An Interesting Set of Lists:

Returning to my interest in ranking things; I was looking around the web a while back for some recommendations of classical music to acquaint myself with. I am always looking for new things to listen to, especially now that I study 10-12 hours each day and like to have something to listen to other than the bustle of the other PhD students in my suite. So, I stumbled across this page at the Australian Broadcast Company's radio station: a ranking of their listeners' Top 100 Concertos of all time. There is also a link there for other Clasic 100 surveys, where they have the top 100 pieces by Mozart, for piano, among Operas, and of classical music overall.

I found the list very interesting. Especially intriguing to me was Max Bruch's 1st Violin Concerto being in the Top 5. This is a piece that I first heard on a recording by Akiko Suwanai (my favorite living violinst, and someone I've written about here before) in 2002. I had grown up on the Beethoven Violin Concerto and always assumed it would remain my favorite. So it does, but the Bruch had really grown on me over the years as has Bruch's Scottish Fantasy for Violin, which also comes in on the list.

Anyway, for those looking for a primer on classical music, or who want something to guide them to some pieces they haven't heard or considered listening to before, I think these Classic 100 lists are a very nice tool.

Anyway, happy listening.