# Top 10 Classical Composers (NYT, Tommasini)



## Mike_WI (Feb 26, 2009)

*Top 10 Classical Composers*

*NYT The Greatest*
*By ANTHONY TOMMASINI*
*Published:* January 21, 2011


> HERE goes. This article completes my two-week project to select the top 10 classical music composers in history, not including those still with us.
> The argument, laid out in a series of articles, online videos and blog posts, was enlivened by the more than 1,500 informed, challenging, passionate and inspiring comments from readers of The New York Times.
> As often as I could, I answered direct questions online and jumped into the discussion.


*NYT - The Greatest*
*By ANTHONY TOMMASINI*
*Published:* January 7, 2011


> So if you were to try to compile a list of the 10 greatest composers in history, how would you go about it?
> For me the resulting list would not be the point.
> But the process of coming up with such a list might be clarifying and instructive, as well as exasperating and fun.
> 
> ...



*Cleveland.com - Who are the 10 greatest classical-music composers of all time? You decide*
*By Donald Rosenberg, The Plain Dealer *
*Published: *Sunday, January 30, 2011, 6:00 AM


> That's what happened in a rather big way recently when Anthony Tommasini, chief music critic of The New York Times, spent two weeks undertaking the impossible but intriguing mission of naming the 10 greatest classical-music composers of all time.
> 
> Several thousand Times readers weighed in online as Tommasini served as thoughtful guide -- in articles, blogs and videos -- through the tricky process of defining salient traits of key composers, putting them in musical and historical context, and hinting about who might appear on the final list. Nearly 900 more readers followed suit once the greats were revealed.


*Tommasini's order of ranking:*
1. Bach
2. Beethoven
3. Mozart
4. Schubert
5. Debussy
6. Stravinsky
7. Brahms
8. Verdi
9. Wagner 
10. Bartok


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## Matman1970 (Jan 27, 2011)

I think Haydn's getting the shaft here no matter what criteria this guy was using.


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## blackzarg (Apr 19, 2009)

Very interesting!

I can see why most of the guys are on there, and why some, such as Tchaikovsky or Mahler are not. I don't particularly like Bach, and he wasnt very famous until the 19th century, but he was a tremendous influence on many romantic era composers, and even 20th century composers.


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## koyaan (Mar 2, 2010)

Yeh, the big question here is criteria, and the fun is the process.
If I select based on those I listen to most often or especially love, it looks like:
1.Beethonev
2.JS Bach
3.Brahms
4.Mahler
5.Handel
6. Borodin( suprise!)
7.Sibelius
8.Prokofiev
9.Shostakovich
10.R.Strauss
Ties for 10:
Mozart,Haydn,Debussy,Bartok, Bruckner:huh:


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## Jamien (Apr 9, 2011)

Thank you, i know the 10 Classical Composers today.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

Welcome to HTS, Jamien!

Stick around, lots to learn and we appreciate when you share. :wave:


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## ilee (May 15, 2011)

I couldn't order it, but I'm sure my list would include (like some of you) Bach, Debussy, Chopin, and Mahler. But also some contemporaries like Steve Reich and John Cage. I also appreciate these guys because I am a percussionist.


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## koyaan (Mar 2, 2010)

A couple other contemp. composers that I've found very enjoyable are Kerry Turner and Fred Johnny Berg.
Good new music may be a good subject fot a new thread.


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## Operajay (Mar 25, 2011)

I'd probably say, in NO particular order
Mozart
Beethoven
Bach
Handel
Schubert
Puccini
Bellini
Verdi 
Debussy
Faure


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## Operajay (Mar 25, 2011)

How I left out Mahler I have no idea!!!


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