Mix Tape of the Day: January 27, 2015 - Rock Me Amadeus!

It is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's birthday.  So, here are all of the Mozart compositions you know.

1. Piano Sonata No. 11: Rondo Alla Turca - Mozart (1783) Need to quickly establish that you're at a fancy, intimate affair?  Then break out "Piano Sonata No. 11" and exchange witty repartee over tea.

2. Piano Concerto No. 21 - Mozart (1785) Oh, do you need to walk around the palace gardens and spot your love from afar, picking daisies?  Here's "Piano Concerto No. 21" to help arrange your meeting.

3. Marriage of Figaro Overture - Mozart (1786) Ah, here comes the royal couple now.  Let's all get ready and get in place so as not to make fools of ourselves!

4. Eine Kleine Nachtmusik: Allegro - Mozart (1787) Are you a lazy music director for a commercial and need to just have something "classical" to add an air of class to your crummy product?  Mozart's got you covered with the most famous piece of classical music EVER!

5. Piano Sonata No. 16 - Mozart (1788) Want to showcase a budding young piano student?  Have them play the opening to this sonata.  Then slam the piano closed on their fingers when they inevitably mess up 20 seconds in.

6. Symphony No. 40: I - Mozart (1788) Uh oh, are moments getting tense (but still in a high class setting)?  Maybe your rival suitor is about to win the heart of the fair maiden before you get a chance to intervene?

7. Magic Flute Overture - Mozart (1791) Are things about to get...fantastic?  Then gather round for this delightful romp through a magical world where anything can happen!  But as long as it follows traditional fairy tale rules.

8. Magic Flute: Queen of The Night - Mozart (1791) Really want to step up your opera setting?  Then have your characters watch the Queen's aria.  Or you can use this to just show off how pristine an art museum is.

9. Requiem: Dies Irae - Mozart (1791) Let's get epic! Something big's going down between good and evil people/creatures!

10. Requiem: Lacrimosa - Mozart (1791) The battle is over and we are looking at all the damage, but also hoping that something new is just around the corner.  Something that can fix things once and for all.

11. Lacrymosa - Evanescence (2006) After those ten well-known pieces, I decided to round of this mix with a few variations on Mozart.  Evanescence took their heavy musical themes and boosted it with the last track we just heard to create this haunting song.

12. Michael Meets Mozart - The Piano Guys (2011) I knew I could count on the talented Piano Guys to perform a great Mozart mashup.  And they choose Michael Jackson to pair him with.  "Smooth Criminal" has never sounded so elegant!

13. Rock Me Amadeus - Falco (1985) Can you believe that there is only one popular Mozart song that doesn't contain any Mozart motifs at all?  And it's also fantastically '80s!