Instantly recognizable classical pieces

Maybe most people won't know what they are, but some of them have, for whatever reason, become familiar to practically everyone. Name pieces that everyone knows.

I'm going to start out with a modern classical piece. Most familiar from some TV commercial featuring it:
Aaron Copland, the Hoedown from Rodeo (for reasons not clear to me, it's always pronounced "row-DAY-oh", so don't pronounce it "ROW-dee-oh" around cultured people because they will laugh at you.)

Peter and the Wolf, by Prokofiev -- this theme is totally familiar, I would think to practically everyone.

Danse Macabre by Saint-Saëns. We all know this tune.

What other classical pieces have entered popular culture to the point that everyone knows them?

Thank you Disney and Warner Bros. for broadening my horizon's this way as a youth:

Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries"

Ponchielli's "Dance of the Hours" - you will absolutely know this about 30 seconds in.

Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King"

Tchaikovsky's "Waltz from Sleeping Beauty"

Also from Peer Gynt, The Morning Suite

Toccata and Fugue in D minor which I always thought was written by Bach but apparently that is now in doubt.

Also Sprach Zarathustra

I think everyone knows Flight of the Bumblebee

Also Fur Elise

The first movement from Beethoven's 5th Symphony

Strauss' Blue Danube Waltz

Of course Brahms' Lullaby

I think Pachelbel's Canon in D Major makes the list too.

The finale to the William Tell Overture (Rossini).
Ode to Joy from Beethoven's 9th symphony.

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik is pretty recognizable.

If something this recent counts, O Fortuna from Carmina Burana is pretty recognizable.

Quote:

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Originally posted by Exy

Aaron Copland, the Hoedown from Rodeo (for reasons not clear to me, it's always pronounced "row-DAY-oh", so don't pronounce it "ROW-dee-oh" around cultured people because they will laugh at you.)

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No, no. We wouldn't laugh at you. We'd merely cast resigned glances behind your back, then retire for tea where we will talk haughtily about the ignorance of the proletariat.

(Copland pronounced it "RO-dee-oh", so as far as I'm concerned, you can too. People who say "ro-DAY-oh" are ridiculous wankers who think that since it's a Spanish word it should be pronounced like Spanish. That Copland was American and Rodeo is an American piece seems to escape them.)

Vivaldi's Spring

Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata

Quote:

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Originally posted by Exy

If something this recent counts, O Fortuna from Carmina Burana is pretty recognizable.

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Just to note: Carmina Burana predates both Rodeo and Peter and the Wolf.

Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man" is pretty well known. I seem to recall it being in military recruitment commercials.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FXoyr_FyFw
I have a wonderful, majestic recording of this on vinyl, bought in Germany in '75, hasn't been played for years as my deck isn't hooked up anymore.

I do like this version although purists would disagree.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okzToFBY-CY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ9_6W6bVoQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKEJSk0J8jE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar3bJVtLhOI

Ravel, Bolero.

I don't know if it is a stereotype but oriental musicians seem to be particularly adept at playing western music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNEu09pVD8E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ljII_bRQQk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbTGUurbGTk

I can't see that as anything other than "authentic period sheep" with that image.

I'm actually not a big fan of his, but Tchaikovsky does have two:
Piano Concerto No. 1
Romeo & Juliet

And more Verdi, from Il Trovatore:

Sheep schmeep :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMIU4O4WWNI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZLMKkEGFRo

Surprisingly there are many of Khachaturian's themes that pervade our consciousness but no-one recognises his name.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE-RxlPq2-I&feature=related

Mozart's 41st is almost ubiquitous.

No one knows it by name, but they've certainly heard it.

40th too, parts of it anyway.