Expert: Pat G - 12/5/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi! First of all great site and I'm really glad there are ppl who share their knowledge and love for classical music. The tune I'm looking for is, I think, Italian and it might be a ballroom music, my guess is baroque. I've made a sample of the beginning of the tune (as much as i remember it, so I'm not sure of its accuracy but I think it can be recognized)and please answer me if you know who is the composer and the name of the composition.
Here's the link: [URL=http://www.zshare.net/audio/694217312131de84/]italian ballroom masters.mp3 - 0.22MB[/URL]
Thank you in advance.

ANSWER: Hello, Zack,

I recognize it, especially the first phrase, but I can't put a name to it. Definitely baroque. I'd check out Bach for starters, or Vivaldi or Telemann. And I wouldn't venture a guess that it is ballroom music, even though a lot of themes were taken from dance music of various kinds. To make things more complicated, those composers often quoted each other. For example, Bach rearranged three string chamber pieces by Vivaldi so he could play them on the organ. So don't dismiss the possibility it was used in an organ piece, either. Also, you can try this link to a list of Italian composers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Italian_composers . Look at the ones from 1650-1750. There are links to articles about most of them. A lot of the names are familiar. Wikipedia also has some sound clips at times. Can you tell me where you heard it? Sometimes there are clues in such a place, or you can contact someone. You can also try leaving me an answer so I can throw the question into the question pool. In the meantime, you could go to Amazon.com and check out various composers. Amazon often has short clips of pieces that you can listen to. Or you might check with someone at http://theclassicalstation.org/ . Those people are often very knowledgeable.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for the quick answer, I'll definitely check the list. First time I've heard the tune as a kid was on a TV educational show related to History. Then in cca 2000 I saw a CD named something like Italian ballroom masters (I'm not sure) and I heard the tune there but now I've been looking for it on the web and I can't seem to find such a CD anywhere on the net. Thanks again 4 the quick reply and here I go searching furthermore

Answer
You're welcome. Do you remember the name of the TV show?

This particular composition IS played fairly frequently on the radio. It's why I recognized it, even though I don't know who composed it. So it's not a really obscure work or anything. If I just happen to hear it over the radio, I'll find out what it is.

In the meantime, you might want to ask the other experts. Someone might know what it is.

Good luck!