- William Tell Overture- Rossini (Most famous part at 8:45, but why not listen to the whole thing?) I’m adding hints, at least to the ones I recognized culturally. This one is “go, horsey, go!”
- Also Sprach Zarathustra- Strauss Slow, dramatic entry scene, IN SPAAACE.
- Eine Kleine Nachtmusik- Mozart People running out of a fancy wedding or something. Also known as DUN, dun DUN, dun DUN dun DUN dun DUUUUN.
- Symphony 94, Mvt. 2 “Surprise Symphony”- Haydn ?
- Toccata and Fugue in d Minor-Bach Halloween organ!
- Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2- Chopin Picture a tiny old woman playing piano in a sunlit room with lots of flower vases, about the spill the tragic secrets of her past to some timid young visitor.
- Rondo alla Turca- Mozart the babysitter from The Incredibles: “Time for some COGNITIVE ENRICHMENT!”
- Sinfonie de Fanfares: Rondeau- Jean-Joseph Mouret Royalty is coming. Or someone is getting married. Or royalty is getting married. Also the PBS Masterpieces theme.
- The Four Seasons: Spring- Vivaldi (I just linked to the whole thing because it’s great) Again, someone is getting married, but this one is strings instead and a lot less frumpy.
- Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring- Bach That one that amateur guitarists love where the notes are all up and down but all the same length. Also used in movie weddings.
- O Fortuna (from Carmina Burana)- Carl Orff SONG OF DOOM. Also song of “baby on fire!” in The Incredibles.
- Funeral March- Chopin ?
- Orpheus in the Underworld: Infernal Galop (A.K.A. Can Can)- Offenbach Well, “aka can-can” says it all.
- Pomp and Circumstance (You probably graduated to this)- Elgar Oh yes, Baaaa dun dun dun duun duuuuun… Also if you were a bandie you had to play it for 3 years before graduating to it.
- Gayane: Sabre Dance- Aram Khachaturian Comically hectic productivity, a circus clown juggling while standing on a ball, or perhaps a rapidly-approaching termite infestation. Could go any way, really.
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Wedding March- Mendelssohn The song movies play right AFTER they both say “I do.”
- Carmen: Les Toreadors- Bizet I can’t be the only one who remembers when ‘Hey Arnold’ did this. “Bullfights and swordfights, rolling in manuuure!”
- The Ride of the Valkyries- Wagner Good song for a naval battle I guess? I can only think of the mini golf course I went to as a kid with the creepy castle on Hole 18 that played this.
- Für Elise- Beethoven That one every amateur piano player loves to play because the beginning is just E and E-flat over and over. Also ballet and piano recital scenes in movies.
- Dance of the Hours- Ponchielli Hello mudda, hello fadda, here I am at, Camp Granada…
- Rigotello: La Donna e Mobile- Verdi More than a few sophisticated movie villains (or snobby good guys) have this playing on a Victrola. Also, tell me you don’t picture Pavaroti no matter who’s actually singing.
- Night on Bald Mountain- Mussorgsky ?
- Romeo and Juliet: Love Theme- Tchaikovsky More movie-love, usually building up to admitting they live each other.
- Entry of the Gladiators- Julius Fucik I have one word for you: CIRCUS.
- Lakmé: Flower Duet- Delibes OMG ALIAS. Nadia’s spy backstory in Film Noir!
- Peer Gynt: In the Hall of the Mountain King- Greig Mischievous Tiptoeing in Movies song. Also something growing out of control, slowly at first and then quickly, and (comically) exploding.
- Rodeo: Hoedown- Copland The title says it all tbh.
- Peer Gynt: Morning Mood- Greig Sunrise/waking up Movie Song du jour.
- New World Symphony Mov. [2][4]- Dvorak Well now I’m thinking of “An American Tail” and I’m crying…
- Ave Maria (You knew this, but did you know that it was by Schubert?) Nothing to add. I’m not a music snob, really, but if you didn’t know this, YOU SHOULD.
- Canon in D- Pachelbel This is the one that the pretty Trans-Siberian Orchestra Christmas song comes from. :-)
Add others if you want! Have fun!
- Dies Irae (from Requiem) - Verdi Scary scenes in cartoons, especially involving storms, holes, or treacherous waterfalls.
- Flight of the Bumblebee - Rimsky-Korsakov Oh come on, everyone knows this one! It sounds too much like the title for you to forget what it’s called! Also: Drumline.
- Finale to the 1812 Overture - Tchaikovsky Naval battle! Cannon! Fireworks! 4th of July in ‘Murica! Even though it’s about that *other* war going on in 1812!
- Der Holle Rache kocht in meiner herzen (aka the Queen of the Night aria) - Mozart The one that fancy ladies in movies use to try and break champagne glasses.
- Libiamo ne’ lieti calici - Verdi ?
- Largo al factotum - Rossini Does your cartoon need a classical tune for your rotund Italian chef to sing while tossing pizza dough? Have we got a song for you!
- Overture to The Barber of Seville - Rossini Fast-paced, sneaky-things-are-afoot movie song.
- The Blue Danube Waltz - Strauss Da-da-da dum dum. *plink plink* *plink plink*. As heard in Jack’s entry to First Class in “Titanic,” and a million other places. (Veggie Tales “Stuff Mart,” anyone?)
- Moonlight Sonata (mvmt. 1) - Beethoven The ultimate pretty-and-sad piano and/or ballet scene song.
- Symphony No. 5 - Beethoven dun dun dun DUUUUUN.
I’m sure there are more but these were some of the first that came to mind as missing!
I think this one’s missing, one of my favourites:
Danse Macabre - Camille Saint-Saëns
This is one of the best classical music master-posts I’ve ever seen. I’m so proud of yall
Pavane for a Dead Princess- Maurice Ravel. Apparently it’s in Dark Knight Rises? I just think it’s pretty.
And
Tales from the Vienna Woods- Johann Strauss II. Contains the melody playing on Rose’s music box in Titanic just before Cal gives her the Heart of the Ocean.














