2021 WNED Classical Top 100
In 2020, we introduced the WNED Classical Top 100 and invited listeners to cast their votes. With more than 2,000 votes cast, Beethoven’s call to brotherhood in Symphony No. 9 came out number one. Set amidst the global backdrop of coronavirus lockdowns, Symphony No. 9 was a fitting choice for the 2020 top spot as people sought to connect through music.
Votes for the 2021 WNED Classical Top 100 were cast in October and the 2021 Ultimate Playlist was revealed on air November 4 - 10th as we counted down to number 1.
Yes, Beethoven defended his title! Below is the complete list of the 2021 WNED Classical Top 100!
Listen Live: WNED Classical2021 WNED Classic Top 100
1. Beethoven, Symphony #9 |
2. Dvorak, Symphony #9 New World |
3. Handel, Xerxes largo |
4. Vivaldi, The Four Seasons |
5. Gershwin, Rhapsody in Blue |
6. Beethoven, Symphony #5 |
7. Debussy, Petite Suite |
8. Bach, Brandenburg Concertos |
9. Holst, The Planets |
10. Mozart, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik |
| 11. Beethoven, Symphony #3 |
| 12. Rachmaninoff, Piano Concerto #2 |
| 13. Beethoven, Symphony #7 |
| 14. Debussy, Claire de Lune |
| 15. Barber, Adagio for Strings |
| 16. Smetana, The Moldau |
| 17. Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition |
| 18. Mozart, Die Zauberflote |
| 19. Wagner, Die Walkure |
| 20. Tchaikovsky, Piano Concerto #1 |
| 21. Handel, Messiah |
| 22. Beethoven, Piano Sonata No 14 Moonlight |
| 23. Copland, Fanfare fo the Common Man |
| 24. Mahler, Symphony #2 |
| 25. Mozart, Requiem |
| 26. Beethoven, Piano Concerto #5 |
| 27. Copland, Appalachian Spring |
| 28. Beethoven, Symphony #6 |
| 29. Ravel, Le Tombeau de Couperin |
| 30. Satie, Gymnopedies #1-3 |
| 31. Rossini, William Tell Overture |
| 32. Rimsky-Korsakov, Scheherazade |
| 33. Sibelius, Finlandia |
| 34. Strauss, Blue Danube Waltz |
| 35. Faure, Dolly Suite |
| 36. Grieg, Peer Gynt |
| 37. Vaughan Williams, Lark ascending |
| 38. Schubert, Ave Maria |
| 39. Ravel, Bolero |
| 40. Tchaikovsky, 1812 Overture |
| 41. Mozart, Symphony #41 |
| 42. Bach, B minor Mass |
| 43. Mendelssohn, Hebrides Overture |
| 44. Borodin, In the Steppes of Central Asia |
| 45. Mozart, Clarinet Concerto |
| 46. Bach, Toccata & Fugue in D Minor |
| 47. Mozart, Piano concerto #21 |
| 48. Rossini, Barber of Seville |
| 49. Schumann, Piano Concerto |
| 50. Pachelbel, Canon |
| 51. Tchaikovsky, Symphony #4 |
| 52. Delius, Florida Suite |
| 53. Beethoven, Symphony #4 |
| 54. Chopin, Heroic Polanaise |
| 55. Bernstein, Symphonic Dances from West Side Story |
| 56. Hanson, Symphony # 2 "Romantic" |
| 57. Grieg, Piano Concerto |
| 58. Morricone, The Mission |
| 59. Mozart, Symphony #40 |
| 60. Delibes, Lakme: Flower Duet |
| 61. Prokofiev, Peter and the Wolf |
| 62. Faure, Suite Masque et bergamasque |
| 63. Puccini, Turandot: Nessun Dorma |
| 64. Schubert, Symphony #8 |
| 65. Mozart, The Marriage of Figaro |
| 66. Khachaturian: Spartacus: Adagio |
| 67. Debussy, Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune |
| 68. Vaughan Williams, Fantasia on Greensleeves |
| 69. Saint-Saens, Organ Symphony |
| 70. Mendelssohn, Midsummer Night’s Dream Overture |
| 71. Faure, Pavane |
| 72. Handel, Water Music |
| 73. Beethoven, Choral Fantasy |
| 74. Schubert, Symphony #9 |
| 75. Beethoven, Archduke Trio |
| 76. Shoshtakovich: Symphony #5 |
| 77. Mussorgsky, Night on Bald Mountain |
| 78. Sibelius, Symphony #5 |
| 79. Tchaikovsky, Capriccio Italien |
| 80. Bach, Sheep May Safely Graze |
| 81. Offenbach, Orpheus in the Underworld |
| 82. Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker Suite |
| 83. Poulenc, Perpetual Motion |
| 84. Lepo Sumera, Symphony Nr. 2 |
| 85. Gershwin, Concerto in F |
| 86. Faure, Requiem |
| 87. Hovhaness, Symphony No. 2 "Mysterious Mountain" |
| 88. Poulenc, Clarinet Sonata |
| 89. Brahams, Violin concerto |
| 90. Mahler, Symphony #5 |
| 91. Mozart, Piano Concerto #23 |
| 92. Debussy, La Mer |
| 93. Grieg, Holberg Suite |
| 94. Bernstein, Candide Overture |
| 95. Chopin, Piano Concerto #2 |
| 96. Ponchielli, Dance of the Hours |
| 97. Rachmaninoff, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini |
| 98. Finzi, Five Bagatelles |
| 99. Beethoven, Symphony #8 |
| 100. Mendelssohn, Violin concerto |
WNED Classical Top 100 Spotify Playlist
We will update the Spotify playlist daily to add the rankings that have been revealed.
PLEASE NOTE - There may be "numbers" in the playlist. These numbers are NOT the rankings.
How Voting Works for the Classical WNED Top 100
Voting begins 12:00 AM EDT on October 1, 2021 and ends 11:59 PM EDT October 24, 2021. You may vote for up to three different pieces, up to once per day. All subsequent votes must include different selections; you may not vote for the same selection more than once. We will do our best to interpret each entry, however, if we are unable to determine the selection, we will be unable to include the submission. All submissions are collected to help create the WNED Classical Top 100. WNED Classical maintains editorial control over the final playlist. Entries and comments may be used for promotional purposes.