Greatest classical composers of all time

[@xenocrates2559]

I appreciate that you included Haydn. Haydn is my number 1; he is amazingly inventive and prolific. Like you, Haydn's music always makes me smile. There is an unusual sense of equanimity in his music which is a subtle feeling that very few other composers are able to communicate. I might have included Machaut and Palestrina, and in general I think Vaughan-Williams is underappreciated as a symphonist. But overall I think your list is a good one.

[@Ioseph-i7t]

Personally, my favourite composer is Liszt, though Chopin is a close second. For me, his life and music are just magical. His works cover a vast range of styles: He has impressionist pieces like his legends (especially his first one); Epic works of tragedy like his Ballade 2; and strangely beautiful masterpieces like his Vallée d’Oberman. I can understand those who don’t like Liszt but I will say that the people who brush him off as just another show-off virtuoso don’t understand what he achieved.

[@timothythorne9464]

Beethoven and Chopin, yea, but I would place Brahms third and probably Mozart fourth. And where was Tchaikovsky? I don't get the obsession with J. S. Bach. Sure he wrote thousands of pieces, some of it very good and very inspiring, but his overall approach to music is academic and boring. I prefer Handel and Vivaldi, even Scarlatti, to Bach

[@timothythorne9464]

@@Ioseph-i7t the problem with Liszt is that he's mostly known through his weakest pieces- the Hungarian Rhapsodies, Liebestraum, the first piano concerto, Les Preludes etc. Liszt wrote much fantastic music which is never performed. The Years of Pilgrimage-- Switzerland and Italy (both books), the Mephisto Waltzes, the Petrarch remembrances, Valse Oubliee are all sublime works that need to be heard.

[@levanzau]

I like especcialy the late works from Liszt, when it gets more poethic, The Fantasie on Ad nos ad salutarem undam is my absolute Favorite from Liszt

[@yeetthebeet]

@@timothythorne9464 indeed liszt later works are neglected in public eyes

[@LeifD958]

@@timothythorne9464 I consider the second Hungarian rhapsody to be the only weak one amongst the 19 rhapsodies. I’ve never cared for that one. Unfortunately it’s the one piece that’s almost been synonymous with Liszt, alongside La Campanella. The other 18 rhapsodies are great, especially no. 17, 18 and 19. The last is my favourite. The only bad thing about the liebestraumes, is all the bad interpretations. They’re so often played badly by young aspiring pianists. In the right hands they are jewels, and even masterpieces. I personally champions both Liszt concertos. Even the third one. That’s said, I am highly agree.😊People judge Liszt by a few pieces. Highly unjustified, and highly unrepresentative. There are fare better works out there by Liszt, who people never hear. Late Liszt is quite exiting. The best Liszt pieces is generally those who are seldom or never played. I’ll never understand why all have to play the same few pieces by Liszt. Especially when they’re not even the greatest by him. Or not even close. 😊

[@manuellloreda07]

Your videos are immaculate, you’ll get far if you keep it up!!!

[@ryanabshier]

@@manuellloreda07 thanks! Super nice to hear the encouragement!

[@ricardoguzman5014]

1. Beethoven 2. Mozart 3. Tchaikovsky After that, it could go any number of ways for me. Bach's textures were top notch. Handel was one of the best geniuses of creating unforgettable melodies. Strauss was continuously creative with the diversity of his waltzes. I also like medieval and renaissance composers, which are often overlooked in the mainstream. Ludwig Senfl, Jacob Obrecht, Josquin des Prez and others.

[@goodandplenty5082]

In my opinion, Liszt was my favorite. He loved other composer's works so much, he transcribed them for the piano. In fact, of his 120 hours or so of compositions, fully half were transcriptions. Some were all of Beethoven's symphonies, some of Schubert's works as well as Bach's works too. In short, Liszt's transcriptions helped make the music of composers who were unknown at the time or inaccessible to audiences outside of major European capitals more widely available. He was the composer's composer.

[@Dylan-y1h]

Saying he didn’t compose anything earth shattering is absolutely insane. Lizst is litteraly the definition of HIM anyone who disagrees is just stupid

[@goodandplenty5082]

@Dylan-y1h Hi Dylan. I made a comment that many others will find off color. Therefore I corrected it. I'm sorry that you found it upsetting.

[@drakeplayspiano]

A agree with Ryan, Beethoven is by far my favorite.

[@ryanabshier]

He just so good consistently and there's so much of his music to study.

[@eduardoguerraavila8329]

Compared with the other top-tiers always quoted composers, (Bach and Mozart), Beethoven has in my very particular opinion, the highest degree of consistency on his entire opus. We can arguably remark that his entire set of compositions is the greatest body of music ever. So, I cannot be in more agreement with you about the supremacy and number 1 position for the greatest composer ever, Ludwig van Beethoven.​@@ryanabshier

[@sylvaingoudreau7189]

A bit surprise Tchaikovsky had no mention, but I guess it has to do with the focus on piano music.

[@classicallpvault]

Tchaikovsky wrote 15 hours of piano music. That's comparable to Chopin.

[@SkibidiChoppyDaddy]

For me: 1. Beethoven 2. Chopin 3. Liszt 4. Rachmaninoff 5. Bach 6. Brahms 7. Scriabin 8. Schumann 9. Prokofiev 10. Mozart

[@Very_Rando_person]

How dare you do that to poor mozart

[@famalex6325]

@@Very_Rando_person nah skibidi's right in my opinion

[@timothythorne9464]

​@@famalex6325not right-- well Mozart at #10 is about right, but... where is Tchaikovsky?!

[@famalex6325]

@@timothythorne9464 yeah and where's ravel and debussy...

[@GregoryVincent-d9u]

And Handel ... the one whom Beethoven, your number one choice (and mine, incidentally), declared unequivocally was the greatest, was Handel. He originally felt that Mozart was, and of course, he admired Bach, but at the end of his life he exonerated Handel above all others.

[@gerhardprasent3358]

Schubert lived only for 31 years (not 38)! You also seem to know only piano music, no (Schubert) songs, no (Mozart) operas mentioned ... strange. Mozart at #5 and Schubert at #10 is crazy btw.

[@cimbalok2972]

All good choices. Cool video! I also liked your vid ranking the 32 Beethoven Piano Sonatas even though my faves were at the bottom of your list 😈

[@jonathan130]

I really enjoy orchestral pieces, but I understand why Chopin is your second favorite. He’s an iconic and singular composer, a true genius in music composition. The fact that his work is primarily for solo piano doesn’t diminish his greatness at all. His melodies are phenomenal, and there’s an indescribable quality to his music that makes it unforgettable. And his importance when it comes to innovation in pure music theory, he is more influential than many composers. But then for orchestra, he is irrelevant, but not for his innovations in musical innovations like rhythm, harmony and much more.

[@militaryandemergencyservic3286]

at 00:33 you say Schubert lived 38 years. Actually it was 31. If you'd like to know th best biography on this ultimate of musical geniuses - I'd recommend Fisher Dieskau's one.

[@haitaelpastor976]

No Tchaikovski (not even in mentions) = invalid opinion.

[@luisevanperezbasanez944]

That is exactly what I was going to say, but to be fair, he is slightly overrated (And also, its *Tchaikovsky* with a “y”

[@jonstewart464]

Thought Bach would be 1. for being the foundation on which the rest are built. Personal no.1 is Schubert, whose music for me expresses the ineffable essence of the human soul. Beethoven and Chopin tie at 2, Liszt at 3. The sickly Rachmaninoff and Schumann can sod off (though I do like some of Rachmaninoff's solo piano works) to make way for the trippy delights of Ravel.

[@willy9t]

Love all of your vids. Always looks like you're having fun. I especially like the breakdowns of music theory. I know basic music theory and I'm just learning to read music now. My top 10 would be 1. Mozart 2. Beethoven 3. Chopin 4. Brahms 5. Bach 6. Schubert 7. Field 8. Tchaikovsky 9. Schumann 10. Haydn What are some obscure pieces that you think should be more popular?

[@ryanabshier]

Thanks. I do want to keep things fun and build a good, positive community of classical musicians so I love hearing that. Obscure pieces that come to mind off the top of my head. Some I've made videos about to hope more people see them. The Brahms Op. 117 lullaby, Brahms Handel Variations, Beethoven Op. 101 and Op. 28. Haydn...really 10 or so sonatas outside of the usual suspects. Bach toccatas (WTC is great, but I think many toccatas make better performance pieces). Bartok Romanian Folk Dances. Norman Dello Joio in general.

[@isaacthrpenquinez1098]

My list: 1: Chopin 2: Ravel 3: Schumann 4: Bartok 5: Scriabin 6: Beethoven 7: Debussy 8: Rautavaara 9: Bach 10: Prokofiev

[@thereallama]

Goated list

[@marcusanthonyPOV]

I love to see Scriabin on so many lists.

[@famalex6325]

@@marcusanthonyPOV I freakin love scriabin

[@oritdrimer4354]

I agree with almost everything here

[@timothythorne9464]

Nobody's giving any love to Tchaikovsky

[@andromedaperseus954]

Just a irrelevant question: What's your favorite interpretation of Brahms Concerto No. 2?

[@luisevanperezbasanez944]

Yuja wang

[@thereyougoagain1280]

8:06 it’s been done multiple times, I personally own Ivo Janssen’s set, it’s just solo keyboard works, but it includes everything in there except for those of doubtful authorship (like the violin sonata transcriptions, the Notebooks, etc) and it’s very good. Angela Hewitt also did one (although weirdly without the Art of Fugue at first), as did several others, and Gould came very close to getting all of them, had he lived another few years he probably would have done it. It’s definitely a massive project for any pianist/harpsichordist who wants to do it (I think it took Janssen something like 15 years), but it is possible and the results are usually pretty amazing and unique

[@DMajor402]

very nice list,and i have to agree with you about haydn i think his pieces are as good as mozarts and i don't know why people don't like him and my favorites are Tchaikovksy and Chopin, i really can't choose between them and Debussy said Chopin was the greatest of them all, for through the piano he discovered everything

[@soozb15]

Totally agree. As an intermediate player, his sonatas are a challenge but even more fun to play than Mozart's.

[@mirkoeinhorn09]

1. Beethoven 2. Schubert 3. Dvorak 4. Mahler 5. Wagner 6. Brahms 7. Schoeck 8. Janacek 9. Martinu and 10. I can't decide. But I'm not so exclusively interested in piano music, as you'll see from the list. I also love symphonic music, chamber music, operas and Lieder too, which is why the name Schoeck is on my personal list, although probably hardly anyone knows the name. If it were primarily about piano music, names like Wagner, Mahler and Schoeck would have to make way for Haydn, Scarlatti and Debussy.

[@Khayyam-vg9fw]

Othmar Schoeck was an excellent composer! I've already put in a good word for Franz Schmidt, but I might slip another three in for Hans Pfitzner, Franz Schreker and Erich Wolfgang Korngold.

[@mirkoeinhorn09]

@Khayyam-vg9fw I love them all, especially Schreker and Pfitzner, although the latter wasn't exactly a nice guy. But to be honest, none of them is a contender for a place in the Top 10. Schoeck is even less so, and even Janacek and Martinu only have a chance in a very personal selection. 😅

[@mirkoeinhorn09]

@@Khayyam-vg9fw But since you are interested in music of this type and time, may I give you a tip? Listen to something by Vitezslav Novak! I've hardly come across a composer who has been so unjustly overlooked. The Slovak Suite would be a good introduction to his work. 👌

[@Khayyam-vg9fw]

@@mirkoeinhorn09 Thanks for the tip! I'll definitely investigate Novak's music.

[@ilconiglioneroraccontihorr4775]

10. Satie 9. Scriabin 8. Mozart 7. Bach 6. Beethoven 5. Debussy 4. Schubert 3. Brahms 2. Chopin And the number 1 is: Ravel

[@famalex6325]

Ravel 1 for sure, 2 for me is scriabin, and 3 debussy but great list...

[@billmarrufo]

Fine selection, specially coincidence on Scriabin. For me Scriabin is #1 (since I really discover most all of his music), then of course Bach, Mozart, Chopin, Debussy, Ravel, Brahms. It was a bit surprising you didn´t mention Rachmaninoff. I got tired of Beethoven

[@marketablecoleslaw]

You have good taste

[@justintimetoclashandbrawl3348]

E 2. Rachmaninoff 1. Chopin

[@famalex6325]

In my opinion Ravel, Debussy and scriabin are the best, interesting that ravel isn't even an honorable mention...

[@jtatum6900]

It's his opinion

[@ryanabshier]

@@famalex6325 Ravel is for sure who I'm alluding to in the description as the one that will be most shocking. I've always thought Debussy > Ravel, but KZbin comments have taught me I'm not in the majority. As far as it being my opinion (as some have mentioned) yup. If I said these are the definitive Top 10...that would just be an opinion too because there isn't a perfect way to rank them. So just have fun with it.

[@famalex6325]

@@ryanabshier yeah I wasn't hating your opinion or so, just wanted to say what my personal favorites are, gr8 vid...

[@disinformationworld9378]

Scriabin was my idol. He is amazing. It is criminal how few speak of his music. His music blew my mind. Especially Prometheus. One of most incredible orchestral pieces ever composed. By far.

[@famalex6325]

@@disinformationworld9378 yeah I agree, also the sonatas, just stunning, all the variety

[@tijn5446]

I love the fuges from bach either. I played the fuge in a minor bwv 895. Are you familiar whit that?

[@derkommentar5013]

Ravel has to be in the Top10. Absolute top notch composer!

[@peter5.056]

Chopin also wrote gorgeous Polish Songs. In fact, I think they might be the most Chopin-esque things Chopin ever wrote, ironically. I could argue that Chopin was a composer for human voice, but did it through the piano.

[@ryanabshier]

@@peter5.056 I'm always surprised that more vocalists and string instruments don't play his melodies more. I know transcriptions can be looked down upon (especially for voice cause you would have to put in words) but so many of Chopin's melodies would fit perfectly on single note instruments. Then just hire a pianists and say "You only have to play the LH part"

[@mateusquasetuga]

@@ryanabshier A lot of Chopin's soaring melodies would probably be quite difficult for the voice. Any voice. Even the Mazurkas I would think.

[@ryanabshier]

@@mateusquasetuga for sure. It would take some massaging to take out the pianist moments. But yeah, Chopin didn't have to worry about range/keys as much. I'm thinking something like Ocean Etude. The melody is pretty tame and contained. I think it would be awesome as a cello-piano piece.

[@soozb15]

​​@@ryanabshierHi Ryan. The late great Zoltán Kocsis transcribed Chopin mazurkas and nocturnes for violin and cello/piano. Worth a listen 🎶

[@stephenjcarr1]

My top 10 are all Symphonists, and some of them didnt compose much for piano - 1. Mahler 2. Bruckner 3. Shostakovich 4. Sibelius 5. Elgar 6. Vaughan Williams 7. Walton 8. Glass 9. Strauss 10. Stravinsky

[@Harriet-Jesamine]

I very much like this👍👍☮️

[@felipeechavarria7229]

I LOVE Haydn!! Thanks for including him.

[@fatmathepianist]

This was great to watch. It helped me to find who is in my top 10 (kinda same btw xd I just like Chopin more than Beethoven) thanks :)

[@TenorCantusFirmus]

I'm very into Early Music - Ockeghem and Bach are my two very favorites, it has been their incredible "architectures" which have made me studying composition.

[@dosterix6034]

Oh I love Ockeghem, he still got this early "fresh" modal flavour, even to a higher degree than josquin although I like him too

[@dosterix6034]

He's the first guy of whom we have a musical requiem as well

[@teodorb.p.composer]

My most favourite compiser is Nikolai Medtner, Rachmaninoff said that he is the greatest compiser of their age, and I have to agree with him. Nobody is so creative in thematic work, piano texture, advamced, tho tonal harmony and form. Also his rythms and contrapoint is extremely great!

[@frenchpete88]

Same here! Unsanely addictive sonatas, unfairly forgotten!

[@timothythorne9464]

I've only ever seen the name "Medtner" in comments about classical music. Have never heard even one piece by him

[@teodorb.p.composer]

@@timothythorne9464 Listen to him, it really change your life. But you have to give him more chances and listen to him mire times, his music is hard to goet for the first listenings.

[@frenchpete88]

@@timothythorne9464 I was like you only one year ago, even though I am 66 and have listened to a lot of music, especially Russian (Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Scriabine, Katchaturian, Balakirev and many others). Discovering Medtner has been an absolute revelation and changed my life. Nothing less. An inexhaustible source of wonder and amazement. Go for his sonatas and forgotten melodies. It would be surprising if you came to ever regret it.

[@dwdei8815]

That word "My" is the important one. It's your menu, you go ahead and enjoy the play of trying to shuffle much loved names into an order. As for me, my favourite 1, 5 or 10 composer(s) changes all the time. I'm currently engaged on Chopin's 4th Scherzo and see how and where it trascends anything else ever written. But I felt the same about other pieces when I was studying Franck's Prelude, Choral and Fugue, then Bach's Italian Concerto and then Shostakovich's preludes. Chopin and Rachmaninov probably float most often to the top - but Ravel is there. His ever-fresh creation of sound-worlds unlike anything the world had ever imagined before is prolific.

[@bhami]

Ryan's list: 10.Schubert 9. Liszt 8. Schumann 7. Rachmaninoff 6. Haydn 5. Mozart 4. Brahms 3. Bach 2. Chopin 1. Beethoven honorable mentions: Grieg, Bartok, Debussy No argument on #1! But I can't believe that Tchaikovsky did not make your list! His a minor piano trio Op.50? Just wow!

[@boiklassikal8642]

There are two sides of me: The Orchestral side (I play the clarinet) and the Piano side. Like, as an orchestral musician I hate Chopin, but as a pianist I think he's one of the greatest. Just listen to his 3rd Sonata plus his Polonaise-Fantasy. But as an orchestral musician, Mahler and Bruckner are my absolute favourite. Like, Mahler's 3rd and 9th symphony have been my absolute favourite symphonies since I discovered them. Bruckner's 7th just can't be described with words. On the other hand tho, Liszt, Beethoven and Brahms are those whom I like both as a clarinetist and pianist. Liszt's two symphonies plus his tone poems are absolute bangers for the orchestra and his Years of Pilgrimage and the Sonata in B minor sound absolutely heavenly at the end. For Beethoven, what could be more fun than playing his 6th and 7th symphony on the clarinet, though the 3rd and 9th are my abosolute favourite. And his piano sonatas and concertos, the 3rd, 4th and 5th are my absolute favourites. Brahm's, his clarinet quintet, what could get more romantic that that? And his piano works, perfect. His four symphonies plus his serenades... Honestly, it's impossible to choose between my favourite composers, and it's really amazing how this world has contained such a great amount of composers.

[@GregoryVincent-d9u]

Good video. Thank you for posting. I feel that there is a handful of extremely ingenious composers who stand out ... they are, in chronological order, Vivaldi, Handel, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, probabably Chopin (I need to hear more), and Shostakovich. Handel is so special for me, as his concerti grossi opened a door for me to a whole new cultural world when I was 14. Bach's late fugues are so original - and, in certain respects, are unparalleled. But overall, I would select Beethoven as the greatest composer. Two things come to mind - his extreme originality, and his tremendous breadth of feeling (in which regard he is like Shakespeare). Expatiating upon a modest theme, he can create a whole world.

[@michaelasbury5473]

I knew before I even watched the video, who would be number one. I happen to wholeheartedly agree. Although I can’t play many of his pieces, Chopin is probably my number 2 as well.

[@daph0307]

1. Rachmaninoff. 2. Sibelius. 3. Mahler. I still struggle to decide whether Mahler goes 2nd and Sibelius 3rd. I don't think I am so passionate in the music of other composers to make my own top 10, but in my 4th place, if I had to push it, that would be Prokofiev.

[@marketablecoleslaw]

for me: 10. Meredith Monk 9. Beethoven 8. Rachmaninoff 7. Vivaldi 6. Gubaidulina 5. Adams 4. Debussy 3. Bach 2. Bartók 1. Ravel

[@yeetthebeet]

W

[@casualcadaver]

Damn your into that Gregorian chant monk action?😆 Okay no hate , no hate .

[@Budolf]

Nice list. Mine goes like (it changes a lot) 1.richard strauss 2.camille saint saens 3.alexandr glazunov 4.feliks nowowiejski 5.maurice ravel 6.edvard grieg 7.fryderyk chopin 8.sergei rachmaninov 9.pyotr tchaikovsky 10.L.V. Beethoven

[@bhami]

I agree that Saint-Saens is generally *way* underrated. He actually composed in each of ten decades (late 1830s thru early 1920s). And I think Debussy and Ravel are way *overrated*.

[@Budolf]

@@bhami good to hear someyone agree that saint saens is underrated. But how is ravel overrated? He is just incredible

[@TonyHuang-e2l]

Why am I the first person to mention vivaldi??? Sure his four seasons r overplayed but he wrote many other beautiful pieces... I think he deserves a spot.

[@ivanbeshkov1718]

Even the most famous composers disappoint occasionally: Eine kleine Nachtmusik, Fur Elise. So far not been disappointed by Debussy, Elgar, Reger, Bax, Mahler, Hindemith, Khachaturian's violin concerto is still my favorite. Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet really takes flight. Like some Haydn, but The Creation is unbearably dull even at double speed. Favorite Chopin is the cello sonata.

[@foxjacket]

My top 3 are Mozart, Bach, Liszt. My next 7 in no particular order: Shostakovich, Prokoviev, Debussy, Takashi Yoshimatsu, Ravel, Adolf Henselt, Alma Deutscher

[@Wkkbooks]

I wouldn't want to rank -- but if I may have twelve I'd add Debussy (as you would) and Ravel. And Schubert would be a good deal higher. Keep listening. Here's a favorite piece you might not know -- Walton's Cello Concerto

[@pookz3067]

My top 10 below. This is purely based on how much I like their pieces and how important an influence they’ve been on my set, not historical importance/innovation. I similarly have interchangeable 2-5. I have one more in that interchangeable range-I don’t include Bach in the list because I could never fit him somewhere I was happy with lol, but include Schumann and Liszt in my “interchangeable range.” Schumann has really grown on me-I love how many of his “pieces” are collections of shorter pieces. I find them very fun to practice because of the high diversity of technique and sounds in short period of time. 1. Beethoven 2. Chopin 3. Schumann 4. Liszt (I love all of his late spiritual pieces and that contributes more to his place than earlier virtuosic works and harmonic and technical innovations). 5. Brahms 6. Rachmaninov 7. Scriabin 8. Ravel 9. Mozart 10. Schubert Prokofiev can be interchangeable sometimes with anyone 6-10 for me). Honorable mentions-all of these composes have multiple pieces that are top 10 worthy for me, but just not enough of them compared to the above: Bartok, Shostakovich Mendelssohn and Grieg Guys with music I really like but never make my top 10: Szymanowsky, Medtner, Messaein, Godowsky, Reger, Busoni, godowsky, Kapustin, Ives , Rzewski

[@timothythorne9464]

@@pookz3067 thanks for omitting Bach, but where is Tchaikovsky?

[@majornewb]

You left out Cage's 4:33

[@ryanabshier]

I didn't want to deal with those ultra advanced pieces in our repertoire. You know, lose the crowd. 🤣

[@herwigmenzel5179]

At one time in my life I had enough money to go to concerts and I asked 10 people who their favourite composer was 5 of them said Mahler 3 of the said Chopin 1 said Beethoven And one said the composer whose work he listened to at the moment

[@b1i2l336]

I agree with you 90% on your Top Ten, although being a pianist myself, I would put Chopin as # 1. I would also replace Liszt with Debussy, the great original who changed music. I also agree with your Honorable Mentions, to which I would add Handel (Beethoven considered him to be the greatest), Tchaikovsky, Ravel, Richard Strauss, Verdi, Scriabin, Domenico Scarlatti, and Stravinsky.

[@dirksiebert6577]

for piano only: 1. Bach 2. Chopin 3. Beethoven 4. Scarlatti 5. Mozart 6. Haydn 7. Schubert 8. Debussy 9. Grieg 10. Brahms

[@mohsenjan3136]

Great video. Beethoven all the way! P.S: can I suggest you invest in a better mic or a pop filter? Your current mic does not do a great job with the pop sound

[@waiminkhant6022]

List as non-pianist: 1.Beethoven(because of all the violin and piano sonatas and symphonies and many more) 2.Fredric Chopin(Because of his ballades, nocturnes and sonatas) 3.J.S. Bach (because of his preludes,fugues,fantasy and violin sonatas and partitas) 4.Johannes Brahms(his symphonies, sonatas and concertos) 5.Rachmaninoff(because of piano concertos and symphonies) 6.Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky(because of his symphonies and violin concertos and also ballets) 7.Jean Sibellius(for his violin concerto and symphonies) 8.Mozart(because of his piano sonatas and violin concertos and some late symphonies) 9.Haydn(for his piano sonatas) 10.Liszt(for his etudes and sonatas)

[@timothythorne9464]

@@waiminkhant6022 great list but Mozart should be higher. He set the standard for piano concerto writing (each one of his 23 originals is a masterpiece). His other concertos, for clarinet, bassoon and violin are also among the best ever written. And his operas are still widely performed today. No list of classical composers can be seriously considered with the Great Amadeus in the #8 position

[@GregoryVincent-d9u]

At the risk of saying too much (forgive me!!) I must add that the most moving composer at a particular point in time does depend on what mood you are in (and I don't say that flippantly) ... and I believe a comprehensive list of the greats could run to 60 or 70 names (including most of the fifty famous composers listed in a celebrated book by Gervase Hughes, plus a few others). And, to be fair, the longer I live the more I believe that every one of them is immortal.

[@gmfrunzik]

What about all of these composers’ orchestral outputs? And in the case of Bach his choral compositions

[@selcano0575]

*1* Beethoven And my favorite work of all music is the Sonata Op 111. *2* Haydn Especially for string quartets and symphonies *3* Wagner *4* Mozart Chamber music, operas and piano concertos. *5* Bach Very difficult to make a choice of works. Well-tempered Clavier, organ, art of the fugue... *6* Bruckner His 8th symphony is my favorite of the entire repertoire. But all his symphonies are magnificent. *7* Schoenberg Because it's very beautiful. *8* Janacek He shows we can make original music, very different from classical music and magnificent. Very difficult to make a choice for rank 9 and 10. There are many. SO : *9* Verdi For Rigoletto and Falstaff *10* Josquin des Prez For the Anus Dei of the Mass “L'homme armé ” sexti toni.

[@ricardoguzman5014]

My absolute favorite piece of music of all time is the scherzo of Beethoven's Eroica. Of course not his most technically brilliant piece, but it is so explosive and melodic, and that change up in the recapitulation at the end is insanely radical.

[@selcano0575]

@@ricardoguzman5014 A very great scherzo of one of the greatest symphonies of all time.

[@casualcadaver]

Mine are 1-Bach 2-Chopin 3-Vivladi 4- Beethoven 5-Shumman 6-Clara Schumman

[@johnmason8968]

I enjoy listerning to the music of many serious composers; but if I had choose the ones whose music I'd most likely want to have with me if I were stranded on a desert island it would have to be the following: 1.Mozart 2.Beethoven 3.Chopin 4.Tchaikovsky 5.Handel.

[@ewallt]

Seems like a fine list. I wonder that you didn’t even mention Tchaikovsky. I’d have ordered it differently, with Beethoven, Bach and Brahms 1,2,3, then Mozart and maybe Schumann. I like your including Haydn. Of course, if you’re a pianist, you have to include Chopin. If the list is of favorite composers, any order works. If it’s of who you think are the greatest, that seems like a different list. I wasn’t sure what this was. If the former, makes perfect sense to me.

[@Jqh73o]

My ranking (piano solo) is: Rachmaninoff Scriabin Ravel Liszt Medtner Chopin Debussy Szymanowski

[@teodorb.p.composer]

MEDTNER IS THE GOAT!!!!! Also Scriabin is great!

[@Jqh73o]

Completely, he is the king of motifs and recycling thematic material. I think I maybe should have put him over Liszt

[@gibletgravy]

Great list

[@famalex6325]

great list

[@teodorb.p.composer]

@@Jqh73o Exactly!

[@Cinsals4819]

Imo my top 10 are 1. Beethoven 2. Chopin (Im a pianist so i have to) 3. Rach 4. Ravel 5. Debussy 6. Mozart 7. Liszt 8. Tchaikovsky 9. Brahms 10. Bach Sorry :(

[@richardarcher3435]

Do these have to be composers who have written significantly for the piano? My first classical music love was Chopin, but he was then followed by Holst. Holst is not known for his piano music, unless you count his two piano version of his Planets suite. There is something about Chopin's sound that hits deep into my soul, and likewise for Holst. They both hit that spot that other composers either do not reach, come very close to, or only occasionally reach. I love all the composers you mentioned and I could not do without them. Holst I think wrote what I believe to be the most profound piece of music ever written, the piece that I believe holds within its notes the answers to the universe - Neptune from his Planets suite. Edit:- You need to hear it at the right volume. It's way too quite on KZbin

[@Lurcanio1]

My top 10 composers of piano music: 1. Bach 2. Schumann 3. Mozart 4. Schubert 5. Haydn 6. Beethoven 7. Debussy 8. Brahms 9. Händel 10. Mendelssohn

[@rogernichols1124]

The idea of a list of the "top" 10 composers is interesting but nothing more. Everyone will have his/her own version, depending on taste, exposure to a range of composers and emotional and intellectual histories. I could make dozens of such lists, covering a range of composers from the Middle Ages to Minimalism and my list would change by the week, month or year. I'm alone in generally disliking Beethoven and, at the other end of the historical line, Einaudi (a musical fraud and manipulator!). Some days I go for Brahms, on others for Shostakovich, Palestrina, Chopin, Tippett, Copland, Tchaikovsky, Haydn, Purcell, Vaughan-Williams, Mozart, Scriabin, Nielsen, Bartók, Szymanowski, Rossini, Handel, Ravel, Sibelius, Fauré, Rautavaara, Bruckner, Buxtehude, Mahler etc etc etc. Have I made my point? The omission from my list. Bach, is intentional and that's because he tops every list I make. No musician comes remotely near him and hardly a day passes without my listening to or playing something by Bach. Thereafter comes a list (see above! 😊)

[@rafjeevarafjeeva5952]

For me (at the time, it can change every day): 1. Rachmaninoff 2. Mahler 3. Tchaikovsky 4. Liszt 5. Beethoven 6. Bach 7.Ravel 8. Scriabin 9. Chopin 10. Wagner/Brahms

[@bags7351]

For me, it would have to be Scriabin, Chopin, Alkan, Dvorak, and Sibelius- especially some of sibelius’ short piano pieces (1st and 2nd sonatinas and valses are beautiful)

[@rocketpower4127]

I like Rachmaninoff, Liszt, Tchaikovsky, Ravel, and Chopin. Also this isn’t in a specific order.

[@stepanasaturyan4871]

1. Beethoven 2. Liszt 3. Chopin 4. Mozart

[@trs4437]

You never mention D. Scarlatti. His five million sonatas are gems, with some classics in the bunch. Horowitz loved him. Argerich too. Lucas Debargue has put out a really nice collection of Scarlatti, and a single of that little beauty, the K380 E major sonata.

[@KIBICKE94]

Totally agree, his sonatas are fantastic.

[@foxjacket]

5 million sonatas 😂 so true though

[@pocoapoco2]

I guess I ought to put down my list in simple alphabetical order: William Alwyn Ludwig von Beethoven Luciano Berio Howard Hanson Walter Hartley Hans Werner Henze Frank Martin Vincent Persichetti Maurice Ravel Dmitri Shostakovich

[@mstalcup]

It's tragic Schubert died at 31. His last compositions express in such a way as to indicate that he knew he was terminally ill and didn't have long.

[@sergei-prokofiev]

Funny how our lists are so different: 1. Mahler, 2. Bruckner, 3. Prokofiev, 4. Barber, 5. Rachmaninov, 6. Ravel, 7. Bach, 8. Richard Strauss, 9. Schubert, 10. Mozart. (Special mention to Beethoven tho so close to number 10)

[@kolyakleinblatt1253]

Mahler for piano? Bruckner for piano? Richard straus for piano???

[@sergei-prokofiev]

@@kolyakleinblatt1253 all of them not necessarily for piano hahahha, its just what I like to listen to most!!

[@renakmans3521]

Any order of these composers is almost there good! It’s subjective… Claire de Lune is my favorite piece ever written so my list would have Debussy in the top 3.

[@tfpp1]

For me personally, Scarlatti, Mendelssohn, Ravel, Scriabin, Poulenc, Kapustin.

[@adelitogd]

My list: 1. Beethoven 2. Liszt 3. Rachmaninoff 4. Chopin 5. Schubert 6. Mendelssohn 7. Bach 8. Schumann 9. Brahms 10. Tchaikovsky

[@alans98989]

1. Ligeti 2. Schostakovich 3. Debussy 4. Bach 5. Rachmaninoff 6. Mahler 7. Brahms 8. Schnittke 9. Kancheli 10. Arvo Part

[@johnsterman77]

I assume this is satirical.

[@alans98989]

@@johnsterman77 It's not. Those are my personal favorite composers. Why would it be satirical?

[@anakinskywalker9772]

My top 10 1 Chopin 2 Rachmaninoff 3 Beethoven 4 Liszt 5 Schubert 6 Tchaikovsky 7 Brahms 8 Mozart 9 Schostakowitsch 10 Haydn Honorable mentions Schumman Gottschalk Prokofiev Bach Alkan Hummel Paganini

[@abishek-jw8wh]

1. Chopin 2. Mozart 3. Beethoven 4. Liszt 5. Tchaikovsky 6. Rachmaninov 7. Debussy

[@Pianissemo]

You should take a look at the kingdom hearts piano collection of dearly beloved those are some amazing arrangements

[@CaioLopes1989]

What about Medtner?

[@olivierdrouin2701]

Pour moi : Beethoven , Liszt , Barber . Mais aussi Miles Davis , Jelly Roll Morton , Brian Wilson

[@ΚωνσταντίνοςΚοκολογιαννάκης]

For me it's: 1. Bach 2. Mahler 3. Rachmaninoff 4. Schubert 5. Puccini 6. Chopin 7. Beethoven 8. Mozart 9. Wagner 10. Verdi Honorable mentions: Lili Boulanger, Bellini, Scriabin

[@icst4786]

1. Bach 2. Beethoven 3. Liszt 4. Scriabin 5. Ravel 6. Scarlatti 7. Kapustin 8. Schubert 9. Prokofiev 10. Mozart

[@frenchpete88]

My top 10: Medtner Rachmaninov Prokofiev Liszt Sibelius Grieg Schubert Scriabine Alkan Chopin

[@henrykaspar3634]

So this looks like a sensible list to me if you consider only piano music, even though my list would be a little different (which is normal - no two pairs of ears hear exactly the same). If you broaden this beyond the piano, however, it is less appealing. The great symphonists like Bruckner, Tchaikovsky or Mahler are missing, as are great opera composers like Wagner or Verdi. A composer like Schubert is even more astounding if you look at his whole oeuvre - he composed pieces of the highest order also for chamber ensembles, orchestra, or solo singers. And I would also find a spot in the top 10 for a universal genius like Shostakovich.

[@jamespicht1128]

My top ten: 1. Bach. The only fixed point on my list. He made Chopin and Beethoven possible. 2-10 in no particular order. Brahms, Chopin, Beethoven, Scriabin, Mahler, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Wagner, Schumann. I can’t order them. Composers like Ravel, Prokofiev, Grieg and Hayden sometimes shoot across my top-ten list, but the ones listed here usually reassert their position. Rachmaninov sometimes has the upper hand over Scriabin, but Scriabin just refuses to go down. Occasionally the number one position becomes a troika, but the only one who’s always in it is Bach. He’s too important and too titanic ever to not be number one.

[@kofiLjunggren]

Beethoven is just the best

[@giovannib27]

My list: Rach Chopin Liszt Ravel Scriabin Gershwin Prokofiev Beethoven Mahler Debussy

[@ewhyte8059]

Because of his Progressive inability very early in his compositional life to not hear his music yet possessing passion and determination to press on regardless I can’t think of any other applauded composer who would grudge Beethoven the number one spot. From a widely regarded generally unhappy childhood under his bully of a father and a subsequent troubled adult life not withstanding his consistently dishevelled appearance, ineptitude with a number of female students who he Overzealously ingratiated himself to uninvitedly more often than not and his general ill temper Bourne of his inability to socialise spontaneously owing to his hearing difficulties even as a relatively young man, Beethoven suffered much equally if not more so than those who suffer the Beethoven. The quintessential misfit/oddball with one humongous saving grace. The Epitone of against all odds. A man who was his own worst enemy yet never quit on himself. A hero’s hero! The one who never gets the girl yet one who captures innumerable hearts. The fruits of his darkest hours, capable of lifting the heavy veil of sadness that may weigh down the soul of a man/woman, have as much power now as they did when he finally committed them in ink onto paper! As for the other nine spots : 10.Jean Henri Ravina 9.Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges 8.Schubert 7.Liszt 6.Handel 5.Haydn 4.Chopin 3.Bach 2.Mozart 🙏🏽.

[@yeetthebeet]

Scriabin Beethoven Ligeti Ryuichi Sakamoto Chopin Bach Liszt Ravel Debussy Steve Reich A lot of my favorite pieces are not made by these composers tho however

[@ernstvandijk6342]

Schubert didn't live 38 years, he died at 31. You must have confused Schubert and Mendelssohn. Why Haydn and not Händel? Why Rachmaninov and not Tchaikovski?

[@ryanabshier]

@@ernstvandijk6342 I think as a pianist Handel has always been pretty low. I enjoy listening to his music, but when it comes time to play something on the piano there isn't much outside of a handful of intermediate pieces plus The Harmonious Blacksmith. I do really like those few pieces though, a bunch actually. He probably has 2-3 pieces that every student I teach will play at some point. But it's tough to compare him to someone like Haydn for piano music. Even though I recognize that Hadyn himself considered Handel greater. As far as Schubert's age, just a slip. I actually hurt my own point by giving him 7 more years.

[@alexs1504]

1 Scriabin 2 Ravel 3 Medtner 4 Bach 5 Chopin 6 Vaughan Williams 7 Debussy 8 Schumann 9 Haydn 10 Stravinsky

[@daniloapostolov-dacatv1536]

bach beethoven and vivaldi are my top 3 but id also add chopin and liszt to make it top 5

[@adagio2343]

Propably it would be more fair to have categories like: Piano, Orchestra, Chamber, Opera, Balet, Songs...

[@corynewman4136]

In terms of the "honorable mentions," I would have chosen Ravel instead of Debussy.

[@isaacgraham4867]

Sort of generic ranking, but here we go: 1. Beethoven 2. Mozart 3. Tchaikovsky 4. Brahms 5. Handel 6. Bach 7. Rachmaninoff 8. Chopin 9. Wagner 10. Mahler But I also love Schumann, Schubert and Kreisler and sometimes these composers will rank near the top!

[@teagancalkins]

1. Liszt 2. Scriabin 3. Mahler 4. Sorabji 5. Bartok 6. Beethoven 7. Bach 8. Prokofiev 9. Ornstein 10. Boris Tchaikovsky Honorable mentions: Tishchenko, Busoni, Ustvolskaya, Rzewski, Scelsi, and Szymanowski

[@KIBICKE94]

1. Bach 2... 3... 4. Beethoven 5. Chopin 6. D. Scarlatti 7. Schubert 8. Shostakovich 9. Pärt 10. Vivaldi

[@KIBICKE94]

And also Mozart, Purcell, Haendel, Satie, Prokofiev

[@nojohns1748]

I wish you'd throw us a single curveball with this list, like, pick someone who wouldn't be on a Guardian Top 10 list. Give us a Bartok, a Cimarosa, a Telemann

[@mateusquasetuga]

I'll try to do my list: 1. Beethoven. Yes. No question about that. 2. Bach. Hurts not to make him #1, but Beethoven had Bach's shoulders to stand on. 3. Chopin. Sure, just piano, but there is no more important instrument. Chopin IS piano. 4. Verdi. He IS opera, despite what tasteless listeners who prefer Puccini may think. 5. Mozart. Hard not to assign him 3 or 4, but being earlier, his music is more formally homogeneous, I had to put him at 5. Although there are totally valid reasons to place him at 2 or 3. 6. Debussy. He (with Wagner) invented modernity. And Wagner is kind of a fascist. 7. Wagner. He's kind of a fascist. And he's lucky that only knocked him down one. He's also boring at times. But BOY when he's not... 8. Ravel. Greatest orchestrator ever. His piano music takes us mortals more than a lifetime to grasp. 9. Rossini. Fight me! There's more of the sublime in the snare drum part to his La gazza ladra overture than the whole Beethoven Ninth Symphony. 10. R. Strauss. My personal favorite composer who I could not leave off this list. I won't try to defend it.

[@LilYungSatch]

Isaac Albéniz is a personal favorite

[@juanarreguin1]

1. Rachmaninoff 2. Dvorak 3. Ravel 4. Tchaikovsky 5. R. Strauss 6. Mozart 7. Shostakovich 8. Bach 9. Liszt 10. Gershwin

[@Hyperkeks]

I think I will give a diffrent answer every other day, but just a spontanious top 5 (only in piano repertoire): 1. Chopin 2. Beethoven 3. Bach 4. Mendelssohn 5. Mozart

[@classicallpvault]

1. Beethoven 2. Brahms 3. Rheinberger 4. Schubert 5. Chopin 6. Reger 7. Schumann 8. Mendelssohn 9. Wagner 10. Schmidt My musical taste skews VERY heavily towards the Romantic and post-Romantic era which is why Mozart, Haydn, and J.S. Bach haven't made the list. This isn't a ranking of composers by their accomplishments but merely a reflection of my listening habits.