Comphrensive Warhorse List

Skate2Music · Jan 9, 2016

I sometimes get confused between warhorses and well known but not "overused" pieces of music in figure skating.
For example Four Seasons by Vivaldi, is this a warhorse or not? So, I though why not create a list of warhorses?

Crossover · Jan 9, 2016

Skate2Music said:
I sometimes get confused between warhorses and well known but not "overused" pieces of music in figure skating.
For example Four Seasons by Vivaldi, is this a warhorse or not? So, I though why not create a list of warhorses?

I don't think the music of Vivaldi is a warhorse yet. We have a couple of threads on warhorses last season because songs from The Phantom of the Opera OST were so overused in men and ladies' disciplines during the season such as Hanyu, Mura, Gracie, Kanako and so on.

Amei · Jan 9, 2016

Phantom of the Opera
Carmen
Swan Lake
Romeo and Juliet

skater85 · Jan 9, 2016

I agree with Amei's list and would also add

Turandot (especially Nessun Dorma)
Malaguena
Rachmaninoff piano concerto #2

apgold · Jan 9, 2016

El Tango de Roxanne (from Moulin Rouge) is not "old" but it's overused so I consider it a warhorse. Baz Luhrmann movie soundtracks are becoming warhorses especially "Kissing You" from Romeo & Juliet.

Nobody's mentioned "Firebird" yet?

jrice314 · Jan 9, 2016

I'm not too clear about what counts as a warhorse either, but if it means common programs, here are some I can think of:

Sleeping Beauty--though I actually really like this music and don't mind seeing it usually
Bolero
Dark Eyes
Samson and Delilah
Claire de Lune used to be?
Titanic is becoming one maybe?
Les Miserables
Scheherezade

These are also fairly common but maybe are not warhorses yet?

Libertango / Astor Piazzolla
Madame Butterfly
James Bond medley
Pirates of the Carribean
Nutcracker

A lot of these are just really great pieces of music though, so I don't usually roll my eyes too much. Unless someone does a program right after someone does it really really well. Like when Tuktamysheva did Bolero right after Kostner skated to it. But maybe I just don't like Bolero that much.

Crossover · Jan 9, 2016

Welcome to GS, jrice314 and thank you for the first post with the useful info.

jrice314 · Jan 9, 2016

While we're on the subject of common pieces of music, does anyone have any ideas as to why I've never (or rarely) seen anyone skate to these pieces of music:

any Beethoven symphony
New World symphony by Dvorak
Tchaikovsky violin concerto
Tchaikovsky piano concerto in B flat minor
The Planets (Holst)

West Side Story
any other musical besides Phantom and Les Mis

Lord of the Rings
Star Wars
Harry Potter

Given how popular these pieces of music are outside of skating (in the classical music / Broadway world) relative to pieces that are skated to a lot, I was wondering why the above pieces aren't skated to more. I kind of get not skating to Lord of the Rings / Star Wars / Harry Potter because they are almost too popular / campy, but I don't get the other ones, especially other musicals, since picking movie / musical music is really popular. I guess most skaters don't really listen to classical / classical crossover / Broadway music even though I think a lot of their fans do.

Also, what is with both Sotnikova and Radionova skating to Lara Fabian this year?

draqq · Jan 9, 2016

Here is a fairly lengthy list of music, mainly classical, that field many, many figure skating programs. The word "warhorse" has a sort of epic tone to it, the kind of music that's safe, sweeping, tried and true.

Firebird
Concerto de Aranjuez
The Four Seasons (particularly Winter)
Phantom of the Opera
Carmen
Puccini's Torandot (Nessun Dorma)
Swan Lake
Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Dark Eyes
The Mask of Zorro
Doctor Zhivago soundtrack
Bolero
Les Miserables
The Mission
Nutcracker
Malaguena
Madame Butterfly
Miss Saigon
Rachmaninoff's Piano Concertos
Astor Piazolla's Libertango
The Untouchables soundtrack
Romeo and Juliet
Beethoven's Symphony No. 5
Spartacus
Rondo Capriccioso
Don Quixote
Sing, Sing, Sing (not really a warhorse, but used very frequently)
Besamo Mucho (for Latin original dances)
Schindler's List
Cinderella
Moonlight Sonata
Giselle
Tosca
West Side Story soundtrack
The Godfather soundtrack
Adios Nonino
Scheherazade
Samson and Delilah
Die Fledermaus
Lieberstraum
Ave Maria
La Strada soundtrack

ice coverage · Jan 9, 2016

Skate2Music said:
I sometimes get confused between warhorses and well known but not "overused" pieces of music in figure skating. ...

I have no objection to the thread, but I think it would be impossible for everyone to be in 100% agreement as to what does or does not belong on a warhorse list.
Overuse is in the ear of the beholder. I never get tired of Carmen, although it obviously is used a lot. I don't mind that others call it a warhorse, but to me, being a warhorse does not have to be a bad thing.

jrice314 said:
While we're on the subject of common pieces of music, does anyone have any ideas as to why I've never (or rarely) seen anyone skate to these pieces of music:

... West Side Story
any other musical besides Phantom and Les Mis ...

West Side Story was Max Aaron's FS when he won 2013 US Nats.

As for other musicals besides those on draqq's list, recent programs to The Lion King, 42nd Street, and Mary Poppins come to mind ...

Weathergal · Jan 9, 2016

golden411icecoverage said:
I have no objection to the thread, but I think it would be impossible for everyone to be in 100% agreement as to what does or not belong on a warhorse list.
Overuse is in the ear of the beholder. I never get tired of Carmen, although it obviously is used a lot. I don't mind that others call it a warhorse, but to me, being a warhorse does not have to be a bad thing.

West Side Story was Max Aaron's FS when he won 2013 US Nats.

As for other musicals besides those on draqq's list, recent programs to The Lion King, 42nd Street, and Mary Poppins come to mind ...

Akiko Suzuki also skated to West Side Story for her LP in 2009-10 season. It's been used by quite a few skaters.

Crossover · Jan 9, 2016

jrice314 said:
While we're on the subject of common pieces of music, does anyone have any ideas as to why I've never (or rarely) seen anyone skate to these pieces of music:

any Beethoven symphony
New World symphony by Dvorak
Tchaikovsky violin concerto
Tchaikovsky piano concerto in B flat minor
The Planets (Holst)

West Side Story
any other musical besides Phantom and Les Mis

I guess you're a new comer of figure skating since your listed music are used as programs on many occasions? :scratch2:

any Beethoven symphony: Brian Joubert, Tatsuki Machida, Maxim Kovtun
New World symphony by Dvorak: Bebe Liang
Tchaikovsky violin concerto: Daisuke Takahashi, Liam Firus, Kristi Yamaguchi's EX
Tchaikovsky piano concerto in B flat minor: Joannie Rochette

West Side Story: Duchesnays, Suzuki Akiko, Alissa Czisny, Sasha Cohen (one time though)
any other musical besides Phantom and Les Mis: Singing in the Rain, Marry Poppins, The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, An American In Paris, and more.

Princessroja · Jan 10, 2016

jrice314 said:
While we're on the subject of common pieces of music, does anyone have any ideas as to why I've never (or rarely) seen anyone skate to these pieces of music:

any Beethoven symphony
New World symphony by Dvorak
Tchaikovsky violin concerto
Tchaikovsky piano concerto in B flat minor
The Planets (Holst)

West Side Story
any other musical besides Phantom and Les Mis

Lord of the Rings
Star Wars
Harry Potter

Given how popular these pieces of music are outside of skating (in the classical music / Broadway world) relative to pieces that are skated to a lot, I was wondering why the above pieces aren't skated to more. I kind of get not skating to Lord of the Rings / Star Wars / Harry Potter because they are almost too popular / campy, but I don't get the other ones, especially other musicals, since picking movie / musical music is really popular. I guess most skaters don't really listen to classical / classical crossover / Broadway music even though I think a lot of their fans do.

Also, what is with both Sotnikova and Radionova skating to Lara Fabian this year?

For what it's worth, Amani Fancy and Christopher Boyadji did a program to Harry Potter last year, and I really enjoyed it. Thought it was a good choice, and not campy at all. Even popular soundtracks have little known parts to them, and I'd love seeing more of those done! Great thread idea btw!

iluvtodd · Jan 10, 2016

jrice314 said:
While we're on the subject of common pieces of music, does anyone have any ideas as to why I've never (or rarely) seen anyone skate to these pieces of music:

any Beethoven symphony
New World symphony by Dvorak
Tchaikovsky violin concerto
Tchaikovsky piano concerto in B flat minor
The Planets (Holst)

West Side Story
any other musical besides Phantom and Les Mis

Lord of the Rings
Star Wars
Harry Potter

Given how popular these pieces of music are outside of skating (in the classical music / Broadway world) relative to pieces that are skated to a lot, I was wondering why the above pieces aren't skated to more. I kind of get not skating to Lord of the Rings / Star Wars / Harry Potter because they are almost too popular / campy, but I don't get the other ones, especially other musicals, since picking movie / musical music is really popular. I guess most skaters don't really listen to classical / classical crossover / Broadway music even though I think a lot of their fans do.

Also, what is with both Sotnikova and Radionova skating to Lara Fabian this year?

There was a professional show skated to "The Planets" (back in the 1990's?). Fumie & Mao have both skated to "Jupiter" from "The Planets." In Mao's case, "Jupiter" has the lyrics of "I Vow to Thee, My Country."

Didn't Brian Joubert skate to Beethoven's 9th? I think the "Ode to Joy" part was in part of his program a few seasons back.

Todd Eldredge skated to music from the first "Lord of the Rings" movie @ 2002 US Nationals & @ the 2002 SLC Winter Olympics, as well as in SOI that spring (post Olympics).

MasterB · Jan 10, 2016

golden411icecoverage said:
I have no objection to the thread, but I think it would be impossible for everyone to be in 100% agreement as to what does or not belong on a warhorse list.
Overuse is in the ear of the beholder. I never get tired of Carmen, although it obviously is used a lot. I don't mind that others call it a warhorse, but to me, being a warhorse does not have to be a bad thing.

West Side Story was Max Aaron's FS when he won 2013 US Nats.

As for other musicals besides those on draqq's list, recent programs to The Lion King, 42nd Street, and Mary Poppins come to mind ...

And Scott Davis 93-94, Oksana 93-94 and the dance team from France 94

Giselle · Jan 10, 2016

West Side Story is definitly overused and has been for a long time. Besides all of the skaters already mentionned in this thread, these skaters also skated to it (and I'm sure there's way more):
Moiseeva & Minenkov - 1977/1978 FD
Delobel & Schoenfelder - 1997/1998 FD
Belbin & Agosto - 2003/2004 FD
McLaughlin & Brubaker - 2008/2009 LP

Nutcracker, Swan lake, Firebird and Romeo & Juliet are probably the most used ballet music. My favourite ballet Giselle has become overused these past years but I love it! Cinderella, Coppélia and Sleeping Beauty are getting there too, especially with the waltz SDs.

Ballets that are not too used (if anyone remember programs to these feel free to link, I would love to watch it):
La Bayadère (IIRC used by Alissa Czisny and Caroline Zhang)
La Sylphide
Paquita
Le Corsaire
Apollo
Rubies from "Jewels" ie Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra by Stravinsky

I would add the soundtrack of the movie Amelie to the list of overused music. I'm French and I love the movie but I feel that every skater that skates to it has never seen the movie and just use it as "pretty music".

humbaba · Jan 10, 2016

I Put a Spell on You and My Sweet and Tender Beast. Don't know if those two qualify as warhorses, but they certainly have been overused lately. Most of the selections that are labeled warhorses are great pieces of music that work well for skating. I guess overused music gets overused for a reason.

Layback11 · Jan 10, 2016

Masquerade Waltz has been hugely overused this season, so I'd include that.

desertskates · Jan 10, 2016

I think you all of posted some great warhorse lists. I do know without a doubt that Malaguena has firmly earned it's place on this list because the hubs returned from a 2 hour bike ride yesterday groaning that he could not get it out of his head! :laugh:

chuckm · Jan 10, 2016

I love Borodin, but I wish to hear music other than Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor

That piece has become a warhorse.

Add also:
Saint Saens Samson et Delilah

from the movies:
Forrest Gump
Legends of the Fall
Ladies in Lavendar
Requiem for a Dream

Comphrensive Warhorse List

Skate2Music

Crossover

All Hail the Queen

Amei

skater85

apgold

jrice314

Crossover

All Hail the Queen

jrice314

draqq

FigureSkatingPhenom

ice coverage

avatar credit: @miyan5605

Weathergal

Crossover

All Hail the Queen

Princessroja

iluvtodd

MasterB

Giselle

humbaba

Layback11

desertskates

chuckm

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