Classical Music - Pre 20th C

Symphony No. 3 in C, op. 43

Op. 9

1896

For orchestra, 1879

For piano, 1876

After poems b y Vietezslav Hálek, 1876

Symphonic Poem, op. 109

From the New World (Op. 95)

Symphonic Poem, op. 108

(1900) The story told in Rusalka contains many of the same elements as Hans Christian Anderen's The Little Mermaid.

For piano, 1886, and for orchestra, 1887

Symphonic Poem, op. 107

Twelve concerti for various combinations

Twelve violin concerti, 1714

(1713) Ottone in the City

Five songs, 1879

For violin and piano, 1843

1872-9

For piano, 1849

1886

1874

Symphony #3

For piano and orchestra, op. 73

(1877) From the Biblical story.

For voice and piano, 1891

(1859) From Goethe's Faust.

1885

From Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare

Cantata, 1898-99

String Quartet No. 1

Originally for organ, 1891

From the Suite Bergamasque

Piano four hands, 1889

Prelude à l'après-midi d'un faune

For piano, 1890

(1767) Based on Euripides' Alcestis.

(1762) Based on the mythological journey of Orpheus to the Underworld.

1884

Grieg called it, “the infernal thing reeking of cow-pies and provincialism”

1874-5

In London Town, overture for orchestra, op.40

Oratorio for soloists, chorus and orchestra, op. 38

1899

For piano and violin

For piano, 1884

1861-1908

For piano 4-hands

(1893) Hansel und Gretel is often performed at Christmas time.

1892-1900

For piano four hands and version for orchestra

For piano, 1890

1888

Oratorio, 1846

A.k.a. "Fingal's Cave"

No. 4

"Children's Pieces", for piano, 1842

For piano, op. 119

No. 5

No. 3

1829-45

1842, part of the Incidental Music for A Midsummer Night's Dream; commonly used as a wedding recessional

Oratorio, 1798

1770

Mass No. 9, aka, Missa Sancti Bernardi von Offida

His last symphony, op. 104, 1795

1796

Op. 50; quartets 36-41; 1787

Op. 33; quartets 29-34; 1781

Op. 20; quartets 23-28; 1772

For 2 pianos

3 nocturnes

1861

(Dance of Death), for piano and orchestra

Piano works

D. 821

No. 9; D. 944

D. 803

D. 804

D. 810

D. 804

Symphony #8

For piano in four movements

Suite for orchestra, 1886-7

Tone poem for orchestra, 1895

For orchestra, 1890

Versions for piano and violin, and for violin or cello and orchestra

1897

First performed in Fishamble Street, Dublin in 1742.

(1744) Semele has sometimes been identified as an oratorio rather than an opera.

(1875) Carmen, with its dramatic sound and exotic subject matter, is an example of Romanticism.

Incidental music

Overture, 1887

Overture, 1886

Concert overture, 1878

1894

Based on the poem by Robert Burns

For vocal soloists, chorus and orchestra, 1881

(1816) The audience attending the opening performance judged it a failure - they voiced audible displeasure throughout by hissing and cat-calling. At its second performance the opera was, inexplicably, a hit, and went on to a succesful run.

(1825) With an initial run of only four performances, this opera was presumed lost until it was unearthed in the 1970s. It is widely held as one of Rossini's best works, and has been in performance worldwide since it's re-introduction in 1984 at the Rossini Opera Festival.

In thirteen volumes; vocal and solo piano pieces

Song cycle

1567

(1844) Based on Victor Hugo's play, "Hernani".

From Shakespeare's play.

- (1842) "Va, pensiero" (also known as the Hebrew's Chorus) is thought of by many native Italians as their "unofficial" national anthem, and is often sung on patriotic occasions.

- From Shakespeare's play.

C.1370

Op. 7

Symphony #2

Symphony No. 1

(1862) Based on Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing.

Harold En Italie

Op. 21

Unstaged dramatic work, 1846

Overture

Orchestral, 1839

Or, A Bargain Broken; incidental music

(1689) From the fourth book of The Aeneid.

Or, the Princess of Persia; incidental music

1695

Semi-opera

C.1170

Suite for piano, B. 46 (incomplete)

"Souvenirs", for piano, B. 45

1906-9

1887

"Recuerdos de viaje", work for piano

(1867) From Daniel Defoe's book of the same name.

1737

Choral symphony for soprano, baritone, chorus and orchestra, op. 7, 1892

Op. 80

In B minor, 1891

For organ, 1896

Variations on a Theme of Haydn, op. 56a

For orchestra, 1880

For piano, 1861

1873

For piano, 1863

For piano, 1854

(1874) Fun fact: The title of this opera is the inspiration for the character of Die Fledermaus on Fox's cancelled cartoon show, The Tick (from the comic book of the same name).

Fantasie for lute

Lute solo

Vocal works, c. 1612

Canteloube is credited as the composer, however this is his arrangement of a collection of ancient folk songs.

Motet setting of Psalm 51, c. 1504

Musical setting of the Mass, c. 1510

C.1520

1749

Fantasy for piano

Opera in one act

For piano and orchestra, op. 67

Symphony No. 2

Symphony #1

Concert paraphrase on the US national anthem

For piano and orchestra

Piano sonata no. 23

For piano, chorus and orchestra, op. 80, 1808

Op. 124

Op. 62, 1807

Ballet, op. 43

For piano

Incidental music, after Goethe's play, op. 84

Piano Concerto No. 5

The third symphony, originally in honor of Napoleon, but when Napoleon crowned himself Emperor, Beethoven tore up the score.

Fidelio was first staged in Vienna, on Nov. 20, 1805.

Popular piano piece

Originally the last movement of quartet op. 130; now op. 133; Stravinsky called it contemporary music that will remain contemporary forever

Op. 106

1822

An ode written in 1785 by the German poet and historian Friedrich Schiller, known especially for its musical setting by Beethoven in the fourth and final movement of his Ninth Symphony. [wikipedia]

The sixth symphony...the first hint of "program" music.

Op. 7

Opus 59, Nos. 1,2,3.

Incidental music, op. 113

In E flat major; op. 20

String Quartet No. 11, op. 95

No. 21, op. 53

Op. 91

For mezzo-soprano and orchestra

1880

1842

Seldom-performed tone poem often confused with Rimsky-Korsakov’s composition with a similar name

Written as a suite of ten piano pieces

Op. 1

Violin Concerto No. 2

For violin and guitar, op. 11

Based on The Carnival of Venice

Le Streghe, op. 8

Based on “The Book of 1001 Nights”

Based on a poem by Goethe

1881

(1879) Based on Pushkin's novel.

Symphonic fantasia after Dante, 1876

For unaccompanied chorus, 1878

In B minor (unnumbered), 1885

For orchestra, 1876

No. 6

Ballet

1888-9

Tone poem, 1895

(1869) The first of Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung).

A cycle of four operas: Das Rheingold, Die Walkure, Siegfried, and Gotterdammerung. Spoofed in the modern musical theater comedy "Das Barbecue".

(1868) The original story was conceived by Wagner. Distinguished from the bulk of Wagner's work as a departure due to his use of ryhmed verse, arias, choruses, and a quintet. Another feature that marks it as a quirk in Wagner's oeuvre: it contains a ballet.

(1870) The source of the famous "Ride of the Valkyries", which you may recognize as the melody Macintosh chose for its classic flying toaster screen-saver. You young'uns won't know that one.

(1876) The title is a German translation of the Norse word "Ragnarok". Prophesied in Norse mythology, Ragnarok is a war between the gods which ultimately brings about the end of the world.

(1850) The story is based on medieval Germanic lore.

(1882) Wagner's last opera, from the epic poem "Parzival" by Wolfram von Eschenbach. The story of Parsifal's quest for the Holy Grail.

(1876) The third of Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung).

Composed as a birthday present Wagner's second wife after the birth of their son in 1869

(1845) Based on German legends.

(1859) Often cited as the seed or genesis of the atonal movement that began in the 20th century.

Scenes From Childhood, op. 15, 1838

For piano, op. 16, 1838

Suite for piano, op. 2

No. 2, 1850

Oratorio, 1844/53

No.1, 1841

(1892) Traditionally performed as a double-bill with Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni. Contains the famous tenor aria "Vesti la giubba", familiar to many for its imagery of a weeping clown.

1879

K. 509

K. 265

K. 315, 1778

K. 581, 1789

(1790) Though its story was not offensive to sophisticated Vienna at the time of its debut, moral standards changed over time. It came to be thought of as risque, and remained so throughout the 19th and early 20th century.

(1791) The role of the Queen of the Night (with its famously acrobatic aria, "Der Holle Rache kocht meinem Herzen") was originated by Mozart's sister-in-law, Josepha Hofer.

(1787) The character of Don Giovanni is based on legendary womanizer Don Juan.

In D; K. 250

Piano Concerto #9; K. 271

(1786) This comic opera was banned at some European courts due to the scandalous behavior of its characters. Chiefly offensive to royal audiences was the depiction of an aristocrat (The Count) as morally corrupt. Also objectionable was the notion that Figaro, a mere servant, might be so much cleverer than his entitled master.

K. 165

K. 320

K. 364

In D; K. 297