"Socrates'" Classical Music Top 10 List

[djmomo17]

Here's a little list I found on Technorati.

"Socrates'" Classical Music Top 10 List

Spoiler alert: Beethoven makes an appearance or 2...

I disagree with one point he makes, that the late string quartets should not be played forcefully. Op 131's finale at least should be pretty forceful I think...

[Sorrano]

Perhaps these are the top 10 German/Austrian offerings? It is difficult (impossible) to categorize such a list, especially with so many great works (no operas, ballets, or other genres?) out there from every era. One thing that we can get out of these lists are the repetitions that appear from one to another; this gives a good idea, I think, of what people really like.

[Michael]

Nice list, but he could have squeezed in a few more Beethoven works. And who are these Schubert and Mozart guys?

[Chris]

Kind of an odd list. They put all 32 of Beethoven's piano sonatas under one entry, but not his symphonies? Good to see Haydn make an appearance, though.

[Hofrat]

Did I read the list right? Did the list's author write: "Clara Schumann, Brahms' widow...?"

[Peter]

Did I read the list right? Did the list's author write: "Clara Schumann, Brahms' widow...?"

No he finished the sentence "widow of Brahms' close personal friend Robert Schumann".

Such lists are always to be avoided simply because it is impossible to truly compile anything that is meaningful. I would find it impossible to pick 10 pieces and put them in any sort of order.

[djmomo17]

Lists like these are designed to get people unfamiliar with classical music to give some great pieces a try. I have to admit, when I first started to get into CM I downloaded some kind of "100 Greatest Classical Works Ever" compilation at a budget price. Without a set like that, I never would have learned to appreciate Rossini or Rimsky-Korsakov.

Besides that, yeah, these rankings things are completely subjective and otherwise meaningless. Except for the part about Beethoven being No. 1. There's no question there