I don’t understand the attraction of Top 100 (or Top 3, 10, 50 etc) lists. And yet I can’t help myself, when I see such polls or lists I seem to have to at least take a look at – if not measure myself against – these. Lists are a thing, I mean, if they were not, the New Yorker wouldn’t have published ‘The Hundred Best Lists of All Time‘, right? What is it about lists that makes them so satisfying?
Anyway, I like music lists when I know the music mentioned in them. The radio station ABC Classic FM just did their annual top 100 countdown – The Music You Can’t Live Without. the I had a busy weekend and didn’t get to listen to much of it, I listen to the station every day so I was well aware of it, and even submitted my votes.
The ABC’s list of 100 pieces of music its listeners voted for – the music they (we) can’t live without – is interesting.
My Classic 100 Votes were:
- Bach, Johann Sebastian – Brandenburg Concertos, BWV 1046–1051
- Bach, Johann Sebastian – Cantata 147 ‘Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben’ (including Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring)
- Bach, Johann Sebastian – Cantata 140 ‘Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme’ (including Sleepers Wake)
- Beethoven, Ludwig van – Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor ‘Pathétique’
- Beethoven, Ludwig van – Symphony No. 6 in F major ‘Pastoral’
- Handel, George Frideric – Music for the Royal Fireworks (including La Réjouissance)
- Handel, George Frideric – Messiah (including Hallelujah Chorus; The Trumpet Shall Sound; He Was Despised)
- Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus – Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, KV 467 ‘Elvira Madigan’
- Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus – Clarinet Concerto in A major
- Schubert, Franz – Piano Quintet in A major ‘Trout’
The fun of this list – apart from, in this case, listening to the music – was to figure out if and where in the list my choices ranked.
I also love looking at book lists, lists of countries you’ve visited.
Why is it fun? Seeing if my tastes are the same as/”better” than others’? Seeing how “well” I score?
Do you like these sorts of lists?
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