Parade of the Winter Olympic Athletes: Interesting Musical Choices

[Cato]

I do not know whether anyone saw the Parade of the Athletes at the Winter Olympics, but the music used was all classical, and nothing from after 1900 (the Elgar March being the only exception).

At times, the choice co-ordinated well with the country, e.g. the Hungarian team heard the Hungarian Dance #5 by Brahms.

At other times, it seemed very random (Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance for the Americans (?) and not the British?)

The selections were on a loop, so e.g. Von Suppe's Light Cavalry Overture (complete with a chorus!) was heard twice (at least).

1.Rossini  William Tell Overture

2.Elgar  Pomp And Circumstance March #1

3. Tchaikovsky Nutcracker Suite: Dance of the Reed flutes+March

4. Verdi  Triumphal March: Aida

5. Johann Strauss II  Voices of Spring Waltz 

6.Beethoven  Turkish March: The Ruins of Athens

7.Beethoven  Excerpt from Symphony No. 5

8.Glinka  Russlan and Ludmilla Overture

9.Verdi The Drinking Song: La Traviata

10.Bizet  Carmen Overture

11.Brahms  Hungarian Dance #5

12. Émile Waldteufel   The Skater's Waltz

13. Franz von Suppé  Light Cavalry Overture with Chorus, so possibly music from the Finale?

14. Vivaldi   Spring: The Four Seasons

15. Mozart Excerpt from Symphony No. 40

16. Dvorak   Excerpt from Symphony No. 9  (4th movement)

17. Tchaikovsky  Dance of the Little Swans: Swan Lake

and thanks to Music Turner:

18. Bach Orchestral Suite excerpt, Finale/Gigue from No.3


I do not believe a Chinese orchestra played the pieces: as mentioned, the pieces seemed to be on a loop.  A later use of Beethoven's Ode to Joy for another spectacle was played rather "stiffly," if not awkwardly, possibly by a live orchestra, but possibly it too was recorded.

[JBS]

Pomp & Circumstance for the US athletes:

Possibly Land of Hope and Glory.

No matter if neither Pomp nor Circumstance nor Hope nor Glory seem present now.

Or maybe they just figured everyone in the US would recognize it from their high school graduation.

[Cato]

Or maybe they just figured everyone in the US would recognize it from their high school graduation.

That was my conclusion.

[MusicTurner]

I think the Danes were given a Bach Orchestral Suite excerpt, Finale/Gigue from No.3, but heavily 'modernized'.

[Cato]

I think the Danes were given a Bach Orchestral Suite excerpt, Finale/Gigue from No.3, but heavily 'modernized'.

Yes!  I remember that now!  I need to add that to the list!