Unidentified Music Works

[lisztrachmaninovfan]

I have two themes of works which I either forgot the name of or heard and don't know what they are...Here is a description of each of these mystery works:

• I believe this first work was a classical period work. If I'm not mistaken, it was a Haydn Symphony movement and I heard it on an airplane ride across the Atlantic ocean last summer. The melody went like this, and it was in B-flat major:
  
  A(quarter note)-G(quarter note)-F(quarter note)||:G(eighth note)-B-flat(eighth note)-A(eighth note)-G(sixteenth note)-F(sixteenth note)-G(eighth note)-A(eighth note)-F(quarter note):||
  
  Along with it went an eighth-note accompaniment.
  
• [SOLVED: J. P. Rameau: Suite from Dardanus] This work was a baroque period work for sure. It was probably a suite because it was made up of many different movements of different character and I enjoyed it very much. The instrumentation I could make out was made up of at least an oboe, a recorder, strings, and continuo, and for most of the movements the recorder did not play at all. The many movements were either in D major, D minor, or G major, but the last movement was in G major, and the Baroque tuning made them all sound a half step lower. Unfortunately, I can only remember one theme out of this whole work, and it was played by the recorder. It was in D major and it was quick. I will try to write out the many ornaments that I remember to my best ability.
  
  A(quarter note)-A(quarter note with trill)-A(eighth note with trill)-G(sixteenth note)-A(sixteenth note)-D(quarter note)-D(eighth note, down an octave from last D)-E(eighth note)-F-sharp(eighth note, with a quick E grace note before it)-G(sixteenth note)-F-sharp(sixteenth note)...and the melody continued on, but I can't remember the rest of it.
  
  The composer's style was similar to Bach or Telemann.

Please tell me if u recognize one of the two works described above!

[bachbrahmsschubert]

Neither of these melodies ring a bell.

Haydn wrote 104 symphonies, we would need a lot more help than that. But try No. 83, 102, 85, 103. Those are the most popular that would venture into B flat major.

As far as your Baroque question goes, I could narrow it down to a few composers, then you could go through the works when you have time.

Because you heard a recorder, we are probably talking about music pre-1730ish. The recorder was used to mimic the sounds of birds. Anything after that, composers started using flutes and clarinets. It didn't "die" so to speak, but it was used much less frequently. So the easiest place to begin would be Bach's Brandenburg concertos (assuming you aren't familiar [only number 4 and 2 used recorders]). Interestingly enough, recorders were not typically used in standard suites. I can't speak for each one written (Telemann wrote over 200 and typically for strings and continuo), but we're probably looking for something written by Bach or Vivaldi. Given that you heard this on an airplane, it leads me to believe it was a more mainstream Baroque composer. Bach's 4 orchestral suites don't use recorder, so if it's not the Brandenburg concerto, it's probably not Bach.

Vivaldi wrote over 500 concertos that could have the orchestration you described. And with not much melody to work with, I don't think you'll find an answer. My comment is generally worthless, but I felt bad that no one commented. What might help is if you remember exactly how many movements there are. That would distinguish from what might be an oboe concerto.

Hope you find a solution.

[bleicher]

Neither ring a bell. Try "A Dictionary of Musical Themes" - it was originally a book but now there's a website where you can search online. Just transpose each piece into C major or minor and type in the first few notes:

https://www.multimedialibrary.com/barlow/index.asp

[bachbrahmsschubert]

By the way, are you absolutely sure it was Haydn? Differentiating Haydn and Mozart is very very very difficult.

[lisztrachmaninovfan]

Given that you heard this on an airplane, it leads me to believe it was a more mainstream Baroque composer.

I didn't hear the Baroque period work on the airplane, but I heard the Classical period work on the airplane, if I'm not mistaken. The Baroque period work was heard on the radio. But still, thanks for ur help. I will look at ur suggestions...

[lisztrachmaninovfan]

Neither ring a bell. Try "A Dictionary of Musical Themes" - it was originally a book but now there's a website where you can search online. Just transpose each piece into C major or minor and type in the first few notes:

https://www.multimedialibrary.com/barlow/index.asp

Thanks for ur help; I will look at this when I can...

[lisztrachmaninovfan]

Thanks all u guys for ur help so far! I have identified the Baroque period work as a suite from the opera Dardanus, by Jean-Philippe Rameau. This was with the help of looking back at the calendar of all the music played by King FM in the past, the radio station which I found this work. I luckily remembered the date when I listened to this work, and even an approximate time, which helped me when looking at the music program of that day.

If u guys want to know where that theme was from in the opera, listen to "Deux tambourins I" from Act III of the opera.