# Difficulty in Associating Numbers with Pieces



## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

For many years I've found I have trouble remembering what the heck people are talking about when they mention, for instance, Beethoven's Opus 130. I can sometimes remember genre numbers (for lack of a better term) as in Beethoven's String Quartet No. 13, but I doubt I'll ever remember Op. 130. Why is that I wonder. Is it because there are fewer String Quartets than Opus numbers? Yet we are told by afficionados the sonatas especially should be referred to by their opus numbers. Impossible task for a so called right-brianed person.

Even with genre numbers I have a little trouble. I can only easily associate the symphonies I've heard repeatedly with numbers -- all of Beethoven's, most of Vaughan Williams', only the first and perhaps ninth of Mahler's, none of Bruckner's! And once you get into violin or cello sonatas, or then piano trios, piano quartets, quintets, piano quintets, forget it. Or rather_ I_ forget it.

Why couldn't composers just name stuff the way artists name paintings? Does Carl Nielsen's Symphony No. 3 "Sinfonia Espansiva" subtitle detract from its abstract musical nature in any way? Numbers are next to meaningless to me.


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

It's very real problem to you, and one not to be belittled. But in a way, every piece _does _have a name: Beethoven's "String Quartet in C-Sharp Minor, Opus One Hundred Thirty." Why would that necessarily be a harder name to remember than Beethoven's String Quartet "Lotsa Fugues."


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

The original title of the Mona Lisa was "Smiling Chic With No Eyebrows #27, Opus 354".


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Olias said:


> The original title of the Mona Lisa was "Smiling Chic With No Eyebrows #27, Opus 354".


Post of the day :clap:


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

I think it's easier to remember genre numbers than opus numbers because the genre numbers are more or less chronological and consecutive.


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## KJohnson (Dec 31, 2010)

I like it how modern composers have ditched this practice altogether. Giving unique names to compositions is much better than numbering them. I'm huge classical music fan but hardly remember any opus numbers.


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