Classic 100 Swoon

In 2015, the Australian radio station ABC Classic FM held the thirteenth of its annual Classic Music countdowns, during which the public votes for 100 favourite pieces. The chosen theme was "Swoon", which refers to a fainting and in this context is used to mean "little parcel of [musical] rapture"[1] or music "that makes [the listeners'] world stand still."[2] The Classic 100 Swoon countdown was broadcast in reverse order from 5 to 8 June.

Countdown results[edit]

The results of the countdown are as follows:

Rank Composer Work Genre Date
1 Vaughan Williams, Ralph The Lark Ascending Violin, piano 1920
2 Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus Clarinet Concerto, K. 622 (Adagio) Concerto 1791
3 Barber, Samuel Adagio for Strings (orchestral and vocal versions) Orchestra, Choral 1936
4 Pärt, Arvo Spiegel im Spiegel Tintinnabuli 1978
5 Allegri, Gregorio Miserere Choral 1630s
6 Massenet, Jules "Méditation" from Thaïs Orchestral 1894
7 Elgar, Edward Enigma Variations Op. 36 (includes Variation 9, Nimrod) Orchestral 1898–99
8 Morricone, Ennio The Mission (Includes Gabriel's Oboe original version) Film soundtrack 1986
9 Fauré, Gabriel Requiem Op.48 (includes Introit and Kyrie, Pie Jesu, Agnus Dei et Lux Aeterna, In Paradisum) Choral, mass 1887-90
10 Albinoni, Tomaso/Remo Giazotto Adagio in G minor Strings, organ
11 Satie, Erik Gymnopédies Piano 1888
12 Elgar, Edward Cello Concerto in E minor (includes Adagio) Concerto, for cello 1919
13 Rachmaninoff, Sergei Piano Concerto No. 2 (includes Adagio sostenuto) Concerto, for piano 1900–01
14 Mahler, Gustav Symphony No. 5 (includes Adagietto) Symphony 1901–02
15 Beethoven, Ludwig van Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major Symphony 1809–11
16 Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus Ave verum corpus, K. 618 Choral, motet 1791
17 Bizet, Georges The Pearl Fishers (Includes "Au fond du temple saint", "Je crois entendre encore") Opera 1863
18 Vaughan Williams, Ralph Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis Orchestral 1910
19 Strauss, Richard Four Last Songs Orchestral, with voice 1948
20 Shostakovich, Dmitri The Gadfly Suite Suite, orchestral 1955
21 Khachaturan, Aram Spartacus (Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia) Ballet score 1954
22 Puccini, Giacomo Madama Butterfly (includes "One Fine Day", "Humming Chorus") Opera 1904
23 Rodrigo, Joaquín Concierto de Aranjuez Orchestral, with guitar 1939
24 Bruch, Max Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor Concerto 1866
25 Bach, Johann Sebastian St Matthew Passion BWV 244 Oratorio 1727
26 Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus Requiem in D minor K.626 Choral, Mass 1791
27 Pachelbel, Johann Canon in D Strings
28 Bach, Johann Sebastian Cello Suite No. 1 in G major BWV 1007 (includes Prelude) Suite, cello
29 Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major K.467 (Includes Andante) Concerto 1785
30 Purcell, Henry Dido and Aeneas (includes "Dido's Lament") Opera 1688
31 Mascagni, Pietro Cavalleria rusticana Opera 1890
32 Delibes, Léo Lakmé Opera 1881–81
33 Saint-Saëns, Camille The Carnival of the Animals (includes "Aquarium", "The Swan") Suite, chamber 1886
34 Rachmaninoff, Sergei Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Concerto, for piano 1934
35 Dvořák, Antonín "O silver moon" from Rusalka Opera, aria 1901
36 Westlake, Nigel Antarctica Suite Film soundtrack 1991
37 Verdi, Giuseppe Nabucco Opera 1841
38 Bach, Johann Sebastian Concerto for two violins in D minor BWV 1043 (includes Allegro ma non-tanto) Concerto, for violin 1717–23
39 Grieg, Edvard Peer Gynt Play incidental music 1875
40 Debussy, Claude Suite Bergamasque (includes "Clair de Lune"; "Passepied") Suite, piano 1905
41 Holst, Gustav The Planets Op.32 Suite, orchestral 1914–16
42 Handel, George Frideric Messiah HWV 56 (includes "Comfort Ye"; "I Know that my Redeemer Liveth") Oratorio 1741
43 Tallis, Thomas Spem in alium Choral c.1570
44 Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus Così fan tutte K.588 (includes soave sia il vento) Opera 1790
45 Dvořák, Antonín Symphony No. 9 Op. 45 "From the New World" (includes largo) Symphony 1893
46 Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich The Nutcracker Suite (Includes "Waltz of the Snowflakes"; "Danse Arabe"; "Waltz of the Flowers") Suite, ballet score 1892
47 Jenkins, Karl The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace Choral, mass, orchestral 1999
48 Canteloube, Joseph Songs of the Auvergne (includes Baïlèro) Arranged folksongs 1923-30
49 Kats-Chernin, Elena Wild Swans suite (includes Eliza's Aria and Green Leaf Prelude) Ballet score 2003
50 Wagner, Richard Tristan and Isolde (includes Prelude and Liebestod) Opera 1857–59
51 Williams, John Schindler's List (Main Theme) Film soundtrack 1993
52 Edwards, Ross Dawn Mantras Orchestral, choral 1999
53 Beethoven, Ludwig van Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 2 Moonlight (includes I. Adagio sostenuto) Sonata for piano 1801
54 Handel, George Frideric Xerxes, HWV 40 (includes "Ombra Mai Fu" – Largo) Opera 1738
55 Debussy, Claude Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun Symphonic poem 1894
56 Sculthorpe, Peter Small Town Orchestral 1976
57 Pärt, Arvo Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten Tintinnabuli 1977
58 Beethoven, Ludwig van Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61 (includes II. Larghetto) Concerto, for violin 1806
59 Mendelssohn, Felix The Hebrides' Overture, Op. 26 (Fingal's Cave) Overture 1830
60 Rachmaninoff, Sergei Vespers, Op. 37 (All-Night Vigil) Choral 1915
61 Mendelssohn, Felix Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 (includes II. Andante) Concerto for violin 1845
62 Bach, JS/Hess, Myra Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring Cantata 1926
63 Beethoven, Ludwig van Für Elise Piano 1810
64 Beethoven, Ludwig van Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 Choral (includes III. Adagio molto e cantabile) Symphony, choral 1824
65 Ravel, Maurice Pavane for a Dead Princess Piano 1899
66 Mendelssohn, Felix A Midsummer Night's Dream Orchestral 1826, 1842
67 Beethoven, Ludwig van Symphony No. 7 in A major (includes II. Allegretto) Symphony 1811–12
68 Bach, Johann Sebastian Cantata, BWV 147 Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben (includes "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring") Cantata 1716, 1723
69 Gluck, Christoph Willibald Orpheus and Euridice (includes "Dance of the Blessed Spirits") Opera 1762
70 Morricone, Ennio Cinema Paradiso (includes Main Theme; Love Theme for Nata) Film soundtrack 1988
71 Bach, Johann Sebastian Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (includes Aria) Keyboard 1741
72 Schubert, Franz Impromptu in G-flat major Piano 1827
73 Bach, Johann Sebastian Mass in B minor, BWV 232 Choral, mass 1749
74 Lloyd Webber, Andrew Requiem (includes "Pie Jesu") Choral, mass 1984–85
75 Fauré, Gabriel Cantique de Jean Racine Choral, with piano 1864–65
76 Handel, George Frideric Rinaldo (includes "Lascia ch'io pianga") Opera 1711
77 Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major (includes II. Adagio) Concerto for piano 1786
78 Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus Clarinet Quintet, K581 (includes II. Larghetto) Chamber 1789
79 Brahms, Johannes A German Requiem, Op. 45 Choral, mass 1868
80 Górecki, Henryk Symphony No. 3, Op. 36 (Symphony of Sorrowful Songs) Symphony, with voice 1976
81 Bach, Johann Sebastian Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, BWV 1050 Concerto, chamber 1721
82 Saint-Saëns, Camille Samson and Delilah (includes "Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix") Opera 1877
83 Fauré, Gabriel Pavane, Op. 50 Orchestral, with chorus 1887
84 Gershwin, George Porgy and Bess (includes "Summertime") Opera 1934
85 Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus Concerto for Flute, Harp, and Orchestra, K. 299 Concerto 1778
86 Korngold, Erich Wolfgang Die tote Stadt (includes "Glück das mir verblieb") Opera 1920
87 Satie, Erik Gnossiennes Piano 1890s
88 Beethoven, Ludwig van Symphony No. 6, Op. 68 (Pastoral) Symphony 1808
89 Chopin, Frédéric Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11 Concerto for piano 1830
90 Schubert, Franz Ave Maria Choral 1825
91 Sculthorpe, Peter Little Suite Suite, for strings 1983
92 Dvořák, Antonín Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104 Concerto for cello 1894–95
93 Pergolesi, Giovanni Battista Stabat Mater Oratorio 1736
94 Tavener, John Song for Athene Choral 1997
95 Albinoni, Tomaso Oboe Concerto in D minor, Op. 9, No. 2 Concerto for oboe 1722
96 Bellini, Vincenzo Norma (includes "Casta diva") Opera 1831
97 Strauss, Richard Morgen! Song 1894
98 Bach, JS/Gounod, Charles Ave Maria Choral 1853
99 Bach, Johann Sebastian Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068 (includes Air on a G string) Suite 1730
100 Puccini, Giacomo "O mio babbino caro" from Gianni Schicchi Opera, aria 1917–18

By composer[edit]

The following composers were featured in the countdown:

Composer Nationality Works
Albinoni Italian 2
Allegri Italian 1
JS Bach German 9
Barber American 1
Beethoven German 7
Bellini Italian 1
Bizet French 1
Brahms German 1
Bruch German 1
Canteloube French 1
Chopin Polish-French 1
Debussy French 2
Delibes French 1
Dvořák Czech 3
Edwards Australian 1
Elgar English 2
Fauré French 3
Gershwin American 1
Gluck German 1
Gorecki Polish 1
Gounod French 1
Grieg Norwegian 1
Handel German-British 3
Hess British 1
Holst English 1
Jenkins Welsh 1
Kats-Chernin Australian 1
Khachaturian Armenian 1
Korngold Czech 1
Lloyd Webber English 1
Mahler Austrian 1
Mascagni Italian 1
Massenet French 1
Mendelssohn German 3
Morricone Italian 2
Mozart Austrian 8
Pachelbel German 1
Pergolesi Italian 1
Puccini Italian 2
Purcell English 1
Pärt Estonian 2
Rachmaninoff Russian 3
Ravel French 1
Rodrigo Spanish 1
Saint-Saëns French 2
Satie French 2
Schubert Austrian 2
Sculthorpe Australian 2
Shostakovich Russian 1
Strauss German 2
Tallis English 1
Tavener British 1
Tchaikovsky Russian 1
Vaughan Williams English 2
Verdi Italian 1
Wagner German 1
Westlake Australian 1
Williams American 1

Note: Bach had 10 entries on the countdown, including Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring as part of Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben and as a separate entry.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "ABC Classic FM – Classic 100 2015". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  2. ^ Boon, Maxim (15 April 2015). "Classic FM announce Swoon as theme of 2015 Classic 100". Limelight. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
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