My Top Fifty Classical Music Pieces.

Your list is a good starting point for discussion Ian.  It made me think what would be on mine anyway.  But I suppose it was inevitable that it would attract from the usual suspects both condescending snobbery on the one hand and snide cynicism on the other.  Just a fact of life here, I'm afraid.

Vic.

I'm leavin', on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again...

Sorry I was just listening to Parla singing his top 50 pop songs!

On a more serious note, dismissing Ian's idea isn't exactly going to encourage a relatively new member to the forum.

There are some other favourites of mine in  I'd have to add Ian - Mussorgsky's Pictures At an Exhibition is a piece I never tire of hearing. Holst's The Planets in your list likewise, and Beethoven's Pastoral too I am in agreement with. (People seem to me to opt generally for Beethoven's Eroica or perhaps the 5th as his best symphonic works.

Personal lists seem fine to me, Ian, because they allow you to clarify your own preferences.

(Madcap Hugh actually has a reasonable point in that, hopefully, over time, your list might change, an idea echoed by Petra).

There has been an argument in the past on the forum over top ten lists in the magazine itself, but that's a different context. Some see such lists as innocent fun, and some don't like them due to obvious comparisons with commercial pop charts (though I have to admit that I grew up liking those!)

Sadly we lost a regular contributor in that debate in the form of Dubrob, who felt strongly against top tens in the magazine.

So hoping we don't lose you as from your list it is clear that you are a serious music lover.

Regards

Mark

We will all look forward to next years list. Perhaps you will have actually listened to all of Wagners Ring cycle the next time you include it in your top 50 and it may have moved up your list. Of course you could always do a top 49 and just include pieces you have bothered to listen to until the end.

Pity, so you will read this when you get back.

Why is it those so against lists have so much to say on the subject.

I could make a list of their objections (yawn, yawn) but instead, taking up some of the suggestions made by the more interesting posters I challenge you all to guess where Ermione was, or is, on my list of Top 50 and what year?

Here's a clue: it was/is in my top ten.

Ian,

I see that you are a Vaughan Williams fan. Do you also enjoy his symphonies? And I love his "Lark" too (as do many people). One piece of music of his which I find always puts me in a good mood is his "English Folk Song Suite". And you?

Best wishes,

Petra

The trouble with lists is that tomorrows list might well be different to todays. 50 works isn't many either! It's mostly this why I don't compile lists. I'm glad I haven't got to prune the old record collection down to 50 discs, it's hard enough picking works for the mp3 player.

Anyway, thank you Ian for sharing your list, it's always good to see other people's ideas and tastes. Don't let your lists fossilise your taste (another reason for not making one).

Best wishes,

P

Hello everyone,

Traditionally I only post to the forum when there has been a question
or concern raised about the services and products we are offering but I have
chosen to make an exception today in this case.

First of all, I wanted to thank Ian for taking the time to put together
his top 50 list and sharing it on our website. This is one of the many different
uses of the forum that I am always pleased to see and, while I recognise that
this is not how everyone enjoys discussing classical music, I would please ask
that you respect that other people's right to discuss and share ideas without
always having to defend the validity of the exercise.

If lists aren't your thing then you do not have to engage in the
thread - but we would ask that you respect the right of others to hold a
discussion that they find interesting. 

Please remember this forum is there to let people share their
ENJOYMENT for classical music.

Luca Da Re