I was just listening to the 1812 Overture on WCPE-FM, our local classical station (you can listen online – I’ve tuned in from Saudi Arabia before). It struck me that even if he doesn’t like “classical” music per se, that’s one piece most males connect to. Any orchestra with an artillery section is worth a second look.

(I once heard a July 4th performance on the riverfront in Baton Rouge. They fired the guns of the USS Kidd for the finale – pretty awesome stuff.)

Are you looking for some catchy things to introduce this genre to your boys? Here are some favorites of mine that have strong rhythms, drama, good melodic lines, and plain fun – frankly, they don’t take lots of subtlety and sophistication to appreciate these classics.

Bach – Brandenburg Concerto No. 2
Bach – Brandenburg Concerto No. 3
Beethoven – Symphony No. 3, “Eroica”
Beethoven – Symphony No. 6, “The Pastoral”
Beethoven – Symphony No. 9, “Chorale”
Brahms – Academic Festival Overture
Brahms – Hungarian Dances
Copeland – Rodeo
Copeland – Appalachian Spring
Copeland – Fanfare for the Common Man
Dvorak – Slavonic Dances
Dvorak – Symphony No. 8
Dvorak – Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”
Gershwin – Rhapsody in Blue
Handel – Royal Fireworks Music
Handel – Water Music
Handel – Oratorio Messiah
Holst – The Planets
Holst – Suites 1 & 2 for Band
Mendolssohn – Symphony No. 5, “Reformation”
Mozart – The Horn Concertos
Schubert – String Quartet in D minor, “Death and the Maiden”
Schumann – Konzertstueck (Concert Piece) for 4 Horns
Rossini – William Tell Overture
Tchaikovski – The 1812 Overture
Tchaikovski – Marche Slav
Von Suppe – Light Calvary Overture

And don’t forget John Phillip Sousa – in a class by himself! 

(Speaking of which, you can download all kinds of music by U.S. Armed Forces bands, including traditional marching bands, drum and bugle corps, fife and drum music, jazz bands, ceremonial fanfares and more – for free!  Just search on the name of the service (“U.S. Army” etc) and “band“.)