Classic FM Hall of Fame

The Classic FM Hall of Fame is an annual compilation of the most popular 300 classical works as polled by listeners of Classic FM through a public vote. With more than 200,000 voters, each choosing their three favourites in order of preference, Classic FM claim their Hall of Fame is the world's most comprehensive poll of classical music tastes.[1][2]

The chart countdown is traditionally broadcast over the Easter weekend, extended by public holidays in the UK, since the event began in 1996.

The compilation is notable for featuring a wide variety of classical works. Pieces by composers such as Elgar and Beethoven feature alongside works by contemporary composers such as Karl Jenkins and Ludovico Einaudi. Movie soundtracks by John Williams, John Barry and Ennio Morricone are also regular features of the chart. And, for the first time in 2012, the chart featured two original works from video game soundtracks.

Current top twenty

The current top twenty was revealed on 13 April 2020.[3]

• 1. Ralph Vaughan Williams – The Lark Ascending
• 2. Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 9 ('Choral')
• 3. Edward Elgar – Enigma Variations
• 4. Sergei Rachmaninoff – Piano Concerto No. 2
• 5. Ralph Vaughan Williams – Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
• 6. Ludwig van Beethoven – Piano Concerto No. 5 ('Emperor')
• 7. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – 1812 Overture
• 8. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – Swan Lake
• 9. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Requiem
• 10. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – The Nutcracker
• 11. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Clarinet Concerto
• 12. Ludwig van Beethoven – Moonlight Sonata
• 13. Edward Elgar – Cello Concerto
• 14. John Williams – Schindler's List
• 15. Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 7
• 16. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – The Magic Flute
• 17. Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 6 ('Pastoral')
• 18. Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 5
• 19. Gregorio Allegri – Miserere
• 20. George Frideric Handel – Messiah

Previous top three

Year	First	Second	Third
1996	Max Bruch – Violin Concerto No. 1	Sergei Rachmaninoff – Piano Concerto No. 2	Ludwig van Beethoven – Pastoral Symphony
1997
1998			Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Clarinet Concerto
1999
2000
2001	Sergei Rachmaninoff – Piano Concerto No. 2	Max Bruch – Violin Concerto No. 1
2002			Ralph Vaughan Williams – The Lark Ascending
2003		Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Clarinet Concerto	Max Bruch – Violin Concerto No. 1
2004
2005		Ralph Vaughan Williams – The Lark Ascending	Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Clarinet Concerto
2006	Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Clarinet Concerto	Sergei Rachmaninoff – Piano Concerto No. 2	Ralph Vaughan Williams – The Lark Ascending
2007	Ralph Vaughan Williams – The Lark Ascending	Edward Elgar – Cello Concerto	Sergei Rachmaninoff – Piano Concerto No. 2
2008		Sergei Rachmaninoff – Piano Concerto No. 2	Ralph Vaughan Williams – Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
2009
2010
2011	Sergei Rachmaninoff – Piano Concerto No. 2	Ralph Vaughan Williams – The Lark Ascending
2012
2013			Nobuo Uematsu – Final Fantasy series
2014	Ralph Vaughan Williams – The Lark Ascending	Sergei Rachmaninoff – Piano Concerto No. 2	Ralph Vaughan Williams – Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
2015
2016
2017
2018	Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – 1812 Overture		Ralph Vaughan Williams – The Lark Ascending
2019	Ralph Vaughan Williams – The Lark Ascending		Edward Elgar – Enigma Variations
2020		Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 9

Source[4]

Criticism and controversy

The Hall of Fame has received some criticism due to the lack of variation at the top of the chart.[5] The pieces that make up the top ten have changed very little since the chart began. Only five different pieces have ever held the number one position.[6][7][8][9][10]

2013 provided the most controversial Hall of Fame to date due to the prevalence of an organised voting campaign concerning video game soundtracks by UK based games promoter Mark Robins.[11] Several video game soundtracks were voted into the 2013 Hall of Fame, with the highest being Nobuo Uematsu's music for Final Fantasy at number three.[12] This led to more than 200,000 votes being cast, the highest in the chart's history. John Suchet stated that he was "delighted that we've attracted so many votes for our chart" and that what he finds "truly exciting is the continued increase in a younger audience for classical music - I didn't expect to be thanking the video game industry for introducing the genre to a new generation of people, but it's wonderful."[2]

References

1. "Classic FM - Hall of Fame".
2. Farmer, Ben (6 April 2015). "Video games bring new generation to classical music". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
3. "Classic FM Hall of Fame 2020". Classic FM. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
4. "Ultimate Classic FM Hall of Fame: the facts and figures behind the world's biggest classical music poll". Classic FM. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
5. Sawyer, Miranda (8 April 2012). "Rewind radio: Classic FM Interview". The Guardian. London.
6. "Bruch and Beatles top radio polls". BBC News. 6 April 1999.
7. "Rachmaninov tops classical survey". BBC News. 28 March 2005.
8. "Mozart 'UK's favourite composer'". BBC News. 18 April 2006.
9. "Vaughan Williams tops radio vote". BBC News. 24 March 2008.
10. Savage, Mark (3 April 2018). "1812 Overture is 'top classical piece'". BBC News. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
11. "Final Fantasy and Skyrim beat Beethoven in Classic FM Hall of Fame". Metro. 2 April 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
12. "Classic FM Hall of Fame (retrieved 6 April 2013)". Classic FM's Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 13 October 2014. Retrieved October 8, 2014.

External links

• Official website