Classical Countdown

An annual WETA Classical tradition. Listeners vote for their favorite classical music pieces and we play back the top 100 pieces during Thanksgiving week.

A Thanksgiving Tradition on WETA Classical

WETA Classical's annual listeners' choice competition lets YOU determine the most popular classical pieces in the DC area. Last year's Classical Countdown proved that the power really is in your hands with the surprising win by Vivaldi's Four Seasons. Here's to an exciting race again this year!

Classical Countdown voting was open November 6 through November 12. We played back the top 100 picks during Thanksgiving week, counting down to the top piece, which aired on Thanksgiving night.

The 2023 Classical Countdown

 

  1. Franz Liszt|Hungarian Rhapsody #2 in C-sharp Minor
  2. Marin Marais|The Bells of St. Geneviève
  3. Alexander Borodin|Prince Igor: Polovtsian Dances
  4. George Frideric Handel|The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba from "Solomon"
  5. Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky|Symphony #6 in B Minor, Op. 74 "Pathétique": III. Allegro molto vivace
  6. Ludwig van Beethoven|Piano Sonata #8 "Pathetique"
  7. Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky|Sleeping Beauty Suite
  8. Gustav Mahler|Symphony #5
  9. Ludwig van Beethoven|Triple Concerto
  10. Vasily Sergeyevich Kalinnikov|Symphony #1
  11. Antonín Dvorák|Piano Quintet A Major (Op. 81)
  12. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Piano Concerto #21
  13. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Eine kleine Nachtmusik (Serenade, K 525 in G Major)
  14. Tomaso Albinoni|Adagio (G Minor)
  15. Gustav Mahler|Symphony #2 in C Minor "Resurrection": III. In ruhig fließender Bewegung
  16. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|The Magic Flute: Overture
  17. Felix Mendelssohn|Hebrides Overture
  18. Edvard Grieg|Holberg Suite
  19. Leonard Bernstein|Candide: Overture
  20. Jacques Offenbach|Gaîté parisienne: #16-19
  21. Franz Schubert|String Quintet in C Major
  22. George Frideric Handel|Music for the Royal Fireworks
  23. Frédéric Chopin|Ballade #1 in G Minor, Op. 23
  24. Johann Sebastian Bach|Sheep May Safely Graze (from Cantata #208)
  25. Johannes Brahms|Symphony #4: I
  26. Johann Sebastian Bach|Concerto, BWV 1043 in D Minor
  27. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Symphony #40 in G Minor, K 550: I. Molto allegro
  28. Franz Schubert|Symphony #8 "Unfinished"
  29. Johann Strauss II|Blue Danube
  30. Johann Sebastian Bach|Brandenburg Concerto #5 in D Major, BWV 1050
  31. Frédéric Chopin|Piano Concerto #2 in F Minor, Op. 21
  32. Ludwig van Beethoven|Symphony #3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 "Eroica"
  33. Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky|Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture
  34. Florence Price|Symphony #3 in C Minor
  35. Sergei Prokofiev|Romeo and Juliet: Dance of the Knights
  36. Johannes Brahms|Violin Concerto
  37. Gabriel Fauré|Pavane, Op. 50
  38. Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky|Piano Concerto #1
  39. Ludwig van Beethoven|Für Elise
  40. Georges Bizet|Carmen Suite #1
  41. Franz Schubert|Symphony #9 "Great": III
  42. Edvard Grieg|Peer Gynt Suite #1
  43. Johannes Brahms|Symphony #1: I
  44. Max Bruch|Violin Concerto #1 in G Minor, Op. 26: III. Finale. Allegro energico
  45. Antonín Dvorák|String Quartet #12 "American"
  46. Johannes Brahms|Symphony #3 in F Major, Op. 90: IV. Allegro
  47. Ludwig van Beethoven|Violin Concerto: III
  48. Johann Sebastian Bach|Brandenburg Concerto #3
  49. Richard Addinsell|Warsaw Concerto
  50. Gioachino Rossini|William Tell: Overture
  51. Camille Saint-Saëns|Carnival of the Animals
  52. Florence Price|Symphony #1 in E Minor
  53. Sergei Rachmaninoff|Symphony #2 in E Minor, Op. 27
  54. Jean Sibelius|Finlandia
  55. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K. 622
  56. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Symphony #41 in C Major, K. 551 "Jupiter"
  57. Felix Mendelssohn|Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64
  58. Johannes Brahms|Piano Concerto #2 in B-flat Major, Op. 83
  59. Ludwig van Beethoven|Piano Sonata #14 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 27 #2 "Moonlight"
  60. Max Bruch|Scottish Fantasy: IV-Finale
  61. Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky|Symphony #5: IV
  62. Sergei Rachmaninoff|Symphonic Dances, Op. 45: #1. Non allegro
  63. Maurice Ravel|Bolero
  64. Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky|Violin Concerto: III
  65. Edvard Grieg|Piano Concerto: I
  66. Gustav Mahler|Symphony #1 in D Major "Titan"
  67. Sir Edward Elgar|Enigma Variations: Nimrod
  68. George Frideric Handel|Water Music Suite #3
  69. Ralph Vaughan Williams|Fantasia on a Theme by Tallis
  70. Sergei Rachmaninoff|Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43
  71. Richard Wagner|Die Walküre: Ride of the Valkyries
  72. Johann Sebastian Bach|Toccata and Fugue D Minor (BWV 565)
  73. Claude Debussy|Clair de Lune
  74. Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky|Swan Lake Suite
  75. Frédéric Chopin|Piano Concerto #1
  76. Aaron Copland|Fanfare for the Common Man
  77. Sergei Rachmaninoff|Piano Concerto #3 in D Minor, Op. 30
  78. Ludwig van Beethoven|Symphony #5
  79. Johann Sebastian Bach|Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (from Cantata #147)
  80. Felix Mendelssohn|Symphony #4 "Italian"
  81. Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky|Nutcracker Suite
  82. Johann Pachelbel|Canon and Gigue
  83. Modest Mussorgsky|Pictures at an Exhibition
  84. Aaron Copland|Appalachian Spring Suite
  85. Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky|1812 Overture
  86. Ludwig van Beethoven|Piano Concerto #5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73 "Emperor"
  87. Samuel Barber|Adagio for Strings
  88. Ludwig van Beethoven|Symphony #6 in F Major, Op. 68 "Pastoral"
  89. Camille Saint-Saëns|Symphony #3 "Organ"
  90. Ralph Vaughan Williams|The Lark Ascending
  91. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov|Scheherazade, Op. 35
  92. Antonio Vivaldi|The Four Seasons, Op. 8/1-4
  93. Sergei Rachmaninoff|Piano Concerto #2 in C Minor, Op. 18
  94. George Gershwin|Rhapsody in Blue
  95. Ludwig van Beethoven|Symphony #7 in A Major, Op. 92
  96. Antonín Dvorák|Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op. 104
  97. Bedrich Smetana|Ma Vlast: The Moldau
  98. Antonín Dvorák|Symphony #9 "From the New World"
  99. Gustav Holst|The Planets
  100. Ludwig van Beethoven|Symphony #9 in D Minor, Op. 125 "Choral"