# Study this..



## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

A Radio Classical Countdown in my area or favorite works. I voted for these ones  The results (top is #90, bottom is #1, I'll just warn you it varies very much each year, but it's an accurate depiction of the tastes of regular DC listeners) :

90. Giuseppe Verdi: Aida: Grand March
89. Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony #4: IV
88. Igor Stravinsky: Three Movements from Petrushka: Danse russe
87. Georg Philipp Telemann: Banquet Music, Part 1: Concerto: IV-Allegro
86. Frédéric Chopin: Piano Concerto #2: III
85. Claude Debussy: Clair de Lune
84. Ludwig van Beethoven: Violin Sonata #5 in F Major, Op. 24 "Spring"
83. Johannes Brahms: Piano Concerto #1
82. Johann Sebastian Bach: Brandenburg Concerto #6
81. Hector Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique
80. Gustav Mahler: Adagietto from Symphony #5
79. Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony #3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 "Eroica"
78. Johann Sebastian Bach: Brandenburg Concerto #5
77. Johann Strauss, Jr.: Blue Danube
76. Joaquin Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez: I
75. George Frideric Handel: Keyboard Suite #5 in E Major, HWV 430: IV. Air with 5 Variations "Harmonious Blacksmith"
74. Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata #21 "Waldstein": I Allegro
73. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony #40: I
72. Edvard Grieg: Holberg Suite
71. Sergei Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances 
70. Sergei Prokofiev: Symphony #1 "Classical"
69. Leonard Bernstein: Candide: Overture
68. Joseph Haydn: Symphony #104 in D Major "London": IV. Finale. Spiritoso
67. Johann Sebastian Bach: Toccata and Fugue D Minor (BWV 565)
66. Antonin Dvorák: Slavonic Dance, Op. 46 #1
65. Gabriel Fauré: Pavane
64. Johannes Brahms: Symphony #4
63. Sergei Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto #3
62. Gustav Mahler: Symphony #1 "Titan"
61. Max Bruch: Scottish Fantasy
60. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Concerto #21 in C Major, K 467
59. Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony #5
58. Max Bruch: Violin Concerto #1
57. Sir Edward Elgar: Enigma Variations: Nimrod
56. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro: Overture
55. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: The Magic Flute: Overture
54. Frédéric Chopin: Piano Concerto #1: III
53. Edvard Grieg: Peer Gynt Suite #1
52. Johannes Brahms: Double Concerto, Op. 102: III. Vivace non troppo
51. Igor Stravinsky: Firebird Suite
50. Johannes Brahms: Symphony #3
49. Ralph Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Greensleeves
48. Johann Pachelbel: Canon
47. Johann Sebastian Bach: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (from Cantata #147)
46. Franz Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody #2
45. Georges Bizet: Carmen Suite #1
44. Richard Addinsell: Warsaw Concerto
43. Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto #1
42. Johannes Brahms: Symphony #1
41. Sergei Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
40. Johannes Brahms: Violin Concerto
39. Felix Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto
38. Sergei Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet Suite #1 
37. Ludwig van Beethoven: Triple Concerto
36. Aaron Copland: Fanfare for the Common Man
35. Johann Sebastian Bach: Sheep May Safely Graze (from Cantata #208)
34. Jean Sibelius: Finlandia
33. George Frideric Handel: Water Music: Excerpts
32. Johann Sebastian Bach: Concerto, BWV 1043
31. Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite
30. Sergei Rachmaninoff: Symphony #2
29. Samuel Barber: Adagio for Strings
28. George Frideric Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks
27. Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture
26. Ludwig van Beethoven: Violin Concerto
25. Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata #14 "Moonlight"
24. Johann Sebastian Bach: Brandenburg Concerto #3 in G Major, BWV 1048
23. Maurice Ravel: Bolero
22. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony #41 "Jupiter"
21. Ralph Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending
20. Ralph Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Tallis
19. Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto
18. Bedrich Smetana: Ma Vlast: The Moldau
17. Antonin Dvorák: Symphony #8 
16. Modest Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition
15. Antonin Dvorák: Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op. 104
14. Edvard Grieg: Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16
13. George Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue
12. Aaron Copland: Appalachian Spring Suite
11. Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony #5
10. Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Concerto #5 "Emperor"
9. Antonio Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
8. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade
7. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Clarinet Concerto A Major (K. 622)
6. Camille Saint-Saëns: Symphony #3 "Organ"
5. Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony #6 "Pastoral"
4. Sergei Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto #2
3. Antonin Dvorák: Symphony #9 "From the New World"
2. Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony #7
1. Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony #9 "Choral"

My one confusion is why the Mozart Clarinet Concerto is in the top 10, and not his 40th Symphony (as it actually was last year during the same event)...  Otherwise, satisfied enough.

Would you agree with most of these?


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## Jean Christophe Paré (Nov 21, 2010)

No Bruckner, Mahler at #62, no Shostakovich, no... I don't feel it is varied enough; Too many compositions from same few artists. Quite conservative.

Nonetheless, very few songs I do not agree on being in the list at all.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

> Nonetheless, very few songs I do not agree on being in the list at all.


But there are no songs on this list.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I agree with many of them, maybe even most, if not the order. But some are just depressing.

Predictable: 
Beethoven's 9th at the top. I admit that's my favorite too.

Shocking: 
The Mozart Clarinet Concerto confused
Firebird and not Rite of Spring?
"Moonlight" over "Pathetique" or any of the late sonatas?

Some works are so well known in the popular world they have almost carried over into being pops works. It's really hard to judge their actual merits. I think we have a tendency to groan and roll our eyes when we see them:
Pachelbel's Canon
Vivaldi: 4 Seasons
1812 Overture


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## Meaghan (Jul 31, 2010)

Weston said:


> Shocking:
> The Mozart Clarinet Concerto confused
> Firebird and not Rite of Spring?
> "Moonlight" over "Pathetique" or any of the late sonatas?


The Mozart Clarinet Concerto is a lovely piece, especially the Adagio, but I never would have expected to see it in the top 10. The other two you mention don't shock me at all, coming as they do from a survey of a relatively large population (compared to, say, lists generated by users of this site). _I_ probably wouldn't have rated them that way, but Firebird is more "accessible" than Rite of Spring and "Moonlight" (at least the first movement, which is all most people know) is better known than other Beethoven sonatas.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Also one thing to note: Where is Wagner??? A friend pointed that out to me. Not even the Prelude and Liebestod to Tristahn and Isolde.


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## Sarabande (Nov 26, 2010)

Kinda weird theres no Schubert either


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## dmg (Sep 13, 2009)

It is a list of favorites, and not a best of. It is what people voted for - not a list of top works as chosen by scholars or anything.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

dmg said:


> It is a list of favorites, and not a best of. It is what people voted for - not a list of top works as chosen by scholars or anything.


Yes. I've noticed this list varies very much nearly every year, but usually the top 20 stay where they are approximately, once in a while something odd appearing there.

What I'd like to know is how many people actually voted in this. Like, 100? Then it would be very inaccurate.


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## CageFan (Dec 2, 2010)

Can someone please explain why Prokofiev got the blame? I am confused.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Bruckner gets no love, and Mahler nets but a peck on the cheek.

A tough audience, with Waldstein at 74, and Eroica at 79.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

CageFan said:


> Can someone please explain why Prokofiev got the blame? I am confused.


LOL  I blame Prokofiev for the possibly half-insane comments I make here. He has really made me go insane. But there, I changed it. More fitting now.


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

The list is meaningless and pointless, I'm afraid (as are nearly all such lists). The absences of many great composers and works is almost definitely due to the fact that the radio station in question hasn't played them. This radio station is possible (probably?) the only exposure that many of its listeners get to classical music. Therefore, any omissions of repertoire by the station are immediately reflected in the 'favourites' of the listeners who voted in the poll. That's why such things are meaningless, as they merely refelct the radio station's playlist.

For many years in succession the 'No 1' favourite classical piece voted for in a poll on the UK's execrable 'Classic fM' radio station was Bruch's First Violin Concerto (never played in its entirety, mind). It still might be for all I know - I can't bear to listen anymore. The reason for this? Is it one of the best pieces of music ever written? No, definitely not - good 2nd-rate music at best. Is it even one of the best violin concertos? Not in my opinion, no. Is it a very 'popular' piece? Yup, afraid so. Does 'Classic fM' play it nearly every single day? Yes, sadly. 

Point proved, I think.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Delicious Manager said:


> The list is meaningless and pointless, I'm afraid (as are nearly all such lists). The absences of many great composers and works is almost definitely due to the fact that the radio station in question hasn't played them. This radio station is possible (probably?) the only exposure that many of its listeners get to classical music. Therefore, any omissions of repertoire by the station are immediately reflected in the 'favourites' of the listeners who voted in the poll. That's why such things are meaningless, as they merely refelct the radio station's playlist.


Yes! I've always wondered that too! I have to admit, this radio station that did this Countdown plays way too much Baroque. I turn it on like every day, and there it is. And they hardly play anything modern: no Bartok, Shostakovich, Mahler, and only a little Prokofiev.

In consequence, I usually listen to the other one in my area, much more diverse. 

Next year, I dare a bunch of rebels from here to mess it up, but putting a write-in vote for one of those dodecophonists. It's www.weta.org


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