10. Sergei Prokofiev: Piano Sonata No. 6
Does this piece really belong on a list of compositions in A major? Though it is titled Sonata in A major, Prokofiev is up to his usual tricks and refuses to establish a stable tonality. It is the first of what has become known as the Three War Sonatas.
9. Joseph Haydn: 12 Variations in A major
Another questionable entry on this list, as Haydn also composed a set of 20 variations in G major based on the same theme. Bizarrely, both pieces are the same length, despite the G major version having 8 more variations. Below is the more commonly recorded A major version, though if it is to your liking be sure to look out the G major one too!
8. W.A. Mozart: Clarinet Concerto in A major, K. 622
Mozart’s only clarinet concerto has a lot of baggage. It was published posthumously and not originally indeed for the clarinet, which was at the time a rare instrument. Since its original publication, several versions have been released attempting to make playable some of the notes that go beyond the the range of a clarinet. Some people have even built custom instruments in order to perform the reconstructed original version!
7. Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky: Capriccio Italien, Op. 45
This lively fantasia for orchestra is rich with Italian folk-tunes and styles. It came about as a result of Tchaikovsky’s trip to Rome in 1878.
6. Sergei Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 1
Originally composed in 1891, Rachmaninoff revised this piece in 1917, at which time his second and third piano concertos had become public favourites. Even after the revision it failed to achieve the same status as his second and third concertos, to which Rachmaninoff was vocally dismayed. When composing the piece, Rachmaninoff modelled it on Grieg’s piano concerto.
5. César Franck: Violin Sonata in A major
This piece was written as a wedding present to the violinist Eugène Ysaÿe. He liked the piece so much that he kept it in his repertoire for the next 40 years. His persistent championing of the piece helped Franck achieve public recognition as a major composer, though Franck (who wrote the sonata at the age of 63) passed away 4 years after its premiere.
4. Franz Schubert: Trout Qunintet
It is the fourth movement of this quintet that is based upon Schubert’s well-known Lied Die Forelle (The Trout), however the whole piece is marvellous to listen to. This performance features Daniel Barenboim and Jacqueline du Pré in one of their many collaborations during their marriage.
3. Frédéric Chopin: Polonaise in A major, Op. 40, No. 1
Could this be Chopin’s most famous polonaise? If not for his Op. 53 in A-flat major then quite possibly, however it is this piece that has become of symbol of Polish nationalism like no other. Its counterpart, the C minor polonaise, is a more tragic representation of Poland.
2. Gabriel Fauré: Pavane, Op. 50
This hauntingly beautiful tune has enjoyed popularity since its premiere in 1888. Fauré originally composed this piece for the piano, but later re-imagined it as a small orchestral piece. It was dedicated to Fauré’s patron, Elisabeth, Countess of Greffulhe, who later helped the composer produce a grander version of the piece, complete with invisible chorus and dancers.
1. Irving Berlin: White Christmas
Bing Crosby’s first recording of this song was in 1942 for the musical film Holiday Inn. It has since sold over 50 million copies, making it best-selling single in history.