# Works with famous melodies



## Aurelian (Sep 9, 2011)

Recently while listening to the _Nutcracker_, I wondered if any other work contains as many famous melodies. _Carmen_ has quite a few. What do you suggest?


----------



## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Btw, it also has many kute scenes, like








www.youtube.com/watch?v=t99Ppk6eOZA&t=16m29s
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t99Ppk6eOZA&t=26m18s


----------



## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

Aurelian said:


> Recently while listening to the _Nutcracker_, I wondered if any other work contains as many famous melodies. _Carmen_ has quite a few. What do you suggest?


Does _West Side Story_ count?

As a ballet, _Nutcracker _has a distinct advantage, as the second half consists of a number of short, colorful works, unlike, say, a symphony. But other ballets, including _Sleeping Beauty_, have a similar format, without the same number of melodies recognized by the general public. The _Nutcracker Suite _helps.


----------



## RICK RIEKERT (Oct 9, 2017)

Handel's _Messiah_


----------



## bagpipers (Jun 29, 2013)

Fur Elise
or how about Gran Vals by Tarrega ,the Nokia ring tone LOL


----------



## Scherzi Cat (8 mo ago)

Tchaikovsky was the king if famous melodies. Other works of his that are highly recognizable:
Swan Lake
Sleeping Beauty
Romeo and Juliet
1812 Overture


----------



## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

jegreenwood said:


> Does _West Side Story_ count?


Why not?



> As a ballet, _Nutcracker _has a distinct advantage, as the second half consists of a number of short, colorful works, unlike, say, a symphony. But other ballets, including _Sleeping Beauty_, have a similar format, without the same number of melodies recognized by the general public. The _Nutcracker Suite _helps.


It's not only the melodies but also the general picturesque character of these danses representing drinks and sweets. However, the suite gives a very distorted impression of the whole of Nutcracker because it mainly has these pieces from the 2nd act and on stage this act is rather boring with nothing happening, compared to the first with the Christmas party and the fight between toy soldiers and mice. (And my favorite piece of the ballet is probably the snowy forest at the end of act 1.)


----------

