What pieces can you identify in just a few seconds?

[Nick Armstrong]

I reckon most Wagner is quickly identifiable (though not sure about Ring Cycle parts 2, 3 & 4) - I got the UC Flying Dutchman question in the same instant as the Merton bloke.

I think I'd get all the Mahler symphonies from the first chord, ditto Ravel piano concertos, Rachmaninov concertos 2 & 3 plus his 2nd symphony, most of the Sibelius symphonies (certainly 5 & 7)...

(There's an odd category of piece which even though I hear the whole thing I can never remember which it is - e.g. Chopin's Ballades and Scherzos - I'll know it's one of them, but which.... Likewise I'll know I'm hearing a Schubert Impromptu, but never be able to tell which one.... It's rather the same with the Brandenburgs. Love 'em all, but.... )

[Richard Tarleton]

Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez
Beethoven: Hammerklavier, Waldstein, Moonlight.......

[Lat-Literal]

The theme to the Magic Roundabout - at a guess, about 0.2 of a second (unless there is an ice cream van in the vicinity).

[ardcarp]

What I can also do is singing the opening measure of a piece that has just been announced, and finding I've hit the right pitch.

I guess quite a lot of musicians who claim not to have so-called 'perfect pitch' (I am one) do in fact have some embedded pitch sense. I know straight away if a familiar piece is in the wrong key. When singing Baroque music at A415, it always takes me a few minutes of rehearsal time to get into the right frame of mind!

BTW, what is it about the opening C minor chord of Beethoven's Pathetique that is so distinctive? Is it the spacing of the notes?

[Triforium]

John Cage: 4'33"

[Tony Halstead]

I guess quite a lot of musicians who claim not to have so-called 'perfect pitch' (I am one) do in fact have some embedded pitch sense. I know straight away if a familiar piece is in the wrong key. When singing Baroque music at A415, it always takes me a few minutes of rehearsal time to get into the right frame of mind!

BTW, what is it about the opening C minor chord of Beethoven's Pathetique that is so distinctive? Is it the spacing of the notes?

It's probably the very lack of spacing in the left hand 4-note chord. On the modern piano it sounds congealed and downright ugly if equal weight is applied to all the notes.
On a Graf or a Broadwood it sounds more open and transparent.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

It's probably the very lack of spacing in the left hand 4-note chord. On the modern piano it sounds congealed and downright ugly if equal weight is applied to all the notes.
On a Graf or a Broadwood it sounds more open and transparent.

(The same is true of the sudden, loud rising chords from bar 17 etc in the Appassionata - very difficult to get rid of the mud and hear the notes on a "modern" piano.)

[MrGongGong]

This might be interesting (I'm sure we have had it before?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnhlQUBsd6g

[Ferretfancy]

Years ago, a friend at work compiled a tape of 100 extracts from classical orchestral works. all of them seconds long and segueing into the next after a second or two. I got most of them, but did rather better later when we were mixing a documentary. A single bar of music appeared, and I said "Ah ! The Swan of Tuonela" -this caused a little amazement.

It would be cleverer if we could be so quick at identifying brief snatches of chamber music. Haydn quartets perhaps?

Sargent was once having a dispute with a player who sang along while trying to make a point " Any damn fool can whistle it" was the reply.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

This might be interesting (I'm sure we have had it before?)



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnhlQUBsd6g

We have indeed had it before, and I believe it was you who posted it.

[Jonathan]

Could this ability be termed a "phonographic memory", I wonder!

[EdgeleyRob]

I can recognise any movement from any RVW symphony just from the 1st note.
Tried it today with 100% success.
Just sayin

Might try the Malcolm Arnold ones tomorrow.

[Dave2002]

I can recognise any movement from any RVW symphony just from the 1st note.
Tried it today with 100% success.
Just sayin

Might try the Malcolm Arnold ones tomorrow.

Was that a double blind test?

[EdgeleyRob]

Was that a double blind test?

Yes.
Mrs ER mixed them up with other stuff,some of which I didn't recognise

[ardcarp]

That's a single blind test! (But I'm just being picky )