# Tiers Of Fame



## An Die Freude (Apr 23, 2011)

So the other night, this thought popped into my head: How would you rank symphonies, concertos and such by certain composers by fame? So tiers of fame came into my head. I'm too lazy to explain it so here's an example, of the tiers of fame of Beethoven's Symphonies (IMO)

*Tier 1:*

Syms #5 & #9

*Tier 2:*

Syms #3 & #6

*Tier 3:*

#7 & #8

*Tier 4:
*
#1, #2 & #4

Feel free to add your own tiers of fame.


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## Webernite (Sep 4, 2010)

8 is much less famous than 7, surely...


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## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

I was about to make a contribution as regards Wagner Operas... but then I recognized that I probably didn't understand the concept properly. I was (readily enough) able to organize them into "Tiers-of-Personal-Regard," but that's not really what you're looking for, is it?

That said, I'm curious about your reckoning of Beethoven Symphonies 7 & 8 as on the same tier. I'll agree with the many who say that the 8th should be held in better regard (but I WON'T agree with those who say it's _better_), but I think that the 7th is demonstrably more famous, by any measure one could apply.


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## Webernite (Sep 4, 2010)

I used to think the 8th was better. I'm a little more cautious of that opinion now, but I still think the first movement is one of the best orchestral movements Beethoven wrote.


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## An Die Freude (Apr 23, 2011)

Maybe it should be Tier 3: #7, Tier 4: #8 then in Tier 5 the rest of them. It's just that I hear people talking about them in equal measure so I thought they'd be on the same tier.


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

I'm no longer sufficiently in touch with popular culture to answer this question.


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## An Die Freude (Apr 23, 2011)

Polednice said:


> I'm no longer sufficiently in touch with popular culture to answer this question.


Don't have to be. Could be just how famous it is in the CM community.


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

An Die Freude said:


> Don't have to be. Could be just how famous it is in the CM community.


OK!

*Brahms Symphonies*:

Tier 1: #4
Tier 2: #1 & #3
Tier 3: #2

Although for a wider non-CM audience, I think #3 would come before #4 because of the 3rd movement.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

****!

I just lost a really good post!

Thanks for the cool thread An Die Freude.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Polednice said:


> OK!
> 
> *Brahms Symphonies*:
> 
> ...


Break it down into movements Polednice! That's the challenge. I'd say the movement famous Brahms symphony movements would be mvt. 1 of 1, mvt 1 and 3 of 4, and mvt 3 of 3. Would you agree?


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

clavichorder said:


> Break it down into movements Polednice! That's the challenge. I'd say the movement famous Brahms symphony movements would be mvt. 1 of 1, mvt 1 and 3 of 4, and mvt 3 of 3. Would you agree?


Hmmm... definitely Mvt. 1 for #1; I think Mvt. 4 is as well-known as Mvts. 1 and 3 of #4 (in order, I might suggest 1, 4, 3); and, as above, Mvt. 3 of #3.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Here's a pop culture rating of Mahler's music!

Tier 1: Adagietto from 5th symphony
Tier 2: Everything else he wrote.


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## DavidMahler (Dec 28, 2009)

The most famous mvmt of all Brahms symphonies is the finale of his 1st 

Followed by the 3rd of the 3rd

Followed by the 3rd of the 4th

Then all the others


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## DavidMahler (Dec 28, 2009)

Also, Beethoven 7th is by virtue of the 2nd movement ... More famous than the Eroica & Pastoral. 

The first movement of the 8th is my favorite orchestral movement of Beethoven.


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## DavidMahler (Dec 28, 2009)

Tiers of fame for Tchaikovsky:

First Tier: The Nutcracker / 1812 Overture

Second Tier: Swan Lake / Romeo & Juliet

Third Tier: Piano Concerto No. 1 / Symphony 6

Fourth Tier: Sleeping Beauty / Symphony 5 / The Seasons

Fifth Tier: Violin Concerto / Capriccio Italien / Symphony 4

Sixth Tier: Marche Slave / Rococo Variations / Symphony 1 / Symphony 2 / Rimini

Seventh Tier: Manfred Symphony / Eugen Onegin / Symphony 3

Eighth Tier: String Quartet 1 / Piano Concerto 2 / Queen of Spades


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## Air (Jul 19, 2008)

Tiers of fame for Prokofiev:

*Brand-name Prokofiev (to be heard in the shopping mall):* Romeo and Juliet / Peter and the Wolf

*Well-loved Classics ("best of" material):* Symphony No. 1 "Classical" / Cinderella / Symphony No. 5 / Piano Concerto No. 3 / The Love for Three Oranges ("March")

*Warhorses (familiar among most serious classical listeners):* Piano Sonata No. 7 / Toccata / Piano Concerto No. 2 / Violin Concerto No. 1 / Violin Concerto No. 2 / Scythian Suite

*Extended Warhorses (depends on the person):* Piano Sonata No. 3 / Piano Sonata No. 6 / Lt. Kije Suite / Piano Concerto No. 1 / Alexander Nevsky / Symphony-Concerto / War and Peace

*Common Repertoire (standard options for most musicians of the respective instruments):* Piano Sonata No. 2 / Piano Sonata No. 8 / Suggestion Diabolique / Symphony No. 6 / Symphony No. 7 / Violin Sonata No. 1 / Piano Concerto No. 5

*Extended Common Repertoire (depends on the musician):* Flute Sonata / Visions Fugitives / Piano Concerto No. 4 / Sonata for Two Violins

*Borderline Repertoire (around a dozen available recordings):* Piano Sonata No. 1 / Piano Sonata No. 4 / Symphony No. 2 / Symphony No. 3 / Symphony No. 4 / The Fiery Angel / Chout / On the Dnieper

*Obscure Repertoire (few, if any, recordings):* Quintet, op. 39 / Seven, they are Seven / Sinfonietta


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## pjang23 (Oct 8, 2009)

DavidMahler said:


> Tiers of fame for Tchaikovsky:
> 
> First Tier: The Nutcracker / 1812 Overture
> 
> ...


I think Violin Concerto should be higher (3rd tier) and the Serenade for Strings & Piano Trio should be somewhere. Otherwise it looks pretty good.


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## Trout (Apr 11, 2011)

*Tiers of Fame for Johann Pachelbel:*

Tier 1: Canon
Tier 2: Pachelbel who?


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