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

Charge Suite (suite)
Bugler's Dream 
  iTunes  Amazon 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 in his day for his mad piano and organ playing skills 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 famous for interweaving two or more melodies into any given piece. Famous for "The Well Tempered Clavier" and these:

Air On The G String 
  iTunes  Amazon An "air" (or "aria" in Italian) is a type of song or melody. The version of this particular air you hear today is a famous arrangement of the second movement of Bach's "Underwear Suite"... uh, "Orchestral Suite No. 3." The musical inspiration for Procol Harum's 1967 hit, "A Whiter Shade Of Pale." Sampled in the 1997 Sweetbox song "Everything's Gonna Be Alright."

Bourrée In E Minor 
  iTunes  Amazon From the fifth movement of Bach's "Suite For Lute No. 1 In E Minor," this is 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 a song in their 2006 film "Tenacious D In: The Pick Of Destiny," featured on the film's soundtrack as "Classico." By the way, the two other pieces in "Classico" are Beethoven's "Für Elise" (below) and Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" (below).

Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 
  iTunes  Amazon Bach's six Brandenburg Concertos are among the finest compositions of the Baroque era, showcasing unprecedented composition and using several instruments. The first movement of Bach's third Brandenburg Concerto is the most famous of these.

Cello Suite No. 1 
  iTunes  Amazon Pronounce it "Chello Sweet." Number one of six. Collect 'em all! This piece is the "Prelude." 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." The piece is also played by Jamie Foxx in the 2009 film "The Soloist."

Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring 
  iTunes  Amazon A beautiful Baroque piece often played at Christmas, and used today as wedding music. From his "Cantata No. 147."

Minuet In G 
  iTunes  Amazon 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 
   iTunes  Amazon This pipe organ tune is commonly associated with mad scientists, Dracula, vampires and Halloween. And "Phantom Of The Opera," 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 "Sleepers, Wake" from "Cantata No. 140," and "Sheep May Safely Graze" from "Cantata No. 208."

American composer. Died the year Britney Spears was born. Lose one musical genius, gain another.

Adagio For Strings 
  iTunes  Amazon One of the saddest piece of classical music ever composed. A rearrangement of the second movement of his "String Quartet In B Minor," this somber piece says "mourning." Played at funerals for Albert Einstein and Princess Grace of Monaco, and in slow motion scenes in war films, like 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."

Für Elise 
  YouTube  iTunes  Amazon Also called "Bagatelle In A Minor." Anyone who's ever heard a child practicing piano has heard this. 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 "Bourrée In E Minor" (above) and Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" (below).

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

Symphony No. 5 
  YouTube  iTunes  Amazon 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."

Symphony No. 7 
    iTunes  Amazon Beethoven called this symphony one of his best works. This second movement was used in the final speech scene of the 2010 film "The King's Speech."

Symphony No. 9
   iTunes  Amazon 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. The "Countdown With Keith Olbermann" theme.

Symphony No. 9: Ode To Joy 
  iTunes  Amazon 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 the 2007 sequel "Live Free Or Die Hard." Also used in the mid-90s "Movies, movies, movies, movies..." ad for the cable channel Starz. The music in the video game Peggle for "Extreme Fever." The tune to the 1907 Henry van Dyke hymn "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee." The European Anthem since 1972. The music that triggers the bomb in the 2008 film "Get Smart."

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 
   iTunes  Amazon From "Carmen Suite No. 2." 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. This piece played in the 2009 Disney-Pixar film "Up" as Carl Fredricksen took the motorized chair down the stairs.

Carmen (ballet)
Les Toreadors 
   iTunes  Amazon From "Carmen Suite No. 1." 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. A toreador is a bullfighter (matador).

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

Minuet 
  iTunes  Amazon 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. Or old British ladies enjoying crumpets and tea. Sometimes referred to as Boccherini's "Celebrated Minuet," even though we've never personally celebrated it.

"Brahms" rhymes with "moms." German composer famous for his "Academic Festival Overture" and these:

Hungarian Dance No. 5 
  iTunes  Amazon 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 
  iTunes  Amazon The one, the only. Also called "Cradle Song" and "Wiegenlied."

Pronounced "SHO-pan." Polish composer famous for piano pieces like nocturnes, polonaises, etudes, "Minute Waltz," and this:

Funeral March 
  iTunes  Amazon 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.

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 
  iTunes  Amazon The 1976 Olympics theme, and used in commercials for the U.S. Navy.

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

Pronounced "deb-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 
   YouTube  iTunes  Amazon 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. Bella and Edward dance to this in Edward's room in the 2008 film "Twilight." Featured in a 2005 commercial for Chanel No. 5 starring Nicole Kidman.

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

Lakmé (opera)
Flower Duet 
   iTunes  Amazon 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 
  iTunes  Amazon A pizzicato is a piece played by plucking strings. This particular pizzicato has been heard in lots of radio and TV commercials.

Pronounced "doo-KAW." French composer.

Sorcerer's Apprentice 
  iTunes  Amazon 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.

Timeline:  40 of the 50 composers in the Top 100 after the Wild Wild West began (with the California Gold Rush in 1848).

Pronounced "duh-VOR-shock." (That last part sounds more like the French name "Jacques.") Czech composer.

Symphony No. 9 
    iTunes  Amazon The "Symphony No. 9 In E Minor - From The New World," popularly known as the "New World Symphony" was composed in 1893 during a visit to the United States. This fourth movement is the most famous. Notice the part that John Williams (below) ripped off for his theme to the 1975 film "Jaws."

One of the greatest English composers. Self taught.

Pomp And Circumstance March No. 1 
  iTunes  Amazon 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 
  iTunes  Amazon Send in the clowns! When you hear this piece, you immediately think of carnivals, funfairs, clowns and circuses. 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).

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 
    YouTube  iTunes  Amazon This mind-blowingly complex piece defies definition. Over 16 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 famous for his "Holberg Suite" and these:

Piano Concerto 
  iTunes  Amazon 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 
   YouTube  YouTube  iTunes  Amazon 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." A version of this by Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor is heard in the rowing race scene in the 2010 film "The Social Network."

Peer Gynt (suite)
Morning Mood 
  iTunes  Amazon 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:

Messiah (oratorio)
Hallelujah Chorus 
  iTunes  Amazon Bet you never heard this before. Handel's "Messiah" was first performed during Lent (leading up to Easter), but it is now mostly performed during Advent (leading up to Christmas).

Solomon (oratorio)
Arrival Of The Queen Of Sheba 
  iTunes  Amazon Music that says "old," "stuffy," "regal," or "British" - or even all four. Popular at weddings. Interesting story about this piece... a queen of some place called Sheba arrived somewhere.

Water Music (suite)
Suite 2 (Alla Hornpipe) 
  iTunes  Amazon More old, stuffy, regal, British sounding music. "Water Music" is divided into three suites, and "Alla Hornpipe" is the nickname for the second suite, also titled "Suite No. 2 In D Major."

English composer.

The Planets (suite)
Mars, The Bringer Of War 
    iTunes  Amazon A kickass, powerful, intense piece to embody the astrological spirit of the Red Planet, named after the Roman god of war. Notice the similarities between this piece and John Williams' "Imperial March" from the 1980 film "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back." (below). This piece comes before "Uranus, The Bringer Of... Damn, What Did You Eat, Bro?"

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 
  YouTube  iTunes  Amazon 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." Armenian composer.

Gayane (ballet)
Sabre Dance 
  iTunes  Amazon This hyperactive piece calls to mind circuses, acrobats, magic shows, juggling, trapeze artists or plate-spinning acts - 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 
   YouTube  iTunes  Amazon The ultimate piece for cartoons, like Warner Brothers' "Rhapsody Rabbit" featuring Bugs Bunny and MGM's "The Cat Concerto" featuring Tom And Jerry, 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."

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.

Liebestraum No. 3 
  iTunes  Amazon The title means "Dreams Of Love" in German. The final and most famous of a set of three solo piano works. Sweet and sentimental.

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 
  iTunes  Amazon 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

Pronounced "moo-RAY." French composer.

Rondeau 
  iTunes  Amazon 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 may explain 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:

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik 
  iTunes  Amazon "A Little Night Music" sounds so much cooler when you say it in German. Actually titled "Serenade No. 13 For Strings In G Major," it is arguably Mozart's most famous piece. This first movement 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 "Bourrée 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."

The Magic Flute (opera)
Overture 
  iTunes  Amazon One of Mozart's most famous overtures. The Magic Flute, or "Die Zauberflöte" in German, is still one of the most performed operas today.

The Magic Flute (opera)
Queen Of The Night 
  iTunes  Amazon 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 
  iTunes  Amazon 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. Played in the 2009 film "Zombieland" when they smash up the Indian store.

Piano Concerto No. 21 
  iTunes  Amazon The second movement of this concerto is nicknamed "Elvira Madigan" because of its heavy usage in the 1967 film of the same name.

Piano Sonata No. 11: Rondo Alla Turca 
   iTunes  Amazon 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 
  iTunes  Amazon 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.

Requiem (funeral) Mass 
Dies Irae 
  iTunes  Amazon 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?

Requiem (funeral) Mass 
Lacrimosa 
  YouTube  iTunes  Amazon A slow but intense piece often used for over-the-top dramatic effect.

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

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 
   iTunes  Amazon 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.

His first name is pronounced a lot like "shock," last name pronounced "OFF-in-bock." We call him "Jacques Off" for short. Haha, kidding. German-born French composer.

Orpheus In The Underworld (opera)
Infernal Galop 
   iTunes  Amazon 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:  Check out the "Galop" from Offenbach's 1867 revision of his 1859 opera "Geneviève de Brabant." It's the tune to the "Marines' 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 
  YouTube  iTunes  Amazon 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 
   YouTube  YouTube  iTunes  Amazon 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). Not to be confused with Taco Bell's Canon, which has a slightly different sound.

Get music for your wedding at iTunes  Amazon

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 
   YouTube  YouTube  iTunes  Amazon 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
The Story Begins 
  iTunes  Amazon "Peter And The Wolf" is a 35-minute musical story that Prokofiev wrote for his children. Each character is represented by an instrument.

Romeo And Juliet (ballet)
Montagues And Capulets 
  iTunes  Amazon Also called "Dance Of The Knights," this menacing, resolute piece means marching, conflict and entering into battle.

Pronounced "poo-CHEE-nee." Italian composer famous for his operas "La Bohème," "Tosca," "Madame Butterfly," and this:

Turandot (opera)
Nessun Dorma 
    iTunes  Amazon Sung by Paul Potts to win the first season of "Britain's Got Talent" in 2007.

Also spelled "Rachmaninoff." Pronounced "rock-MAW-nun-off." No, you rock MY nun off. Amazing pianist. Russian composer. Cool name. Famous for his "Prelude In C-Sharp Minor," and this:

Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini (18th Variation) 
  iTunes  Amazon 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 "deb-yoo-SEE.")

Bolero 
  iTunes  Amazon 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 
  iTunes  Amazon This 1914 march was used famously in the 1957 film "The Bridge On The River Kwai," as a sly reference to the World War II usage of the tune 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:

The Tale Of Tsar Saltan (ballet)
Flight Of The Bumblebee 
  iTunes  Amazon 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 
  iTunes  Amazon 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 fairs, circuses, or carnival midways, or maybe on merry-go-rounds or carousels. For more circus music, see Fucik's "Entry Of The Gladiators" (above) and Khachaturian's "Sabre Dance" (above). Translated from the Spanish, "Sobre Las Olas." The tune to the song "The Loveliest Night Of The Year," and the children's song "George Washington Bridge."

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

The Barber Of Seville (opera)
Largo Al Factotum (Figaro) 
   YouTube  iTunes  Amazon The most popular opera piece ever. Robin Williams sings this as a cartoon bird in the 1993 film "Mrs. Doubtfire." So does Michigan J. Frog in the 1955 Merrie Melodies short "One Froggy Evening." As does Willie the whale in the 1946 Disney animated short "The Whale Who Wanted To Sing At The Met." Featured in the 2006 animated TV ad for Hershey's Kissables candy coated mini kisses. By the way, the Figaro here is the same character as in Mozart's "The Marriage Of Figaro" opera.

The Barber Of Seville (opera)
Overture 
   iTunes  Amazon Bugs Bunny in "The Rabbit Of Seville" anyone?

The Thieving Magpie (opera)
Overture 
  YouTube  iTunes  Amazon Used in movies to denote mischief. And ultra-violence in scenes from Stanley Kubrick's 1971 film "A Clockwork Orange." And "colour like no other" in the 2006 British TV advert for the Sony "Bravia" TV, featuring spectacular paint explosions.

William Tell (opera)
Overture: Call To The Cows 
  iTunes  Amazon With the help of birds chirping, this piece sets the stage for springtime, sunrise, and morning time in cartoons, movies and TV shows. Used almost interchangeably with Grieg's "Morning" (above) for this purpose. Begins about six minutes into the full 12-minute overture. This portion of the piece is called "Ranz Des Vaches," or "Call To The Cows."

William Tell (opera)
Overture: Finale 
  iTunes  Amazon The three-minute conclusion of this overture is the most kick-assical piece ever written. And nothing says galloping horses or Kentucky derby style horse racing like this. Yeehaw, cowboy! The "Lone Ranger" TV show theme. The tune of the "Happy Anniversary" song from the February 1961 episode of The Flintstones titled "The Hot Piano." Not to be confused with "First Call," the trumpet fanfare or bugle call played at the track before a horse race during the call to post.

Pronounced "sane-SAWNZ." French composer, pianist, and organist.

Carnival Of The Animals (suite)
Aquarium 
   iTunes  Amazon Featured in TV ads for Disney Cruise Line. A rock version of this piece is the soundtrack for Disneyland's indoor roller coaster Space Mountain. The inspiration for "Prologue" from the soundtrack to Disney's 1991 animated feature "Beauty And The Beast."

Carnival Of The Animals (suite)
Finale 
  YouTube  iTunes  Amazon The music from the "flamingo with a yo-yo" scene in Disney's animated film "Fantasia 2000." Also used as the menu music on the DVD.

Honorable Mention:  Also check out his "Symphony No. 3 In C Minor (Organ)." It's the tune to the 1977 British pop song "If I Had Words" by Scott Fitzgerald and Yvonne Keeley, which was sung at the end of the 1998 movie "Babe, Pig In The City."

Pronounced "SUE-zuh." American march master, and founding member of Sousapalooza, lol omfg j/k. But seriously, he was cool enough to get a musical instrument named after him. The tuba-like instrument used in marching bands is called a "sousaphone." When you hear Sousa, you can't help but think of marching bands, parades, and the 4th of July, America's Independence Day.

The Stars And Stripes Forever 
   iTunes  Amazon "Be kind to your web-footed friends..." Sousa's most popular piece.

The Washington Post 
  iTunes  Amazon Played by every marching band at every college football game ever.

"Strauss" rhymes with "house," and his first name is pronounced "YO-hawn." The father of Johann Strauss, Jr. This bandleader was known as the "Father Of The Viennese Waltz."

Radetzky March 
  iTunes  Amazon This familiar march often concludes Strauss concerts and CDs.

"Strauss" rhymes with "house," and his first name is pronounced "YO-hawn." The son of Johann Strauss, Sr. Surpassed his father in popularity to become the "Waltz King Of Vienna."

The Blue Danube 
  iTunes  Amazon Strauss Jr. was discouraged by his dad to go into music. Then he went on to compose this - the most famous waltz of all time. See what you might miss out on if you listen to your parents? Featured in the 1999 Spongebob Squarepants "Jellyfishing" episode, and is the gastrointestinal bypass surgery music in the 2003 film "Super Size Me." The music for the space port docking scene in Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film "2001: A Space Odyssey."

Tritsch-Tratsch Polka 
   iTunes  Amazon "Tritsch-tratsch" means "chit-chat." A light, comic piece played when Fender and Rodney skate on ball bearings in the 2005 animated film "Robots."

"Strauss" also rhymes with "house," even though this guy is not related to the Viennese waltz family above. Oh, and his first name is pronounced "REE-card," as in "let's get Richarded in here."

Also Sprach Zarathustra 
  YouTube  iTunes  Amazon This half-hour tone poem begins with its most familiar part, called "dawn," "sunrise," or just "introduction." The theme to Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film "2001: A Space Odyssey." Used ever since to indicate the feeling of something happening on a grand scale, including the television transfer of Mike Teavee in the 2005 film "Charlie And The Chocolate Factory." Elvis played this before going on stage at some of his live concerts, and WWE wrestler Rick Flair has used it as his entrance music. The 1972 remake of this piece by Eumir Deodato was a Top 40 hit. The title, which means "Thus Spoke Zarathustra," was inspired by the book of the same name by German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.

Pronounced "sue-PAY." Austrian composer famous for "Poet And Peasant Overture," "Morning, Noon And Night In Vienna," and this:

Light Cavalry Overture 
  iTunes  Amazon Another horse trot, horse gallop, horse race tune. This one has been parodied by Spike Jones, Bugs Bunny, and other cartoon characters. Not to be confused with "First Call," the trumpet fanfare or bugle call played at the horse track before a horse race during the call to post.

Also spelled "Tschaikowsky" and "Chaikovksy." Pronounced "chai-KOFF-skee" (no matter how it's spelled). This Russian composer is sheer genius - right up there with Mozart. And gay, by the way.

1812 Overture 
  iTunes  Amazon Also called "The Year 1812, Festival Overture In E Flat Major," Tchaikovsky's most popular composition was written in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of Russia's victory over Napoleon in 1812. It has nothing to do with the other War Of 1812, in which the United States Of America battled the United Kingdom Of Great Britain. Still, it is often heard at 4th of July concerts by the Boston Pops and other symphony orchestras, perhaps because its explosive sound compliments fireworks celebrations. The "1812 Overture" plays when the Houses of Parliament get blown up in the 2006 film "V For Vendetta."

100 years before the first rapper sampled someone else's music, mix-master Tchaikovsky incorporated Russian hymns and folk songs with his own melodies, set the French national anthem "La Marseillaise" against the Russian national anthem at the time, "God Save The Czar," and topped it all off with ringing church bells and live cannon fire. This was Tchaikovsky's "sell out" piece - he got a shload of money for it, but he felt the piece was "loud and noisy," and "without artistic merit." And then he went back to writing his little ballets.

The Nutcracker (ballet) Traditionally performed around Christmas. Most of these appeared in Disney's 1940 animated film "Fantasia."
Dance Of The Mirlitons (Reed Flutes or Reed Pipes) 
  iTunes  Amazon Used in Jiffy Lube radio ads in 2000. "I wish I had gone to Jiffy Lube, then I wouldn't feel like a gigantic boob. It's not like some others. Run by deadbeat brothers..."

The Nutcracker (ballet)
Dance Of The Sugar-Plum Fairy 
  iTunes  Amazon Nothing says "sneaking around the house on Christmas night" like this piece. Used in lots of Christmas ads where kids discover Santa stuffing the stocking. Played at the beginning of Trans-Siberian Orchestra's rock instrumental "A Mad Russian's Christmas." "Music - 1" in the original 1989 NES version of the video game "Tetris."

The Nutcracker (ballet)
March 
  iTunes  Amazon

The Nutcracker (ballet)
Tea (Chinese Dance) 
  YouTube  iTunes  Amazon Remember the Chinese mushrooms in Disney's "Fantasia?"

The Nutcracker (ballet)
Trepak (Russian Dance) 
  YouTube  iTunes  Amazon When you think of kickass Russian Classical Music, you think of this piece. A rock version is heard in Trans-Siberian Orchestra's "A Mad Russian's Christmas."

The Nutcracker (ballet)
Waltz Of The Flowers 
   iTunes  Amazon This music plays during a flashback scene in which Peter goes synchronized swimming with bulls in a 2006 episode of Family Guy, "Brian Sings and Swings."

Piano Concerto No. 1 
   iTunes  Amazon Popularized in 1958 by Ray Conniff's single "Favorite Theme From Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto."

Romeo And Juliet Fantasy Overture 
  iTunes  Amazon This is the quintessential "love at first sight" or "falling in love" music used in movies like the 1992 comedy "Wayne's World." Also the kissing music from "The Sims" video game. A sweeping, "love scene" piece. Picture "two lovers running toward each other in slow motion."

Swan Lake (ballet)
Scene 
   iTunes  Amazon Also called "Swan Theme," as it's repeated several times throughout the ballet. Check out Clint Mansell's adaptation of this theme on his soundtrack to the 2010 film "Black Swan."

Honorable Mention:  If you've seen "The Nutcracker," you might also recognize "Miniature Overture." And "Pas De Deux," which is simply eight notes of an octave descending in order. Also check out "Waltz," "March," and "Dance Of The Little Swans" from "Swan Lake."

Pronounced "VAIR-dee." Italian composer famous for such operas as "Aida," "La Traviata," and these:

Il Trovatore (opera)
Anvil Chorus 
  iTunes  Amazon Also called "Vedi! Le Fosche Notturne Spoglie." Here's a guy who, over 100 years ago, decided to use an anvil as the primary percussion in his piece. Now that's punk rock. Pig. Plucky is hit by falling anvils to this music in the 1990 Tiny Toon Adventure, "The Anvil Chorus."

Requiem (funeral) Mass
Dies Irae
  iTunes  Amazon 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" (above) and Mozart's own "Dies Irae" (above). Pronounced "dee-ace EE-ray," it means "Day Of Wrath."

Rigoletto (opera)
La Donna È Mobile 
  iTunes  Amazon A famous opera piece often parodied by wacky radio personalities. "Rick Dees is on the air, he is beyond compare..." This tune can be heard on the Double Cleff FM radio station in the 2001 video game "Grand Theft Auto III." The title means "woman is fickle."

Pronounced "vih-VAWL-dee." Italian composer and violinist.

Four Seasons (suite)
Spring 
  iTunes  Amazon This is the most recognized of the four concertos, beating out "Winter," "Summer," and "Fall" in nationwide taste tests. Indicates a fancy or formal affair, used as dinner music for rich people, or to signify aristocracy in general. The music for "The History Of The Word F---," a famous piece of internet humor, recently distributed as a viral video titled "Using Proper English."

Four Seasons (suite)
Winter 
    iTunes  Amazon This piece appears in a cool techno song by Takayuki Ishikawa, a.k.a. DJ Taka, titled simply "V," featured in the 1999 video game "Beatmania II DX 5th Style" and later in the 2002 video game "Dance Dance Revolution Extreme" as "V For Extreme."

That's "VAWG-ner" to you. And his first name is pronounced "REE-card." German composer famous for "The Flying Dutchman," "Tannhäuser," and these:

Die Walküre (The Valkyrie) (opera)
Ride Of The Valkyries 
  iTunes  Amazon The music to the "Kill The Wabbit" song that a Viking helmet wearing Elmer Fudd sings as he chases Bugs Bunny in the 1957 Looney Tunes cartoon "What's Opera, Doc?" And the music playing as the helicopters go to kick some ass in the 1979 film "Apocalypse Now," a scene that Marines watch in the 2005 movie "Jarhead." Sounds kind of "Star Wars"-ish. By the way, the valkyries are maidens in Norse mythology who choose the heroes to die in battle and transport them to the afterlife.

Lohengrin (opera)
Bridal Chorus 
  iTunes  Amazon Everybody knows this piece as "Here Comes The Bride," the processional music played at weddings when the bride enters and walks down the aisle. See Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" (above) for the recessional music.

Get music for your wedding at iTunes  Amazon

French composer known for his waltzes. A contemporary of Johann Strauss Jr.

The Skater's Waltz 
  iTunes  Amazon Titled "Les Patineurs Valse" in French. You'll hear this classical waltz with lots of jingle bells around Christmas time.

It is fitting that American film composer John Williams is last on this list, since he has ripped off - uh, "drawn inspiration from" - most of the composers on this page. A brilliant composer in his own right, Williams is famous for his themes to the "Harry Potter" and "Indiana Jones" movies, "E.T.," "Close Encounters Of The Third Kind," "Jurassic Park," "Superman," "Jaws," and this:

Star Wars (film score)
Imperial March 
  iTunes  Amazon Darth Vader's theme music, first heard in the 1980 film "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back." Sounds like an amped-up version of Chopin's "Funeral March" (above). A popular ringtone.

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