The 50 Greatest Pieces of Classical Music

Last updated
The 50 Greatest Pieces of Classical Music
The 50 Greatest Pieces of Classical Music.jpg
Studio album by
the London Philharmonic Orchestra
Released2009
Recorded Abbey Road Studios
Royal Festival Hall
Henry Wood Hall
Genre Classical
Label X5 Music Group
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [1]

The 50 Greatest Pieces of Classical Music is a compilation of classical works recorded by the London Philharmonic Orchestra with conductor David Parry. [2] Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, Royal Festival Hall and Henry Wood Hall in London, the compilation was released in digital formats in November, 2009 and as a 4-CD set in 2011. [3] The 50 Greatest Pieces of Classical Music has sold over 200,000 copies and spent over three days as one of the top 10 classical albums on iTunes. [4]

Contents

Track listing

  1. Edvard Grieg – Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 Op. 46: Morning Mood
  2. Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, "Fate": I. Allegro con brio
  3. Antonio Vivaldi – The Four Seasons, Op. 8, "Spring": Allegro
  4. Samuel Barber – Adagio for Strings
  5. Richard Wagner – The Valkyrie: Ride of the Valkyries
  6. Frédéric Chopin – Nocturne No. 2 in E-Flat major, Op. 9
  7. Johann Pachelbel – Canon in D Major
  8. Carl Orff – Carmina Burana: O fortuna
  9. Johann Sebastian Bach – Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068: Air
  10. Gustav Holst – The Planets, Op. 32: Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity
  11. Claude Debussy – Suite bergamasque, L 75: Clair de lune
  12. Giuseppe Verdi – Nabucco: Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves (Va, pensiero, sull'ali dorate)
  13. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K. 467: II. Andante
  14. Johann Sebastian Bach – Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048: Allegro
  15. Jules Massenet – Thaïs: Meditation
  16. Antonín Dvořák – Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95, "From the New World": II. Largo
  17. Johann Strauss II – On the Beautiful Blue Danube, Op. 314
  18. Johannes Brahms – Hungarian Dance No. 5 in G minor
  19. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – Swan Lake Suite, Op. 20: Scene
  20. Erik Satie – Gymnopédie No. 1
  21. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Requiem, K. 626: Lacrimosa Dies illa
  22. Ludwig van Beethoven – Bagatelle in A minor, Wo Op. 59, "Für Elise"
  23. Edward Elgar – Pomp and Circumstance, Op. 39: Land of Hope and Glory
  24. Georges Bizet – Carmen Suite No. 2: Habanera
  25. Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, "Choral": Ode an die Freude
  26. Jacques Offenbach – The Tales of Hoffmann: Barcarolle
  27. Remo Giazotto – Adagio in G minor for Strings and Organ (after T. Albinoni)
  28. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Serenade No. 13 in G major, K. 525, "Eine kleine Nachtmusik": I. Allegro
  29. Gioachino Rossini – The Barber of Seville: Overture
  30. Ludwig van Beethoven – Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 27:2, "Moonlight Sonata": Adagio sostenuto
  31. Bedřich Smetana – Má Vlast (My Fatherland): Vltava (The Moldau River)
  32. Luigi Boccherini – String Quintet in E major, Op. 13: Minuet (mislabeled – should be Op. 11, No. 5 (G. 275): Minuet)
  33. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550: I. Allegro Molto
  34. Antonín Dvořák – Slavonic Dance No. 2, Op. 72
  35. Charles Gounod – Ave Maria (after J.S. Bach)
  36. Jean Sibelius – Finlandia, Op. 26
  37. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major, K. 331: Rondo alla turca
  38. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – The Magic Flute, K. 620: Overture
  39. George Frideric Handel – The Messiah, HWV 56: Hallelujah Chorus
  40. Edvard Grieg – Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46: In the Hall of the Mountain King
  41. Gabriel Fauré – Pavane
  42. Johann Sebastian Bach – Double Concerto in D minor for Two Violins, BWV 1043: Vivace
  43. Georges Bizet – L'Arlésienne Suite No. 1: Prelude
  44. Johann Strauss I – Radetzky March, Op. 228
  45. Ludwig van Beethoven – Egmont, Op. 84: Overture
  46. Stanley Myers – Cavatina
  47. Arcangelo Corelli – Concerto Grosso No. 8 in G minor, Op. 6: "Christmas Concerto": Allegro
  48. Sergei Rachmaninoff – Vocalise, Op. 34
  49. Giuseppe Verdi – Messa da Requiem: Dies irae – Tuba mirum
  50. Gustav Mahler – Symphony No. 5 in C-sharp minor: Adagietto

Charts

Chart (2010–16)Peak
position
Australian Catalogue Albums (ARIA) [5] 36
Belgian Classical Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [6] 16
French Albums (SNEP) [6] 70
Italian Albums (FIMI)71
UK Albums (OCC) [7] 90
UK Classical Artist Albums (OCC) [8] 1
US Billboard 200 [9] 136
US Classical Albums ( Billboard ) [10] 1
US Independent Albums ( Billboard ) [11] 21

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
France (SNEP) [12] Gold50,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) [13] Gold100,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

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References

  1. ↑ The 50 Greatest Pieces of Classical Music at AllMusic. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
  2. ↑ Sanderson, Blair (November 23, 2009). "The 50 Greatest Pieces of Classical Music". Allmusic . Retrieved 2012-01-12.
  3. ↑ "CD: 50 Greatest Classics | LPO". www.lpo.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2015-05-24.
  4. ↑ "Searching search engines for the sound of music". 23 February 2012.
  5. ↑ "ARIA Catalogue Albums Chart". ARIA Charts. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  6. 1 2 "The London Philharmonic Orchestra – The 50 Greatest Pieces Of Classical Music" (in Dutch). Ultratop Flanders. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  7. ↑ "Chart Log UK – Weekly Updates Sales 2011". zobbel.de. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  8. ↑ "Official Classical Artist Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company Classical Artist Albums Chart. 27 July 2018 – 2 August 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  9. ↑ "London Philharmonic Orchestra Chart History". Billboard 200. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  10. ↑ "London Philharmonic Orchestra The 50 Greatest Pieces Of Classical Music Chart History". Billboard Top Classical Albums. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  11. ↑ "London Philharmonic Orchestra The 50 Greatest Pieces Of Classical Music Chart History". Billboard Independent Albums. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  12. ↑ "French album certifications – London Philharmonic Orchestra – The 50 Greatest Pieces Of Classical Music" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique . Retrieved February 21, 2024.
  13. ↑ "British album certifications – London Philharmonic Orchestra – The 50 Greatest Pieces Of Classical Music". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved February 21, 2024.


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