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.
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.
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.
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
@@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.
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.
@@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 TH-cam 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.
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.
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 Pergolesi, and in general I think Vaughan-Williams is underappreciated as a symphonist. But overall I think your list is a good one.
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
*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.
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
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!
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!
@@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.
@@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.
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.
@@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 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.
I don't think I've agreed more with any list. It might not necessarily be in the same order but it'll probably be these 10. Only changes I'd make are probably Tchaikovsky and Mendelssohn 🤷🏻♂️
@@HC-lf2gn awesome. We must both have exquisite taste for music. If I was trying to more objectively rank greatness, Tchaikovsky would probably be in there too. His lack of solo piano music definitely gives him a knock for me personally.
@@ryanabshier yeah I was surprised Tchaikovsky wasn't there until I realised it was more piano based. Also saw the Beethoven in first from a mile away 😂
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.
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*.
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
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.
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
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)
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.
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)
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.
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.
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.
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 :(
If you put "the" in the title - you'd get a lot more disagreement. But since you put "my" - then no one can disagree! That little subtle difference should hopefully make this comment section pretty reasonable without many arguments!
Yes, glad you noticed. Unfortunately for TH-cam if I put The Top 10 the video would probably get way more views. Everyone would argue, share with their friends "Bro, this guy is stupid". And the algorithm would think "Wow, this video really engages people" 🤣🤣🤣
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.
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)
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?
@@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.
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.
I sympathize with your attempt to give Schubert extra time, but he only lived to the age of 31, not 38. Also, Hans Liszt? It's Franz (German) or Ferencz (modern spelling Ferenc) (Hungarian). I'm sure you know that.
Lol, yeah, don't ask. You know, before I said that I literally froze and went "wait, how many years exactly?", looked it up even before filming! Then somehow just said 38 instead of 31? Just a total brain/mouth slip. Doesn't even make sense because who lived 38 years? Lol. Thanks for mentioning it.
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.
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
For me, It's hard to choose, but ultimately I will have to go: 1. Schumann 2. Bach 3. Prokofiev 4. Scriabin 5. Shostakovich 6. Ravel 7. Beethoven 8. Stravinsky 9. Brahms 10. Rachmaninoff Yes, I am insane (Honourable mentions: Mozart, Scarlatti, Mendelssohn, Liszt, Barber, Szymanowski, Kabalevsky, Kapustin, Schubert and Liszt)
Agree with your list, largely. I would not include Liszt, but don't object to your preference for him. But Rachmaninoff? Come on... It's late-Romantic schlock. I enjoy the first three concerti. And I can fall asleep to the Vespers. But he doesn't belong in any top ten list.
For me, Mozart has always been my idol. (those wonderful piano concerti say it all!)😢 But I love Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms too. But I question Rachmaninoff - a bit too cluttered for me, particularly the symphonies.
Foe me Beethoven is the greatest artist of all times. He was compared to Michelangelo in terms of sheer power to produce absolutely massive, grandiose and yet so unitary masterpieces. Nothing ever feels disjointed, everything makes sense, feels whole and complete. Great B takes your hand and leads you through his work to the end, through a variety of emotions and thoughts, leaving you feeling as if you completed a life journey with him. Also the big thing about his music is that it always makes you feel infused with life and strength. As for Chopin, I am the one who rolled my eyes, although I expected him to be rated high by the professional pianist. Chopin, in my personal opinion, was not able to produce music which would make me feel that life journey I wrote about before. Majority of his pieces are rather short and do not allow for the feeling to develop, progress and complete itself. Too much flourish only annoys me, as it doesn’t add to the music and I feel that it serves a purpose of merely to astonish people with one’s ability to play a difficult passage. Also I feel that his music is quite overloaded with rather exaggerated drama. I think it was the thing in his time, but now it feels cringe, at least to me. Schubert I love for his very genuine self and that he managed to express himself so touchingly in his music.
For me, Chopin is the one TRUE Master of piano. His 3rd ballade for example: 3rd ballade is not even Chopin's greatest ballade, let alone his greatest work. But it would be the absolute magnum opus of lesser composers like Schumann or Haydn or Bartok (yes these are objectively lesser than Chopin. If you are claiming otherwise you are either trolling or know nothing about Chopin. ). That is how absurdly incredible Chopin's list of works is. There is a reason why the most prestigious piano competition bears Chopin's name. Chopin = piano.
My list would be quite different than many especially since Beethoven would not even probably be Top 15. I love the first movement of the Moonlight Sonata, the 9th Symphony and...well that's sort of it really. I actively dislike almost all his Sonatas. Just does not connect with me at all. My list is heavily influenced by being at one time a quite good classical guitarist and now an appallingly average intermediate pianist. My teacher says I am advanced in some areas and a complete novice in others. 1. Wagner I am almost want to not list him because of who he was but his music is transcendent, Siegfied's Death and Funeral March is the greatest piece of Symphonic music ever written (my opinion) 2. Chopin The greatest piano composer and hard to argue. His music is magical. I started piano just to play the 2nd Nocturne but I am not there yet 3. Schubert He and Chopin are very close for me. I find Schubert's music unlike any other, straddling romantic and classical and he combines chords and melody maybe better than any other composer for piano. Gould hated his repetitive structure but I actually find it a strength as his resolutions of those repetitive bits is just otherworldly. I listen to Schubert more than any other composer. Alas his music is crazy hard to play. D960 is my favorite Sonata of all time 4. Bach I actually think quite a lot of Bach's is terrible but when he hits he really hits and his music just screams brilliance and has this perfection of freedom 5. Francisco Tarrega If you don't like classical guitar you may not have ever heard of him and his output is low but his music is so spectacular for unleashing the beauty of the guitar "Recuerdos de la Alhambra" is one of the prettiest pieces written period 6. Mozart A lot of his music is dull IMO and "has too many notes" and way too many scales but he wrote " Ah Tutti Contenti" which is literally the voice of God 7 Debussy I don't love all of Debussy but Clair de Lune is IMO the greatest piano piece ever written and up there for best piece ever. Have never met someone that dislikes Clair de Lune (cue 50 comments from people that hate it) 8. Scarlatti Bridges both piano and transcribes awesomely to guitar his music is fantastic. The Horowitz encores of the two Sonatas is magnificent and Argerich usually plays Scarlatti for her encores as well 9 Albeniz His music sounds better transcribed to guitar but its spectacular. 10 Orff The Carmina Burana is my favorite piece of music and that alone is enough for Top 10
Thank you for your video and opinions. I kind of agree with the composers on the list…except for Brahms. He should not be on the list. I also can’t fathom how Haydn rates higher than Rachmaninoff. That’s just my opinion.
A good list. I'd probably have Rachmaninoff higher and perhaps have replaced Haydn with Ravel (mostly due to Gaspard) but can't really argue with your list as a piano-specific list of composers.
Ugh, too Germanic centric for me. Instead, give me the French and Russians. I'll take Ravel over Brahms, Prokofiev over Schumann. Hell, I'd rather listen to Ginastera or Bartok over Handel or Hayden. When people say classical is boring, they are almost always referring to the Germans. Beethoven and Bach are obvious exceptions and there are some others too. But I'd rather eat my shoe than listen to Handel. Love the channel.
No Tchaikovski (not even in mentions) = invalid opinion.
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.
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.
For me:
1. Beethoven
2. Chopin
3. Liszt
4. Rachmaninoff
5. Bach
6. Brahms
7. Scriabin
8. Schumann
9. Prokofiev
10. Mozart
How dare you do that to poor mozart
@@Very_Rando_person nah skibidi's right in my opinion
@@famalex6325not right-- well Mozart at #10 is about right, but... where is Tchaikovsky?!
@@timothythorne9464 yeah and where's ravel and debussy...
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.
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
@@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.
Your videos are immaculate, you’ll get far if you keep it up!!!
@@manuellloreda07 thanks! Super nice to hear the encouragement!
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.
In my opinion Ravel, Debussy and scriabin are the best, interesting that ravel isn't even an honorable mention...
It's his opinion
@@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 TH-cam 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.
@@ryanabshier yeah I wasn't hating your opinion or so, just wanted to say what my personal favorites are, gr8 vid...
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.
@@disinformationworld9378 yeah I agree, also the sonatas, just stunning, all the variety
My personal top 10:
1. Beethoven
2. Debussy
3. Chopin
4. Rachmaninov
5. Mozart
6. Vivaldi
7. Liszt
8. Bach
9. Ravel
10. Brahms
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 Pergolesi, and in general I think Vaughan-Williams is underappreciated as a symphonist. But overall I think your list is a good one.
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
1. Bach
2. Chopin
3. Scriabin
4. Rachmaninov
5. Mozart
6. Ravel
7. Beethoven
8. Tchaikovsky
9. Brahms
10. Liszt
10. Satie
9. Scriabin
8. Mozart
7. Bach
6. Beethoven
5. Debussy
4. Schubert
3. Brahms
2. Chopin
And the number 1 is: Ravel
Ravel 1 for sure, 2 for me is scriabin, and 3 debussy but great list...
*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.
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
Totally agree. As an intermediate player, his sonatas are a challenge but even more fun to play than Mozart's.
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!
Just a irrelevant question: What's your favorite interpretation of Brahms Concerto No. 2?
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!
Same here! Unsanely addictive sonatas, unfairly forgotten!
I've only ever seen the name "Medtner" in comments about classical music. Have never heard even one piece by him
@@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.
@@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.
My ranking (piano solo) is:
Rachmaninoff
Scriabin
Ravel
Liszt
Medtner
Chopin
Debussy
Szymanowski
MEDTNER IS THE GOAT!!!!! Also Scriabin is great!
Completely, he is the king of motifs and recycling thematic material. I think I maybe should have put him over Liszt
Great list
great list
@@Jqh73o-l7v Exactly!
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.
@@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"
@@ryanabshier A lot of Chopin's soaring melodies would probably be quite difficult for the voice. Any voice. Even the Mazurkas I would think.
@@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.
@@ryanabshierHi Ryan. The late great Zoltán Kocsis transcribed Chopin mazurkas and nocturnes for violin and cello/piano. Worth a listen 🎶
I don't think I've agreed more with any list. It might not necessarily be in the same order but it'll probably be these 10. Only changes I'd make are probably Tchaikovsky and Mendelssohn 🤷🏻♂️
@@HC-lf2gn awesome. We must both have exquisite taste for music.
If I was trying to more objectively rank greatness, Tchaikovsky would probably be in there too. His lack of solo piano music definitely gives him a knock for me personally.
@@ryanabshier yeah I was surprised Tchaikovsky wasn't there until I realised it was more piano based. Also saw the Beethoven in first from a mile away 😂
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.
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
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*.
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
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.
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 :)
I like Rachmaninoff, Liszt, Tchaikovsky, Ravel, and Chopin. Also this isn’t in a specific order.
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
@@pookz3067 thanks for omitting Bach, but where is Tchaikovsky?
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)
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.
Oh I love Ockeghem, he still got this early "fresh" modal flavour, even to a higher degree than josquin although I like him too
He's the first guy of whom we have a musical requiem as well
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)
Mahler for piano? Bruckner for piano? Richard straus for piano???
@@kolyakleinblatt1253 all of them not necessarily for piano hahahha, its just what I like to listen to most!!
Propably it would be more fair to have categories like: Piano, Orchestra, Chamber, Opera, Balet, Songs...
You should take a look at the kingdom hearts piano collection of dearly beloved those are some amazing arrangements
I love the fuges from bach either. I played the fuge in a minor bwv 895. Are you familiar whit that?
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.
You left out Cage's 4:33
I didn't want to deal with those ultra advanced pieces in our repertoire. You know, lose the crowd. 🤣
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.
Where ravel
What about all of these composers’ orchestral outputs?
And in the case of Bach his choral compositions
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.
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.
bach beethoven and vivaldi are my top 3 but id also add chopin and liszt to make it top 5
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 :(
My list:
Rach
Chopin
Liszt
Ravel
Scriabin
Gershwin
Prokofiev
Beethoven
Mahler
Debussy
If you put "the" in the title - you'd get a lot more disagreement. But since you put "my" - then no one can disagree!
That little subtle difference should hopefully make this comment section pretty reasonable without many arguments!
Then you just put it down to bad taste 😊
Yes, glad you noticed. Unfortunately for TH-cam if I put The Top 10 the video would probably get way more views. Everyone would argue, share with their friends "Bro, this guy is stupid". And the algorithm would think "Wow, this video really engages people" 🤣🤣🤣
My top 10:
Medtner
Rachmaninov
Prokofiev
Liszt
Sibelius
Grieg
Schubert
Scriabine
Alkan
Chopin
1 Scriabin
2 Ravel
3 Medtner
4 Bach
5 Chopin
6 Vaughan Williams
7 Debussy
8 Schumann
9 Haydn
10 Stravinsky
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.
My list:
1-Bach
2-Mahler
3-Messiaen
4-Prokofiev
5-Medtner
6-Beethoven
7-Stravinsky
8-Rachmaninoff
9-Enescu
10-Ferneyhough
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)
Isaac Albéniz is a personal favorite
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?
@@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.
for me:
10. Monk
9. Beethoven
8. Rachmaninoff
7. Vivaldi
6. Gubaidulina
5. Adams
4. Debussy
3. Bach
2. Bartók
1. Ravel
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.
I sympathize with your attempt to give Schubert extra time, but he only lived to the age of 31, not 38. Also, Hans Liszt? It's Franz (German) or Ferencz (modern spelling Ferenc) (Hungarian). I'm sure you know that.
Lol, yeah, don't ask. You know, before I said that I literally froze and went "wait, how many years exactly?", looked it up even before filming! Then somehow just said 38 instead of 31? Just a total brain/mouth slip. Doesn't even make sense because who lived 38 years? Lol. Thanks for mentioning it.
Oh, just saw the 2nd half of your comment. Franz Liszt for sure, just sounded funny in the video I suppose
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.
1 Rachmaninoff, 2 scriabin 3 and a tie between liszt and chopin
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
For me, It's hard to choose, but ultimately I will have to go:
1. Schumann
2. Bach
3. Prokofiev
4. Scriabin
5. Shostakovich
6. Ravel
7. Beethoven
8. Stravinsky
9. Brahms
10. Rachmaninoff
Yes, I am insane
(Honourable mentions: Mozart, Scarlatti, Mendelssohn, Liszt, Barber, Szymanowski, Kabalevsky, Kapustin, Schubert and Liszt)
1. Ligeti
2. Schostakovich
3. Debussy
4. Bach
5. Rachmaninoff
6. Mahler
7. Brahms
8. Schnittke
9. Kancheli
10. Arvo Part
Agree with your list, largely. I would not include Liszt, but don't object to your preference for him. But Rachmaninoff? Come on... It's late-Romantic schlock. I enjoy the first three concerti. And I can fall asleep to the Vespers. But he doesn't belong in any top ten list.
Rachmaninoff is amazing:)
Influence wise, i agree. However the music speaks for itself
For me, Mozart has always been my idol. (those wonderful piano concerti say it all!)😢 But I love Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms too. But I question Rachmaninoff - a bit too cluttered for me, particularly the symphonies.
And I thought classical music listeners are smart 🤦♂️
@@МуродТанжихоловnope. Plenty of y’all are morons.
For me in no particular order:
Scriabin
Rachmaninoff
Medtner
Bach
Liszt
Ravel
Prokofiev
Granados
Beethoven
Stravinsky
finally someone with strawinsky on the list
Foe me Beethoven is the greatest artist of all times. He was compared to Michelangelo in terms of sheer power to produce absolutely massive, grandiose and yet so unitary masterpieces. Nothing ever feels disjointed, everything makes sense, feels whole and complete. Great B takes your hand and leads you through his work to the end, through a variety of emotions and thoughts, leaving you feeling as if you completed a life journey with him. Also the big thing about his music is that it always makes you feel infused with life and strength.
As for Chopin, I am the one who rolled my eyes, although I expected him to be rated high by the professional pianist. Chopin, in my personal opinion, was not able to produce music which would make me feel that life journey I wrote about before. Majority of his pieces are rather short and do not allow for the feeling to develop, progress and complete itself. Too much flourish only annoys me, as it doesn’t add to the music and I feel that it serves a purpose of merely to astonish people with one’s ability to play a difficult passage. Also I feel that his music is quite overloaded with rather exaggerated drama. I think it was the thing in his time, but now it feels cringe, at least to me.
Schubert I love for his very genuine self and that he managed to express himself so touchingly in his music.
Mine goes
1. Chopin
2. Beethoven
3. Rachmaninoff
4. Mahler
5. Tchaikovsky
6. Debussy
7. Schubert
8. Stravinsky
9. Moszkowski
10. Shostakovich or Ravel
For me, Chopin is the one TRUE Master of piano. His 3rd ballade for example: 3rd ballade is not even Chopin's greatest ballade, let alone his greatest work. But it would be the absolute magnum opus of lesser composers like Schumann or Haydn or Bartok (yes these are objectively lesser than Chopin. If you are claiming otherwise you are either trolling or know nothing about Chopin. ). That is how absurdly incredible Chopin's list of works is. There is a reason why the most prestigious piano competition bears Chopin's name. Chopin = piano.
What about Medtner?
liszt is the greatest piano composer ever
Yeah, along with Medtner
For me it's Beethoven 1, Bach 2, Chopin 3, Mozart 4
Beethoven is just the best
I would throw Haydn Schumann Rachmaninoff Liszt out and add Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, Bruckner and Sibelius
My list would be quite different than many especially since Beethoven would not even probably be Top 15. I love the first movement of the Moonlight Sonata, the 9th Symphony and...well that's sort of it really. I actively dislike almost all his Sonatas. Just does not connect with me at all. My list is heavily influenced by being at one time a quite good classical guitarist and now an appallingly average intermediate pianist. My teacher says I am advanced in some areas and a complete novice in others.
1. Wagner I am almost want to not list him because of who he was but his music is transcendent, Siegfied's Death and Funeral March is the greatest piece of Symphonic music ever written (my opinion)
2. Chopin The greatest piano composer and hard to argue. His music is magical. I started piano just to play the 2nd Nocturne but I am not there yet
3. Schubert He and Chopin are very close for me. I find Schubert's music unlike any other, straddling romantic and classical and he combines chords and melody maybe better than any other composer for piano. Gould hated his repetitive structure but I actually find it a strength as his resolutions of those repetitive bits is just otherworldly. I listen to Schubert more than any other composer. Alas his music is crazy hard to play. D960 is my favorite Sonata of all time
4. Bach I actually think quite a lot of Bach's is terrible but when he hits he really hits and his music just screams brilliance and has this perfection of freedom
5. Francisco Tarrega If you don't like classical guitar you may not have ever heard of him and his output is low but his music is so spectacular for unleashing the beauty of the guitar "Recuerdos de la Alhambra" is one of the prettiest pieces written period
6. Mozart A lot of his music is dull IMO and "has too many notes" and way too many scales but he wrote " Ah Tutti Contenti" which is literally the voice of God
7 Debussy I don't love all of Debussy but Clair de Lune is IMO the greatest piano piece ever written and up there for best piece ever. Have never met someone that dislikes Clair de Lune (cue 50 comments from people that hate it)
8. Scarlatti Bridges both piano and transcribes awesomely to guitar his music is fantastic. The Horowitz encores of the two Sonatas is magnificent and Argerich usually plays Scarlatti for her encores as well
9 Albeniz His music sounds better transcribed to guitar but its spectacular.
10 Orff The Carmina Burana is my favorite piece of music and that alone is enough for Top 10
Thank you for your video and opinions. I kind of agree with the composers on the list…except for Brahms. He should not be on the list. I also can’t fathom how Haydn rates higher than Rachmaninoff. That’s just my opinion.
Not a single composer from before Bach? No room for Lassus, Palestrina, Josquin or Schütz?
He is sick… Lizt and Rachmaninov are the nr 1 and 2 for piano Music
A good list. I'd probably have Rachmaninoff higher and perhaps have replaced Haydn with Ravel (mostly due to Gaspard) but can't really argue with your list as a piano-specific list of composers.
I love ravel's music. However, he can't begin to touch what Haydn contributed to classical music. Hayden was the father of the symphony!
You are so handsome ❤❤
So nobody likes Wagner??
Ugh, too Germanic centric for me. Instead, give me the French and Russians. I'll take Ravel over Brahms, Prokofiev over Schumann. Hell, I'd rather listen to Ginastera or Bartok over Handel or Hayden. When people say classical is boring, they are almost always referring to the Germans. Beethoven and Bach are obvious exceptions and there are some others too. But I'd rather eat my shoe than listen to Handel. Love the channel.
Only Mahler
My list:
1: Chopin 2: Ravel 3: Schumann 4: Bartok 5: Scriabin 6: Beethoven 7: Debussy 8: Rautavaara 9: Bach 10: Prokofiev
Goated list
I love to see Scriabin on so many lists.
@@marcusanthonyPOV I freakin love scriabin
I agree with almost everything here
Nobody's giving any love to Tchaikovsky
1.Chopin
2.Liszt
3.Mozart
4.Beethoven
6.Rachmaninov
7.Schumann
8.Debussy
9.Tchaikovsky
10.Bach