[Spiny_Norman]

But the single most recognizable set of notes to open a song belongs to Ludwig van Bethoven... Symphony Number 5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv2WJMVPQi8

The BBC had a nice recording during their Beethoven week describing the opening (it was a free to download MP3, but was only available for a limited time).  While romantics want to say that the notes refer to "fate knocking at the door", apparently Beethoven modeled the opening after the cry of the Yellowhammer bird.

BC

Apropos of nothing other than my trivial nature, one of my favorite factoids involves the opening notes of Beethoven's 5th.  The form of those notes - short short short long - is also the Morse code for the letter V which coincidentally in Roman numerals is 5. 

[Spiny_Norman]

But the single most recognizable set of notes to open a song belongs to Ludwig van Bethoven... Symphony Number 5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv2WJMVPQi8

The BBC had a nice recording during their Beethoven week describing the opening (it was a free to download MP3, but was only available for a limited time).  While romantics want to say that the notes refer to "fate knocking at the door", apparently Beethoven modeled the opening after the cry of the Yellowhammer bird.

BC

Apropos of nothing other than my trivial nature, one of my favorite factoids involves the opening notes of Beethoven's 5th.  The form of those notes - short short short long - is also the Morse code for the letter V which coincidentally in Roman numerals is 5.