For classical music lovers only -name your top 3 favorite classics.?

Tchaikovsky is a definite shoe-in for me, but imma try to come up with others.

1. Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony: its representation of Fate is very powerful, and it is a great experience to hear the symphony go from anger to happiness.

2. Beethoven's Sixth Symphony: Of all of Beethoven's works, this one is his most lyrical and ethereal. A heavenly piece that makes one wonder how could he ever have captured such beauty in musical notes.

3. Mahler's Second Symphony: Like Tchaikovsky's Fourth, this symphony also depicts the idea of Fate, although it takes a bit longer for it to reach final resolution. The finale is simply awe-inspiring with its use of choir and is one of the best symphonic finales ever!

I have wondered the same thing. How many would answer as derisively IN PERSON? Easy to sling insults through a monitor. If the question is so exasperating, why answer??? If you want to set someone straight on what is and is not classical or correct someone on what is a song and what is a symphony, then do so POLITELY. When I first started listening to classical music several years ago, I did not know the difference between a symphony and a sonata or a concerto and an overture. I went for months with only the first movement of Beethoven's Violin Concerto. I did not know there was more to it than one movement. I simply have not had an education in classical music. One can certainly receive a harsh education in classical music from many who have had the education, but I have learned that there are a lot of educated idiots on this forum.

Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 08

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 21 "Waldstein"

Tchaikovsky-Mendelssohn: Trio Op. 50

1. Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1 (1st Movement)

2. Debussy's Prelude to the afternoon of a faun

3. Tchaikovsky's Flower Waltz - Nutcracker

Beethoven Piano Concerto No 5 "The Emperor".

Schubert Unfinished Symphony.

Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto.

Bolero is one of my favorites too - I play the flute

1.) Vivaldi - The four seasons

2.) The Flower duet - Lakme (opera) by Delibes

3.) Handel - The Messiah

I love Schumann - Three Romances

Pictures at an exhibition-Mussorsky

The Firebird Suite-Stravinsky

La Mer-Debussy

I only listen to classical piano, and have a few (VERY little..like 3) other songs that aren't piano solos. Anyways, I LOVE:

1) Rachmaninoff's Elegie Op. 3 No. 1 and a really good pianist that plays this song is konstantin scherbakov. He plays it VERY well..

2) Rachmaninoff's Prelude Op. 23 No. 5 (in gminor) and i really like the recording of Idel Biret. She plays it very well

3) Rachmaninoff's Prelude Op. 3 No. 2 (in c# minor)

4) Billy Joel's Fantasies & Delusions.

obviously I'm a sucker for Rachmaninoff..

That is a very difficult question to answer. Every piece of music is different, different periods, different attributes, so it is very hard to choose specific favourites.

I'll list my favourites from each period of classical music:

Medieval (1000-1490):

Sederunt principes - Anonymous

O frondens virga - Hildegard of Bingen

Joie, Plaisence - Guillame de Machaut

Renaissance (1450-1650):

William Byrd - The Battell

William Byrd - Will yow walke the woodes soe wylde?

William Byrd - All in a gardyne grine

(sneaky one: William Byrd - La volta No.1)

Baroque (1620-1760):

Vivaldi - Il cimento d'ell armonia e d'ell inventione 1-4 'Le quattro staggioni'

Purcell - Funeral Sentences for Queen Mary

Bach - Musette from Der notenbuchlein fur Anna Magdalena

(sneaky one: Handel - Sarabande from Harsichord Suite in F minor)

Classical (1730-1825):

Beethoven - Rondo 'Rage Over a Lost Penny'

Mozart - Adagio and Rondo for Glass Armonica

Schubert - Serenade (Standchen)

(sneaky one: Rossini - Largo al factotum)

Romantic (1815-1910:

Liszt - Dante Symphony

Chopin - Any of the Nocturnes

Grieg - Piano Concerto in A minor

(sneaky one: Tchaikovsky - Andante cantabile)

Impressionist (1880-1920):

Debussy - Trois nocturnes pour orchestre

Satie - Gnossienne No.1

Ravel - Pavane pour une Infante Defunte

(sneaky one: Satie - Je te veux, valse pour le piano)

20th Century (1901-2000):

Vaughan Williams - Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis

Vaughan Williams - Serenade to Music

Rodrigo - Concierto de Aranjuez, para une guitare

(sneaky one: Rachmaninov - Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini)

(Another sneaky one: Barber - Knoxville, Summer of 1915)

21st Century (2001-Present):

Nyman - Harpsichord Concerto

Jenkins - The Armed Man

Jenkins - Adiemus V: Vocalise

(sneaky one: Mitchell - Seven Wonders Suite: Mausoleum at Halicarnassus)

Hope this gives you an idea of the best from each period of music :-)

1.Zadok The Priest by George Frideric Handel

2.The Ride of The Valkyries by Richard Wagner.

3.The Pearl Fishers Duet by Georges Bizet