“Für Elise”

“Für Elise” is the popular name of one of Ludwig van Beethoven’s (1770-1827) most popular compositions for solo piano. The original autographed manuscript has been lost and the piece itself was not published until 1865.

It is not certain who “Elise” was but some scholars have suggested she was Beethoven’s fifth mistress. The original work may have been named “Für Therese”, a friend and student of Beethoven’s to whom he proposed in 1810 but she turned down to marry the Austrian nobleman and state official Wilhelm von Droßdik in 1816.

“The Entertainer”

“The Entertainer” is a 1902 classic piano rag written by Scott Joplin. It was used as the theme music for the 1973 Oscar-winning film The Sting. Composer and pianist Marvin Hamlisch’s adaptation reached #3 on the Billboard pop chart in 1974 and spent a week at #1 on the adult contemporary chart that same year.

It is #10 on the list Songs of the Century. In the United States, “The Entertainer” is commonly played by ice cream trucks, in order to attract attention.

“Canon in D major”

Pachelbel’s Canon, also known as Canon in D major, is the most famous piece of music by Johann Pachelbel. It was written in or around 1680, during the Baroque period, as a piece of chamber music for three violins and basso continuo, but has since been arranged for a wide variety of ensembles.

It became very popular in the late 1970s through a famous recording by the Jean-François Paillard chamber orchestra. American film director Robert Redford used the piece as the main theme for his 1980 Academy Award-winning film Ordinary People.

“Moonlight Sonata”

“Moonlight Sonata” by Ludwig van Beethoven also known as The Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor “Quasi una fantasia”.

The work was completed in 1801 and rumored to be dedicated to his pupil, 17-year-old Countess Giulietta Guicciardi, with whom Beethoven was, or had been, in love.

“Hungarian Dance”

“Hungarian Dance” by Johannes Brahms , are a set of 21 lively dance tunes based mostly on Hungarian themes.

Brahms originally wrote the version for piano four-hands and later arranged the first 10 dances for solo piano. The most famous Hungarian Dance is No. 5 in F♯ minor (G minor in the orchestral version).