Hall of Fame 2009 the top 64
See the top 64 of the Classic FM Hall of Fame 2009. Then download and buy your favourites from our list of recommended classical recordings...
1 (1)Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending
No.1 for a 3rd year. Highest of 11 entries for Vaughan Williams in 2009.
Hear it on: Nicola Benedetti with Andrew Litton and the London Philharmonic Orchestra - Vaughan Williams & Tavener
2 (2) Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2
Non-mover. Highest of Rachmaninov's 4 entries.
Hear it on: Lang Lang with Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre and Valery Gergiev - Rachmaninov
3 (3) Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
Non-mover: holds on to its highest-ever chart position. 10th of Vaughan Williams's 11 entries.
Hear it on: André Previn & London Symphony Orchestra - Elgar: Enigma Variations & Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
4 (4) Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 'Emperor'
Non-mover. Retains its highest ever place. Highest of Beethoven's 19 entries.
Hear it on: Hélène Grimaud, Staatskapelle Dresden & Vladimir Jurowski - Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 & Piano Sonata No. 28
5 (5) Beethoven:Symphony No. 6 'Pastoral'
Non-mover. Retains its highest place since 1998. 19th of Beethoven's 19 entries.
Hear it on: Bernard Haitink & London Symphony Orchestra - LSO Live Beethoven: Symphonies No. 6 & 2
6 (6) Mozart: Clarinet Concerto
Non-mover. Equals 2008's lowest ever position. Highest of Mozart's 20 entries.
Hear it on: David Shifrin, Gerard Schwarz & Mostly Mozart Orchestra - Mozart: Clarinet Concerto in A - Clarinet Quintet in A
7 (8) Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1
Up 1 for a former Hall of Fame No.1, which is the highest of Bruch's 4 entries.
Hear it on: Janine Jansen, Leipzig Gewandhaus-Orchester & Riccardo Chailly - Mendelssohn & Bruch: Violin Concertos (Bonus Track Version)
8 ( 7) Elgar: Cello Concerto
Down 1. Lowest position since 2004. Highest of Elgar's 11 entries.
Hear it on: Jacqueline Du Pre, London Symphony Orchestra & Sir John Barbirolli - Elgar: Cello Concerto & Sea Pictures
9 (10) Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 'Choral'
Up 1. Beethoven has 19 entries on the chart; this is the 17th. What remains?
Hear it on: Bernard Haitink & London Symphony Orchestra - Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 - "Choral"
10 (9) Elgar: Enigma Variations
Down 1.
Hear it on: London Symphony Orchestra & Sir Colin Davis - Elgar: Enigma Variations, Introduction & Allegro
11 (11) Pachelbel: Canon in D
Non-mover. Retains its highest position since 2003.
Hear it on: Harmonie Universelle - Pachelbel: Canon & Gigue
12 (17) Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor
Up 5. Highest of Grieg's 4 entries on the chart this year.
Hear it on: Eugene Ormandy, Philadelphia Orchestra & Van Cliburn - Grieg: Peer Gynt; Piano Concerto
13 (13) Jenkins: The Armed Man 'A Mass for Peace'
Non-mover. Highest of Jenkins' 5 entries and highest-placed contemporary work.
Hear it on: National Youth Choir of Great Britain - The Armed Man (A Mass for Peace)
14 (23) Saint-Säens : Symphony No.3 in C minor ‘Organ’
Up 9. Highest of Saint-Säens' 4 entries in this year's Hall of Fame.
Hear it on: Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim, Gaston Litaize & Orchestre de Paris - Saint-Saens: Symphony No. 3, "Organ"
15 (12) Barber: Adagio for Strings
Down 3. Highest of Barber's 2 entries.
Hear it on: Leonard Bernstein & New York Philharmonic - Barber's Adagio and other Romantic Favorites for Strings
16 (16) Holst: The Planets
Highest of Holst's 2 entries. Retains its highest ever position, achieved last year.
Hear it on: Berliner Philharmoniker & Sir Simon Rattle - Holst: The Planets
17 (18) Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture
Up 1. Highest ever chart position, and the highest of Tchaikovsky's 13 entries.
Hear it on: Berliner Philharmoniker & Claudio Abbado - Tchaikovsky: "1812" Overture; Solennelle
18 (25) Rodrigo: Concerto de Aranjuez
Up 6, to its highest ever chart position. 2nd of Rodrigo's 2 entries on the chart.
Hear it on: Daniel Barenboim, English Chamber Orchestra & John Williams - Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez, Villa-Lobos: Concerto for Guitar and Small Orchestra
19 (24) Allegri: Miserere
Up 5. Highest position since 1998.
Hear it on: Harry Christophers & The Sixteen - Allegri - Miserere & Palestrina - Missa Papae Marcelli
20 (22) Ungar: The Ashokan Farewell
Up 2. Highest position since 2005.
Hear it on: The Ashokan Farewell: Captain JR Perkins & The Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marine
21 (30) Rachmaninov: Symphony No.2 in E minor
Hear it on: André Previn & London Symphony Orchestra - Great Recordings of the Century - Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 2
22 (27) Beethoven: Symphony No.7 in A
Hear it on: Carlos Kleiber & Wiener Philharmoniker - Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 7
23 (39) Shostakovich: Piano Concerto No.2 in F
Hear it on: Dimitry Shostakovich, Jr., I Musici De Montreal & Maxim Shostakovich - Shostakovich: Piano Concerto No. 2 - Symphony for Strings
24 (28) Dvorak: Symphony No.9 in E minor ‘New World’
Hear it on: Swedish Chamber Orchestra & Thomas Dausgaard - Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 6 and 9
25 (19) Mozart: Requiem
Hear it on: London Symphony Orchestra & Sir Colin Davis - Mozart: Requiem (LSO Live)
26 (21) Sibelius: Finlandia
Hear it on: Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra & Neeme Jarvi - Sibelius: Finlandia, Luonnotar, Karelia Suite
27 (20) Handel: Messiah
Hear it on: Anne Sofie von Otter, English Concert, The English Concert Choir & Trevor Pinnock - Handel: Messiah
28 (26) Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana
Hear it on: Julia Varady, Luciano Pavarotti, Piero Cappuccilli & Terry Edwards - Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana
29 (37) Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue
Hear it on: Jeff Tyzik, Jon Nakamatsu & Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra - Gershwin: Piano Concerto In F, Rhapsody In Blue, Cuban Overture
30 (15) Rachmaninov: Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini
Hear it on: Lang Lang - Rachmaninov, with Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre and Valery Gergiev
31 (34) Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C minor
Hear it on: Gustavo Dudamel & Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela - Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 7
32 (46) Shore: Lord of the Rings
Hear it on: Howard Shore - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - The Complete Recordings
33 (40) Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade
Hear it on: Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert Von Karajan & Michel Schwalbé - Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade
34(14) Vivaldi: Four Seasons
Hear it on: Nigel Kennedy - Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
35 (36) Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E minor
Hear it on: Academy of St. Martin in the Fields & Nicola Benedetti - Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto
36 (279) Handel - Zadok the Priest
Hear it on: Academy of Ancient Music & Choir of New College, Oxford - Coronation
37 (29) Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.14 in C sharp minor ‘Moonlight’
Hear it on: Daniel Barenboim - Beethoven: "Moonlight", "Appassionata" & "Pathétique" Sonatas
38 (38) Fauré: Requiem
Hear it on: Harry Christophers, Elin Manahan Thomas, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields & The Sixteen - Fauré: Requiem
39 (31) Bizet: The Pearl Fishers – Duet
Hear it on: Andrea Bocelli - Aria: The Opera Album
40 (32) Bach: Double Violin Concerto in D minor
Hear it on: Hilary Hahn, Jeffrey Kahane & Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra - J.S. Bach: Violin Concertos
41 (41) Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.3
Non-mover. 1st of 4 appearances from Rachmaninov - all in the Top 50.
42 (42) Tchaikovsky Swan Lake
Non-mover. Tchaikovsky's highest-placed ballet, and his 12th entry of 13.
43(35) Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1
Down 8. 11th of Tchaikovsky's 13 entries.
44 (49) Mozart Piano Concerto No.21
18th of Mozart's 20 entries. This one climbs 5 places in 2009.
45 (48) Mahler Symphony No.5
After 3 fallers, Mahler's 4th and final entry climbs 3 places this year.
46 (64)Debussy Suite Bergamasque
Up 18. Highest ever chart position - and the highest of 2 entries for Debussy.
47 (82) Strauss Four Last Songs
Up 35. Highest ever position. Richard Strauss is a One Hit Wonder on our chart.
48 (77) Tchaikovsky Symphony No.6 (Pathétique)
Up 29. 10th of Tchaikovsky's 13 entries.
49 (43) Grieg Peer Gynt Suite No.1
Down 6. 3rd of Grieg's 4 entries this year.
50 (60) Smetana Ma Vlast
Up 10. In the Hall of Fame, Smetana is a One Hit Wonder.
51 (74) Vaughan Williams Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus
Up 13. 9th of Vaughan Williams' 11 entries. Where will last year's No.1 chart?
52 (74) Tchaikovsky Symphony No.5
Up 36. Highest ever chart position. 9th of Tchaikovsky's 13 entries.
53 (47) Mendelssohn Hebrides Overture
Down 6. 5th of Mendelssohn's 6 entries.
54 (73) Sibelius Karelia Suite
Up 19. Best ever chart position, and the 4th of 5 entries for Sibelius this year.
55 (67) Elgar Pomp and Circumstance Marches
Up 12. 9th of Elgar's 11 entries on this year's Classic FM Hall of Fame.
56 (96) Butterworth The Banks of Green Willow
Up 40. Highest ever chart position. Another Hall of Fame One Hit Wonder.
57 (33) Bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor
Down 24. 12th of Bach's 13 entries on this year's Classic FM Hall of Fame.
58 (202) Hess Ladies in Lavender
Up a massive 144 places but not 2009's highest climber. 2nd of Hess's 2 entries.
59 (45) Beethoven Violin Concerto in D
Down 14. Lowest ever chart position. 13th of Beethoven's 19 entries.
60 (118) Borodin In the Steppes of Central Asia
Up 58. Highest ever chart position, and the highest of Borodin's 3 entries.
61 (70) Beethoven Symphony No.3 ('Eroica')
Up 9. 12th of Beethoven's 19 entries - and the 1st of his symphonies to appear.
62 (62) Morricone The Mission
Non-mover. Retains its highest ever position. Another One Hit Wonder.
63 (54) Fauré Cantique de Jean Racine
Down 9, to its lowest ever chart position. 2nd of 3 entries for Fauré this year.
64 (83) Khachaturian Spartacus
Up 19. Highest of Khachaturian's 2 entries, both in their highest ever position.
