellist.

Minuet 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Another famous minuet, this one from the brief third movement of Boccherini's "String Quintet In E Major." Sometimes listed as "menuet," "minuetto," or rarely, "menuetto." Seems like they play this in movies wherever a string quartet or string quintet is shown, or to indicate a formal or fancy black-tie affair. Sometimes referred to as Boccherini's "Celebrated Minuet," even though we've never personally celebrated it.

"Brahms" rhymes with "moms." German composer.

Hungarian Dance No. 5 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Sounds more Kazakhstanian to us. It's nice. I like! How much? The all-female violin quartet Bond does a rousing version of this piece titled "Hungarian" on their 2004 CD "Classified."

Lullaby 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  The one, the only. Also called "Cradle Song."

Pronounced "SHO-pan." Polish composer famous for his "Minute Waltz," and this:

Funeral March 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  This is "the" funeral march, actually called "Piano Sonata No. 2 In B Flat Minor." The tune of the children's rhyme, "Pray for the dead, and the dead will pray for you." Used in old, cheesy video games when your character died.

English composer who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. They had guns back then?

Trumpet Voluntary - The Prince Of Denmark's March 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Sounds like British royalty or British wedding music, probably due to its usage in the widely televised 1981 wedding of Lady Diana to Prince Charles. Not to be confused with the Masterpiece Theater theme, see Mouret's "Rondeau," (below). In the past, this piece was sometimes misattributed Clarke's teacher, Henry Purcell. Heard in the background toward the end of the 1997 Chumbawamba song "Tubthumping."

Get music for your wedding at iTunes  Amazon mp3 

Pronounced "COPE-land." A popular American composer of ballet and orchestral music, choral music and movie scores. Famous for his "Appalachian Spring" and these:

Fanfare For The Common Man 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  The 1976 Olympics theme, and used in commercials for the U.S. Navy.

Rodeo (ballet)
Hoedown 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Used in the National Beef Council's "Beef, It's What For Dinner" TV commercials.

Pronounced "dub-YOO-see." Considered one of the most important French composers. His work helped to move classical music from the Romantic period to the Modern period.

Suite Bergamasque (suite)
Clair De Lune 
Preview  Preview  YouTube  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Literally translated it means "light of the moon," or simply "moonlight." Used in the 2001 film "Ocean's Eleven" and the 2007 film "Ocean's Thirteen" due to its association with the fountain show at the Bellagio hotel and casino in Las Vegas. Used in a 2005 commercial for Chanel No. 5 starring Nicole Kidman.

Pronounced "duh-LEEB." French opera and ballet composer.

Lakmé (opera)
Flower Duet 
Preview  Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  A pretty opera duet sung by two women, heard in movies like "The American President," "The Mirror Has Two Faces," "Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle Of Life," and "Meet The Parents," and ads for British Airways and Ghirardelli Chocolate. Also called "Viens, Mallika... Dôme Épais Le Jasmin'," which loosely translated means, "The cheese is old and moldy."

Sylvia (ballet)
Pizzicato 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  A pizzicato is a piece played by plucking strings. This particular pizzicato has been heard in lots of radio and TV commercials.

Italian composer.

Funiculi, Funicula 
Preview  Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Listening to this, you can almost taste the Italian food. Sung by almost every major opera singer, and by Larry The Cucumber (with different lyrics) in the 2001 Veggie Tales animated short "Lyle The Kindly Viking." Used for a brief song in the 1947 Disney animated short "Mickey And The Beanstalk." Also in the TV ad for the "Grape Escape" board game.

Timeline:  40 of the 50 composers on this site lived after the Wild Wild West began (with the California Gold Rush in 1848).

Pronounced "doo-KAW." French composer.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  The story of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" existed long before it was made famous by Mickey Mouse in Disney's 1940 animated film "Fantasia." This 1897 music by Dukas was inspired by the 1797 poem of the same name by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, which in turn was based on a tale by the ancient Greek poet Lucian of Samosata. The moral of the story: A problem halved is trouble doubled.

One of the greatest English composers. Self taught.

Pomp And Circumstance 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  In America, it's the walking down the aisle at graduation music. In Britain, it's the music to the patriotic song, "Land Of Hope And Glory." The entrance music for wrestler Macho Man Randy Savage - makes you wanna "snap into a Slim Jim." The music in the "Donald Duck's ark" piece in Disney's "Fantasia 2000." The beginning piano theme in the 2006 My Chemical Romance (MCR) song, "Welcome To The Black Parade." For all your pimpin' circumstances.

That's pronounced "FOO-chik," ya dirty kid, ya. Czech military orchestra conductor and composer.

Entry Of The Gladiators 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Send in the clowns! When you hear this piece, you immediately think of clowns and the circus. Translated from the German "Einzug der Gladiatoren." Gladiators must have been a lot funnier back then. Also called "Thunder And Blazes." For more circus music, see Khachaturian's "Sabre Dance" (below) and Rosas' "Over The Waves" (below).

Known more as a singer than a composer, French-born Carlos Gardel is a legendary tango figure in Argentina.

Por Una Cabeza 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  This tango is the perfect dance for two characters with tension between them, as in the 1992 movie "Scent Of A Woman," the 1993 movie "Schindler's List," the 1994 movie "True Lies," and the 2005 film "Mr. & Mrs. Smith."

American composer and half of the songwriting team (with brother Ira Gershwin) responsible for musicals like "Porgy & Bess," and "An American In Paris" and songs like "I Got Rhythm" and "Someone To Watch Over Me."

Rhapsody In Blue 
Preview  Preview  Preview  Preview  YouTube  iTunes  Amazon mp3  This mind-blowingly complex piece defies definition. Over 13 minutes long, Gershwin's first major piece blended classical and jazz to create "symphonic jazz." Appeared in Disney's animated film "Fantasia 2000" and is the United Airlines theme music.

Note:  This composition is not to be confused with the Peanuts theme, a piano piece titled "Linus and Lucy," composed by Vince Guaraldi in 1963 and used in TV ads for MetLife.

Pronounced "Greeg." Norwegian composer.

Piano Concerto In A Minor 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  One of the more famous openings of any Classical Music piece. Grieg's first and only piano concerto.

Peer Gynt (suite) Grieg composed the incidental music for this Norwegian play.
In The Hall Of The Mountain King 
Preview  Preview  YouTube  YouTube  iTunes  Amazon mp3  At first "sneaky," this piece builds to a frantic, frightening end. In too many movies, trailers and video games to count, including the teaser trailer for Tim Burton's 2005 film "Corpse Bride." The music for British theme park Alton Towers. The inspiration for the Inspector Gadget theme song. On Apple Macintosh computers, the "Cellos" system voice "sings" to this tune. The Finnish heavy-metal cello group Apocalyptica covered this on their 2000 album "Cult."

Peer Gynt (suite)
Morning 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Sometimes called "Morning Mood." If you're looking for another piece that says "morning," check out the first link under Rossini's "William Tell Overture" (below). The pieces are used almost interchangeably to set the scene for morning time in cartoons, movies and TV shows.

Pronounced like the word "handle." German born British Baroque composer famous for his "Royal Fireworks Music" and these:

Solomon (opera)
Arrival Of The Queen Of Sheba 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Music that says "old," "stuffy," "regal," or "British" - or even all four. Popular at weddings.

Messiah (oratorio)
Hallelujah Chorus 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Bet you never heard this before. Handel's "Messiah" is often performed around Christmas time.

Water Music (suite)
Suite No. 2 In D, Alla Hornpipe 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  More old, stuffy, regal, British sounding music.

Born in Wales, trained in England, this modern day composer started with the 1970s jazz fusion band Soft Machine. Jenkins is famous for his series of "Adiemus" compositions, and this:

Palladio 
Preview  YouTube  iTunes  Amazon mp3  From the "A Diamond Is Forever" De Beers TV commercials with the silhouettes. Dude, the comparative mathematical proportionality of the measurements in context of the overall composition is totally off the chain. Silent Nick released a house version of this piece in 2002.

Pronounced "catch-uh-TUR-ee-un." Russian composer.

Gayane (ballet)
Sabre Dance 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  This crazy, hyperactive piece is a "mazurka" - a Polish folk dance. Sounds like magic show, juggling, or plate-spinning music - very "cartoony." While this piece was never heard in the 1985 film "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure," it's most certainly the inspiration for Danny Elfman's "Breakfast Machine," a.k.a. "The Pee-Wee Herman Theme" from the film's soundtrack. For more circus music, see Fucik's "Entry Of The Gladiators" (above) and Rosas' "Over The Waves" (below).

Pronounced "List." This Hungarian virtuoso pianist and composer was the world's first rock star, famous worldwide for his live performances. Hordes of frenzied female fans would show up to his concerts, some even throwing their jewelry on stage. Guess panties hadn't been invented yet.

Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 
Preview  Preview  YouTube  iTunes  iTunes  Amazon mp3  The ultimate piece for cartoons, like Warner Brothers' "Rhapsody Rabbit" featuring Bugs Bunny and MGM's "The Cat Concerto" featuring Tom the Cat, both from 1946, both with nearly identical plots. Daffy Duck And Donald Duck play this together on dueling pianos at the Ink And Paint Club in the 1988 film "Who Framed Roger Rabbit."

Note:  Although this 1847 composition is widely used in Warner Brothers cartoons, it is not the Looney Tunes theme or the Merrie Melodies theme. The Looney Tunes theme is "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down," written in 1937 by Cliff Friend and Dave Franklin. The Merrie Melodies theme is "Merrily We Roll Along," written in 1935 by Eddie Cantor, Murray Mencher and Charles Tobias.

Pronounced "fronk-en-SHTEEN." Heh, kidding. It's "MEN-dell-son." Perhaps the greatest child prodigy after Mozart, Mendelssohn began taking piano lessons at six, made his first public concert appearance at the age of nine, published his first composition by the time he was thirteen, and wrote his first symphony at the age of fifteen.

Wedding March 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Mendelssohn's most popular piece, part of his contribution to William Shakespeare's play "A Midsummer Night's Dream," is the backdrop for the climactic wedding scene. And countless weddings since, usually as the recessional music as the bride and groom leave the church. By the way, this piece and Wagner's "Wedding March" (below) only became widely used in weddings after they were selected by Victoria, The Princess Royal, for her marriage to the Crown Prince of Prussia on January 25, 1858. What a trendsetter.

Get music for your wedding at iTunes  Amazon mp3 

Pronounced "moo-RAY." French composer.

Rondeau 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  From "The First Symphonic Suite." The "Masterpiece Theater" theme. Or for Sesame Street fans, the basis for the theme to Cookie Monster's "Monsterpiece Theater." Mmmm. Me want cookie.

Pronounced "MOTE-zart." The most brilliant composer ever. From the time he was a child, music gushed frantically from his head to the paper almost nonstop. So hyperactive was his musical thought process that he was often criticized for having compositions with "too many notes."

It has been suggested that Mozart had Tourette's syndrome - an obsessive compulsive disorder characterized by having a compulsion and trying to control it - which is why his music may run off in chaotic directions, but he always brings it back under control. Mozart is famous for the opera "Don Giovanni" and these:

Ah! Vous Dirai - Je, Maman 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Better known as "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." Also the tune of "The Alphabet Song (Now I Know My ABCs)" and "Bah, Bah, Black Sheep" in case you hadn't noticed. Mozart didn't actually compose the tune himself, but he's famous for his variations of it.

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Mozart's most famous piece. "A Little Night Music" sounds so much cooler when you say it in German. Sets the stage for posh parties, banquets or balls in movies. The intro music for the original 1983 "Mario Bros." Nintendo game. Featured in the 2006 film "Tenacious D In: The Pick Of Destiny," and on the soundtrack in "Classico," along with Bach's "Bouree In E Minor" (above) and Beethoven's "Für Elise" (above). The tune sung by "The Four Peters" in the 2005 episode of Family Guy titled "Model Misbehavior."

Piano Concerto No. 21 In C 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Nicknamed "Elvira Madigan" because of its heavy usage in the 1967 film of the same name.

Piano Sonata No. 11 In A, Rondo Alla Turca 
Preview  Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  One of the more annoying vintage Nokia ringtones. Played on electric guitar at the beginning of the song "Play With Me" by Extreme, which appears in the 1989 film "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" while Beethoven plays keyboards during the mall chase scene.

Piano Sonata No. 16 In C 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Raymond Scott had a 1939 hit with his adaptation of this theme, titled "In an Eighteenth-Century Drawing Room," which was used as Granny's music in Sylvester and Tweety Looney Tunes cartoons.

Symphony No. 25 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Featured in the 1984 film "Amadeus."

Symphony No. 40 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Mozart's most popular symphony.

The Magic Flute (opera)
Queen Of The Night 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  This aria is heard in the 1984 film "Amadeus." Also in the 2000 film "Miss Congeniality," and on lots of cell phones as the "aria" ringtone. Natasha Marsh sang this for the Euro 2008 theme. It is referred to by this name because it's the more famous of two arias sung by the Queen Of The Night character in this opera. It's really called "Der Hölle Rache Kocht In Meinem Herzen," or "Hell's Vengeance Boils In My Heart." We think Mozart wrote this piece - which spans two octaves - just so he could see the performer commit vocal suicide.

The Marriage Of Figaro (opera) A sequel to the story of "The Barber Of Seville," which itself was later turned into an opera by Rossini.
Overture 
Preview  YouTube  iTunes  Amazon mp3  The song for the musical lock to the candy room in the 1971 film "Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory." The movie script called for the know-it-all Mrs. Teevee to incorrectly identify the composer as Rachmaninov.

The Marriage Of Figaro (opera)
Wedding March 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3 

Requiem (funeral) Mass 
Dies Irae 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Movie Trailer Alert! An intense, evil-sounding, dramatic choir piece perfect for dark, scary movie trailers. For similar pieces, see Carl Orff's "O Fortuna" (below) and Verdi's "Dies Irae" (below). Pronounced "dee-ace EE-ray," it means "Day Of Wrath." Mozart was working feverishly on this funeral mass when he died. Hey, who ordered the irony?

Also spelled "Musorgsky." Commonly pronounced "moo-SORG-skee," but really it's "MOO-sorg-skee." Yeah we know, who cares. Russian composer famous for "Pictures At An Exhibition," and this:

Night On Bald Mountain 
Preview  Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  The music for Chernabog, the evil demon guy on top of the mountain in Disney's 1940 animated film "Fantasia." Nothing says "rain," "thunder," or "lightning" like this piece. A very "dark and stormy night" classic horror movie feel. Sometimes called "Night On Bare Mountain" due to differences in translation.

Pronounced "OFF-in-bock." French composer.

Orpheus In The Underworld (opera)
Infernal Galop 
Preview  Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  The first part of this piece is used as the music to "The Pitch (Spectacular Spectacular)" in the 2001 film "Moulin Rouge." The second part of this piece is the most familiar example of the "can-can." Can can can you do the can can?

Honorable Mention:  Offenbach's "Gendarmes' Duet" from his 1859 opera "Geneviève de Brabant" is the tune to the "Marine Hymn." C'mon, you know the words! "From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli..."

German composer and educator. Died the year the Commodore 64 personal computer came out.

Carmina Burana (oratorio)
O Fortuna 
Preview  YouTube  iTunes  Amazon mp3  Movie Trailer Alert! This intense, almost evil-sounding choir music is used for dramatic effect in dark, scary apocalyptic movie trailers. It has become so overused that it is now considered cliché, and more often used for parody, rather than serious purposes. Used in the 1981 film "Excalibur," the 1991 film "The Doors," and famously parodied at the beginning and end of the 2002 film "Jackass: The Movie." Used in the 2005 "Big Ad," for Australian-made Carlton Draught beer, and in the Christmas 2004 barbarian raider TV commercial for Capital One.

This piece is also the intro, entrance, or theme music used by Sean Hannity and other radio personalities, at rock concerts by artists like The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson and 30 Seconds To Mars, by wrestler The Undertaker for his ring entrance at WWE WrestleMania XIV, and by Late Night with Conan O'Brien for the "Evil Puppy." Sometimes associated with Dracula and vampires due to its usage in the 1993 video game "Dracula Unleashed." James Horner borrows heavily from the structure of this piece for "Charging Fort Wagner" in the 1989 film "Glory."

For similar pieces, see Mozart's "Dies Irae" (above) and Verdi's "Dies Irae" (below).

Commonly pronounced "POCK-uh-bell," but technically it's "pah-KELL-bull." German composer of Protestant church music.

Canon In D 
Preview  Preview  YouTube  YouTube  iTunes  Amazon mp3  The original one-hit wonder, also referred to as "Canon And Gigue For Three Violins And Basso Continuo In D Major." Remade with a screaming electric guitar by internet sensation JerryC as "Canon Rock" in 2005. Trans-Siberian Orchestra features a Christmas version of this piece called (what else?) "Christmas Canon" on their 1998 CD "The Christmas Attic." Commonly used as wedding music or processional music. If this is not the "walking down the aisle" music you're looking for, try Bach's "Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring" (above) or Elgar's "Pomp And Circumstance" (above).

Get music for your wedding at iTunes  Amazon mp3 

Timeline:  Pachelbel, the oldest composer on this page, was born 33 years after the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock.

Pronounced "pon-kee-EL-ee." Italian opera composer.

La Gioconda (opera)
Dance Of The Hours 
Preview  Preview  YouTube  YouTube  iTunes  Amazon mp3  You may have heard this piece as the K9 Advantix theme song in the 2004 TV commercial with the cute singing puppy, which is a take-off on Alan Sherman's 1963 comedy routine, "Hello muddah, hello fadduh... here I am at Camp Grenada." The music for the dancing ostriches, hippos, elephants and crocodiles in the 1940 Disney animated film "Fantasia."

Pronounced "pro-KOFF-yev." Russian composer, considered to be one of the greatest of the 20th century.

Peter And The Wolf (A 35-minute musical story that Prokofiev wrote for his children in which each character is represented by an instrument.)
The Story Begins 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3 

Also spelled "Rachmaninoff." Pronounced "rock-MAW-nun-off." No, you rock my nun off. Russian composer. Cool name.

Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini (18th Variation) 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  This sweeping, romantic music was used in the 1980 movie "Somewhere In Time." The sentimental piano says "love scene." Bill Murray learns to play this song on the piano in the 1993 movie "Groundhog Day."

Note:  If you're looking for the "Rachmaninov" piece from the 1971 film "Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory," you actually want Mozart's "The Marriage Of Figaro Overture" (above). The movie script called for the know-it-all Mrs. Teevee to identify the composer incorrectly.

Pronounced "ruh-VELL." Generally considered the greatest French composer since Debussy. (Of course, if you're going to tell anyone that, make sure you pronounce "Debussy" like "dub-YOO-see.")

Bolero 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  A melody repeated 18 times without change. After his death, it was suggested that Ravel was possibly succumbing to Alzheimer's disease when he wrote it. The world's longest musical crescendo, this beautifully seductive piece was the love scene music in the 1979 film "10" with Bo Derek. The music for British figure skating duo Torvill and Dean's perfect gold medal performance at the 1984 Winter Olympics. Sampled in Rufus Wainwright's 2003 song "Oh What A World."

British Army Lieutenant who composed (mostly marches) under the pseudonym Kenneth Alford. Called the "British March King," he was Britain's equivalent of America's John Philip Sousa (below).

Colonel Bogey March 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  This 1914 march was used famously in the 1957 film "The Bridge On The River Kwai," as a sly reference to its usage in World War II as the crude march cadence, "Hitler Has Only Got One Ball." It's also the tune of the children's song "Comet." C'mon, you know the words! "Comet, it makes your teeth turn green. Comet, it tastes like gasoline. Comet, it makes you vomit. So get some Comet, and vomit today!"

Also spelled "Korssakoff." Russian composer. Long name. Famous for his "Scheherazade" suite, and this:

Tsar Saltan (ballet)
Flight Of The Bumblebee 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  This light but manic piece brings to mind the buzzing of a bee or swarm of bees. The music for the Nasonex bee in a 2006 TV commercial. Look for a killer version of this piece by Croation pianist Maksim Mrvica on his 2003 CD "The Piano Player."

José Juventino Policarpo Rosas Cadenas was a Mexican musician and composer with a long-ass name.

Over The Waves 
Preview  iTunes  Amazon mp3  This is possibly the most famous song you know that you didn't know you knew. This classic waltz sounds Viennese, as if it was composed by Johann Strauss Jr. (below). It calls to mind calliope music played at a circus or carnival midway, or maybe on a merry-go-round or carousel. Translated from the Spanish, "Sobre Las Olas." For more circus music, see Fucik's "Entry Of The Gladiators" (above) and Khachaturian's "Sabre Dance" (above).

Pronounced "raw-SEE-nee." Italian operatic composer. Famous for his opera "Semiramide," and these:

The Barber Of Seville (opera)
Largo Al Factotum (Figaro) 
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