Classical "one-hit wonders"

been thinking about which classical composers are “one-hit wonders” or have one piece that is so popular that it completely overshadows all their other work. Three that spring to mind are:

Car Orff “Carmina Burana”

Joaquín Rodrigo “Concerto de Aranjuez

Allegri “Miserere”

You could argue that “Carmen” potentially overshadows the rest of Bizet’s work and possibly even the “Four Seasons” does as well for Vivaldi.

What else?

1 Like

^On Bizet, to make matters worse, Carmen was considered to be a flop in the composer’s lifetime, and only really because successful after he died.

Rimsky-Korsakov - Scheherezade. This masterpiece is much loved, but who knows: Symphony No. 2, Antar (Op. 9)? The composer regarded this as one of this most important works.

2 Likes

Holst - The Planets

There’s an awful lot of Vivaldi in the catalogue. Certainly “The Four Seasons” gets an enormous amount of airplay, but I hardly consider him a one hit (or four hit) wonder.

As for Bizet - his Symphony in C was used for one of the best ballets of last century. This video from 1973 is the only complete version on YouTube.

2 Likes

Carl Czerny was a prolific composer, but these days is mainly remembered for his technical exercises for piano. Much of his other work is now out of print or lost completely.

1 Like

Great idea, there could be hours spent debating this. Of course that list would evolve over time (centuries, in this case).

One could mention Boccherini’s Cello Concerto, although these days his string quartets (La Musica Notturna delle Strade di Madrid, for example) are becoming more popular.

Pachelbel’s Canon in D may be another example.

Claude

1 Like

Pachelbel is to me - I’m an organist - not a one hit wonder. He’s written many compositions which are on a very high level.

It’s often the case that someone is known for certain works - eg JS Bach for his cello sonatas - but there’s an extensive corpus of other work waiting there not seen or heared because people simply don’t know it.

Ah, this morning I was still in Nürnberg, Pachelbels place :slight_smile:

1 Like

I totally agree, I was mentioning him to stimulate discussion.

It’s a shame that his other work is not better recognized these days.

Claude

1 Like

Berlioz: Symphony Fantastique

Or The Russian Easter Festival Overture

1 Like

Faure Requiem?

Well, according to a quick and dirty check on Spotify (other platforms which underpay artists are also available), the following have all got more plays than anything from the Requiem:

Berceuse from Dolly Suite

Après une rêve

Sicilienne, op78

Pavane pour une Infanta Defunte

1 Like

Antonin Dvorak - Symphony 9 “From the New World”, Op.95

Again, that’s his best known work, but Dvorak must be one of the best loved composers of all time. The last three symphonies (including “The New World Symphony”) are all part of the core repertoire. (Check the others out - they’re incredibly tuneful and exciting.) His cello concerto is arguably the greatest ever composed. He wrote a number of great chamber works. And much more.

String Quartet in F major Opus 96 ‘American’

Faure wrote some great chamber music. I have that and his piano music (along with several versions of the Requiem).

And his music was the basis for another great ballet.

Not as iconic or well known as his 9th Symphony,

But iconic is not the same as one-hit wonder. My guess is that there are over 100 recordings of his 7th and 8th symphonies.

Edit: ChatGPT actually says over 200 recordings of the 7th and 300 of the 8th.

Hmm… Berlioz also composed Harold en Italie, Les nuits d’été, Roméo et Juliette… I don’t consider him a one hit wonder

Claude

1 Like

Barber Adagio for Strings

Borodin Nocturne

Canteloube Songs of the Auvergne

Chabrier España

Duruflé Requiem

Agreed, but I don’t consider any of the above one-hit wonders, except perhaps Carmina Burana, but I’m not sure I class that as music. :face_with_diagonal_mouth:

Roger

1 Like