# Favorite themes, motives, phrases?



## 4chamberedklavier (12 mo ago)

Do you find yourself humming a theme from a piece often? Not necessarily asking about earworms, since earworms can get annoying sometimes. I mean themes that never get old no matter how many times you hear them.

There's probably an implied chord progression accompanying whatever we're humming, so you can share your favorite chord progressions too (although there's a thread on chord progressions already)

Lately, the theme from the 1st movement of Beethoven's op. 127 quartet has been ringing in my head.


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## EvaBaron (Jan 3, 2022)

The melody of the 3rd movement of Bach’s 1st violin concerto in A minor, it’s amazing. Since we’re on the topic of Bach violin concerti, they all have great melodies


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Perhaps a more interesting question is "why?"- "why do certain themes, motifs, phrases draw more attention from you than others do?"

Charles Hazlewood on Beethoven's "4 notes": 




Likewise, there seems to be a "reccuring motif" in many works of these composers, I just like identifying these things, cause it helps to compare and contrast. For instance, the style of semitonal NT phrases;

0:08




concerto K.450 (iii)

0:31




quintet in F MH411 (vi)

0:07




symphony No.31 in F (iii)





divertimento K.334 (vi)

there are more, btw


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

Perfect hummable themes for me:

*Beethoven: Razumovski String Quartet no. 7 in F, 1st Movement main theme, the very beginning*

*Liszt: Sonata in B-minor. The repetitive "Faust" theme in it´s many forms.*

*Sibelius: Pohjola´s Daughter, the beginning themes by cello + bass clarinet and bassoon and later English Horn*

*Brahms: Piano Quartet in C-minor Op. 60, all the themes*

*Wagner: Tannhäuser Overture main theme*


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Waehnen said:


> Sibelius


Btw, speaking of Sibelius, what would be the most hummable theme(s) from his violin concerto, for you?


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

hammeredklavier said:


> Btw, speaking of Sibelius, what would be the most hummable theme(s) from his violin concerto, for you?


The main dramatic, starting "Wagnerian Tannhäuser" -theme of the 1st movement and the wonderful dance of the last movement. I do not hum the middle movement although it is beautiful.


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Opus 127 is my favorite string quartet and I never tire of it. Other themes with staying power are the fughatto from the Eroica's funeral march, and the entire last movement from the Brahms 4th.


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

Gorgeous themes that never get old for me:

The 3rd movement theme of Beethoven's VC
The chorale from Jupiter
The main theme of the 1st movement of Tchaikovsky's VC
Non piu andrai from Le Nozze di Figaro
2nd movement of Beethoven 7th
Final movement of Dvorak's American Quartet
The first allegro in Copland's Appalachian Spring
The lyric theme in Bernstein's Candide Overture
The 7th Slavonic Dance by Dvorak
Finale to Haydn's 88th Symphony
Mozart's Piano Concerto 17 Finale
Pretty much every melody in Dvorak's 8th Symphony


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## Superflumina (Jun 19, 2020)

Schubert's "Rosamunde" theme.


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## That Guy Mick (May 31, 2020)

On my way to work at the steel factory I enjoy humming this gentle and serene opening.


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