What have popular works got in common ... ... ...

Dorsetmike

Dorsetmike

Member
... if anything that is? Judging by radio stations some works get played far more than others. Also on Youtube those same works get far more plays.

I've often wondered why some works seem to be far more popular than others which appear to have the same or similar characteristics.

Is it the instrumentation, chord progressions, time signature, or something more obscure? Or maybe just familiarity?

Piano sonatas & concertos tend to be more popular than other instruments, why? Are there more of them?

"Baroque" gets less plays than "Romantic", why? Is it less "ear catching", less "grab you" crashing full orchestra?


Or is it a sort of Catch 22 situation "Nobody knows Joe Bloggs symphony number one because it's never played / Joe Bloggs Symphony number one is never played because nobody knows it"

Discuss!!!!!!
 
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teddy

teddy

Duckmeister
It has to be a combination of things Mike. Radio stations are notorius for having play lists. Which get picked up by other presenters ad infinitum. Also playlists are often compiled by what they think you want to hear as much as anything. I come across tracks on Youtube and am left wondering why they have so few hts when they are so good. No real reason behind it that I can see

teddy
 
JHC

JHC

Chief assistant to the assistant chief
Mike, In general symphonies and concertos are what most beginners start of with, the rest follows as the individual forms a taste, what gets me is why the popular works such as LvB 5[SUP]th[/SUP] sym - The Messiah etc etc get ridiculed?? they are fantastic pieces which I never tire of.
The earlier music Baroque and older are to me wonderful but may not at first appeal to new comers. I personally do not like atonal music I can listen to it but not enjoy, I heard a lecture in which the reason why we liked certain music was “close intervals in the harmony” and “anticipation” there could have been more but these struck a chord with me. The same to repeats! Take them out of a work and it is spoiled.
Joe Blogs sym is not played much because it is probably not much good?
 
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