Classic FM Hall of Fame

Every year over the Easter period Classic FM broadcast the top 300 classical works as selected by listeners to the channel. Participants have to send in their own top three selections and it is from these that the top 300 list is compiled. It makes for a wonderful four days of listening.

But how do you decide on your own three favourites from the thousands of available recordings? There are those works that always appear in the top 10, indeed those that always appear in the top 5. Like Rachmaninov's 2nd Piano Concerto and Ralph Vaughan Williams' The Lark Ascending. These two works are certainly amongst my favourites. But then so are Frederick Delius' The Walk to the Paradise Garden, Edward Elgar's Sospiri for Strings, Harp and Organ, Robert Schumann's 2nd Symphony, George Butterworth's A Shropshire Lad, Chopin's 2nd Piano Concerto, Rachmaninov's 2nd Symphony, Wagner's Siegfried Idyll and more recently as an introduction from my brother, Ivor Gurney's A Gloucestershire Rhapsody. I could go on. But which three to choose to submit to Classic FM? Maybe I should consider The Theme from Out of Africa or John Dunbar's Theme from Dances with Wolves or the heartbreakingly beautiful Theme from Schindler's List.

Which works would you choose? Whatever you like you would certainly enjoy the four days over Easter, listening to Classic FM. That is, if you like classical music of course.

Now, back to my deliberations......

Classic fM Hall of Fame 2014

Like 1000s of other classical music lovers I tuned in to Classic fM over the Easter weekend and enjoyed four days of people's favourite classical pieces as voted for by the public. The list of 300 pieces is eclectic and encompasses such composers as Holst, Vaughan Williams, Einaudi, Beethoven and Grieg. The scope of this annual event is unsurpassed by any other musical chart and I enjoy participating every year.

And so it was with a great deal of delight that I purchased today the 4CD set containing 42 tracks selected from the original 300, at Sainsbury's, for a bargain £7.99 (around $13.00). The recorded quality is superb and the pieces that came first and second are included:

1. The Lark Ascending by Vaughan Williams here played by Nicola Benedetti and the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Andrew Litton
2. Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.2, 2nd Movement, with Vladimir Ashkenazy on pf, and the London Symphony Orchestra under André Previn

Whilst I have most of the composed extracts as full recordings on other CDs and mp3s this collection is a sheer delight to listen to. I recommend this collection without hesitation to all music lovers. CFMD34 on the DECCA label.

Days Like This

Perfect. Sat in my garden enjoying wall-to-wall blue sky, sunshine, 25℃ and a chilled glass of Chardonnay & Fernão Pires from Portugal. A good book lies open on the garden table, the Benedictus from The Armed Man by Karl Jenkins plays on the radio (Classic FM), Goldfinches are singing - their song a mix of trills and harsh notes, bumblebees are showing interest in the aquilegia flowers and a small Holly Blue butterfly drifts through the garden.

Moments to cherish.

Priceless....