popular wedding tunes

JaneHudson

Which are the tunes that people request the most for weddings?
Jesus Joy of Man's Desiring?
Pachelbels Cannon?

I would imagine that anyone providing wedding music would have to have those in their repertoire.
Which ones do you think are overplayed?

drunkmonkey

The Galway Girl makes me want to hang myself. No more please.

JaneHudson

Yeah that drives me nuts as well. I was thinking more along the lines of classical church/registry office stuff. Galway Girl is in a whole other league! I don't think classical music could get that annoying.

AoifeCork

Oh gosh yes... The Pachelbel Canon is definitely a staple of 85% of weddings I do.. Others would include:

Ave Maria (Schubert moreso than the Bach/Gounod or Caccini, although they are still very very popular)
Panis Angelicus (Franck)
Nella Fantasia-Theme From The Mission (Ennio Morricone)
Pie Jesu
Air on a G String
Wagner's Bridal March..

Loads and loads more but these are the ones I always get asked about.

Willprobably think of loads more!

Eliot Rosewater

I think it might be nice to take your favourite prices and craft them into a wedding "score." For example, Mahler's First Symphony. From 4 minutes here could be nice for the start, suitably arranged.

music producer

Panis Angelicus
The King Of Love My Shepherd Is
Ode To Joy (Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee)
All Creatures Of Our God And King
Morning Has Broken
The Prayer
Be Thou My Vision

I love wedding hymns....

evolving_doors

A friend asked me to organise the music at a wedding,,he was trying to find the name of that tune.."you know the one that repeats over and over with more stuff added in each time,, you know the one some rapper used as a backing track..it was played at mary's wedding last year" obviously hinting at Pachobel's Cannon (In D in case you're wondering..)

Needless to say I put on my puzzled face and said " hmm no doesn't ring a 'bel' with me.."

Just had this conversation with another musician today,, if you're asked to sort out the music it's all about the 'guiding' of the client's wishes..

music producer

Armelodie wrote: »

A friend asked me to organise the music at a wedding,,he was trying to find the name of that tune.."you know the one that repeats over and over with more stuff added in each time,, you know the one some rapper used as a backing track..it was played at mary's wedding last year" obviously hinting at Pachobel's Cannon (In D in case you're wondering..)

Needless to say I put on my puzzled face and said " hmm no doesn't ring a 'bel' with me.."

Just had this conversation with another musician today,, if you're asked to sort out the music it's all about the 'guiding' of the client's wishes..

This is both hilarious and defensible!

johnnybmac

Good friend of mine had "Rainy night in Soho", played on the flute... Absolute Class...

Personally, Eternal flame was our song.

It really should be based on the personality/history of the participants...

beertons

The Mission, Gabriels Obe.

evolving_doors

johnnybmac wrote: »

It really should be based on the personality/history of the participants...

And 'guided' by the musicians vast knowledge of what's good best..

evolving_doors

'Pen*s Angelicus' .... always tempted but usually chicken out in the end...

music producer

Believe it or not, the Bridal Chorus is still the top wedding processional. Other popular tunes are Pachelbel's Canon, Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, and on a romantic note, the Theme from Princess Bride.

Almaviva

A few more hackneyed classical wedding pieces from Berlioz, Mozart, and the ubiquitous Wagner :


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkOiKy6sXfM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwCuFaq2L3U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qes0_Lt0qVQ

cailinoBAC

Oh no, didn't realise Ode to Joy was a cliche too. I've never heard it at a wedding and was thinking of it. So....any ideas for a good classical piece that hasn't been overdone?

music producer

I don't know that Ode To Joy is cliché. It is however the song my bride and I used for our recessional (after singing the first verse with the congregation).

kastasia

Ok thoughts on some of these songs/excerpts...maybe a bit different? I'm trying to find some suitable music that I like but is not too tired.
Marriage of Figaro overture (Is this used much, I've never heard it)
Saint Saens organ symphony
Tchaikovsky String Quartet No.1 in D - Mvt 2 (Andante cantabile)
Mascagni Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana
Borodin String Quartet number 2

music producer

kastasia wrote: »

Ok thoughts on some of these songs/excerpts...maybe a bit different? I'm trying to find some suitable music that I like but is not too tired.
Marriage of Figaro overture (Is this used much, I've never heard it)
Saint Saens organ symphony
Tchaikovsky String Quartet No.1 in D - Mvt 2 (Andante cantabile)
Mascagni Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana
Borodin String Quartet number 2

The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart is a sprightly number; I think it would be most fit for prelude, or after the main recessional; probably an unusual choice for the bride.

The Mascagni Intermezzo is much slower, almost somber - perhaps a bit too mellow for your average wedding ceremony.

However, here is a nice rendition of the Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee - Ode To Joy song in a version that would work very nicely for a processional, or even better as your recessional.

kastasia

I am thinking of Ode to Joy as our recessional.
I'm thinking of just an excerpt of the intermezzo for the lighting of the candle.

Diapason

There's no doubt that the piece I hate playing the most is Pachelbel's sodding Canon. I actually don't think it works at all well as an organ Processional, although obviously it's a bit more suitable if a string quartet is playing. In truth I prefer sprightly processionals, something along the lines of the Purcell Trumpet Tune or even the (somewhat hackneyed) Clarke Trumpet Voluntary. I've also had good success with the Grand March from Aida, or even the Arrival of the Queen of Sheba.

Just stay away from the Goddamn Canon!

music producer

kastasia wrote: »

I am thinking of Ode to Joy as our recessional.
I'm thinking of just an excerpt of the intermezzo for the lighting of the candle.

Yes, the Intermezzo would be beautiful for the candle lighting!

Sandwlch

Cav Rus Intermezzo sounds a very bizarre piece for a wedding to me. Its is a very dramatic-tragedy in mood. Very good . But tragic.

music producer

There are a couple unusual songs here: Processionals For Brides & Bridesmaids, an album on Bandcamp; the site has a lot of indie/band music but not really all that much for weddings, but this one has a lot of variety, and almost 30 songs.

Song 13, Meditation from Thais, is a very romantic violin solo with a light orchestral backing. Clair De Lune is one you're probably familiar with, but that might be nice for bridesmaids or your prelude. There is also a nice instrumental version of The Prayer, but it's not classical - more of a Andrea Bocelli/Celine Dion style meditative piece.

music producer

Regarding the Intermezzo - though it is tragic, that fact will be noted by almost no one in attendance, unless we're talking about a very musically literate congregation...

kastasia

Yeah, I don’t think it will matter to most people, I was just listening to a CD and thought, that would be nice…well different to Gabriel’s Oboe anyway…