WRR Classical Countdown 2025 results


You voted for your favorites and we counted them back! Here are WRR listeners’ favorite pieces of classical music for 2025.

1          Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 ‘Choral’

2          Bach, JS: Brandenburg Concertos

3          Dvorak: Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 ‘From the New World’

4          Barber: Adagio for Strings, Op. 11

5          Handel: Messiah

6          Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue

7          Albinoni: Adagio for Strings and Organ in G minor

8          Holst: The Planets, Op. 32

9          Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92

10        Copland: Appalachian Spring

11        Debussy: Clair de lune

12        Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67

13        Vivaldi: The Four Seasons

14        Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 73 ‘Emperor’

15        Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture, Op. 49

16        Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18

17        Bach, JS: Jesu, joy of man’s desiring

18        Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade, Op. 35

19        Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending

20        Elgar: Enigma Variations, Op. 36

21        Bach, JS: Toccata & Fugue in D minor, BWV565

22        Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 ‘Pathetique’

23        Mozart: Requiem in D minor, K626

24        Saint-Saens: Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78 ‘Organ Symphony’

25        Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition

26        Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 ‘Pastoral’

27        Pachelbel: Canon

28        Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30

29        Beethoven: Für Elise

30        Mahler: Symphony No. 2 ‘Resurrection’

31        Smetana: The Moldau

32        Bach, JS: Chromatic Fantasia & Fugue in D minor, BWV903

33        Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27 No. 2 ‘Moonlight’

34        Bach, JS: Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV1043

35        Brahms: A German Requiem (Ein Deutsches Requiem), Op. 45

36        Mozart: Eine kleine Nachtmusik (A Little Night Music), K525

37        Chopin: Nocturne No. 2 in E flat major, Op. 9 No. 2

38        Ravel: Boléro

39        Allegri: Miserere

40        Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43

41        Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36

42        Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis

43        Bach, JS: Goldberg Variations, BWV988

44        Orff: Carmina Burana

45        Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring

46        Mendelssohn, Felix: Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64

47        Rossini: William Tell Overture

48        Satie: Gymnopédie No. 1

49        Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98

50        Mozart: Clarinet Concerto in A major, K622

51        Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez

52        Mendelssohn, Felix: Hebrides Overture, Op. 26

53        Mahler: Symphony No. 5

54        Bizet: ‘Habanera’ (from Carmen)

55        Copland: Fanfare for the Common Man

56        Faure: Requiem

57        Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64 – excerpts

58        Beethoven: Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61

59        Massenet: Meditation (from Thaïs)

60        Bach, JS: Partita for solo violin No. 2 in D minor, BWV1004: Chaconne

61        Dvorak: Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104

62        Stravinsky: The Firebird

63        Bach, JS: Passacaglia & Fugue in C minor, BWV582

64        Handel: Royal Fireworks Music

65        Respighi: The Pines of Rome

66        Grieg: Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46

67        Borodin: In the Steppes of Central Asia

68        Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58

69        Debussy: Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun

70        Strauss, Johann II: Blue Danube Waltz (An der schönen, blauen Donau), Op. 314

71        Puccini: Nessun dorma (from Turandot)

72        Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor, Op. 23

73        Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 55 ‘Eroica’

74        Sibelius: Finlandia, Op. 26

75        Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35

76        Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K466

77        Brahms: Variations on a theme by Haydn for orchestra, Op. 56a ‘St Anthony Variations’

78        Beethoven: Egmont Overture, Op. 84

79        Chopin: Nocturne No. 20 in C sharp minor, Op. post.

80        Gershwin: Summertime (from Porgy and Bess)

81        Bartok: Romanian Folk Dances

82        Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47

83        Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73

84        Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major, Op. 26

85        Mozart: Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K550

86        Ravel: Pavane for a Dead Princess (Pavane pour une infante défunte )

87        Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14

88        Beethoven: Leonore Overture No. 3, Op. 72b

89        Puccini: O mio babbino caro (from Gianni Schicchi)

90        Puccini: Un bel di vedremo (from Madama Butterfly)

91        Saint-Saens: Danse macabre, Op. 40

92        Verdi: La Traviata

93        Wagner: Die Walküre: Ride of the Valkyries

94        Wagner: Tannhauser Overture (WRITE-IN)

95        Chopin: Fantaisie-Impromptu in C sharp minor, Op. 66

96        Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro: Overture

97        Mendelssohn, Felix: Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56 ‘Scottish’

98        Chopin: Heroic Polonaise A flat major, Op. 53

99        Schubert: Ave Maria, D839

100      Verdi: Requiem

101      Prokofiev: Symphony No. 1 in D major, Op. 25 ‘Classical’

102      Schumann, Robert: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54

103      Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 83

104      Bach, JS: Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV1068: Air (‘Air on a G String’)

105      Mozart: Symphony No. 41 in C major, K551 ‘Jupiter’

106      Debussy: La Mer

107      Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15

108      Strauss, Johann II: Emperor Waltz (Kaiser-Walzer), Op. 437

109      Mahler: Symphony No. 1 in D major ‘Titan’

110      Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15

111      Mozart: Ave verum corpus, K618

112      Brahms: Lullaby (Wiegenlied)

113      Mendelssohn, Felix: Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 ‘Italian’

114      Mahler: Symphony No. 4

115      Mussorgsky: A Night on the Bare Mountain

116      Bach, JS: Toccata, Adagio & Fugue in C major, BWV564

117      Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16

118      Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Greensleeves

119      Gershwin: An American in Paris

120      Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 25 in C major, K503

121      Handel: Zadok the Priest

122      Bach, JS: Wachet auf (Sleepers Awake)

123      Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra, BB 123, Sz.116

124      Schubert: Piano Quintet in A major, D667 ‘The Trout’

125      Rachmaninoff: Vocalise, Op. 34 No. 14

126      Gounod: Ave Maria

127      Saint-Saens: The Swan (from Carnival of the Animals)

128      Chopin: Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23

129      Schubert: Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D759 ‘Unfinished’

130      Liszt: Liebestraum, S541 No. 3

131      Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64

132      Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11

133      Brahms: Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90

134      Franck: Violin Sonata in A major

135      Schumann, Robert: Träumerei (Dreaming)

136      Strauss, R: Don Juan, Op. 20

137      Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 ‘Pathétique’

138      Debussy: The Girl with the Flaxen Hair (La fille aux cheveux de lin)

139      Faure: Pavane, Op. 50

140      Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 in Eb Major ‘Romantic’

141      Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5: Aria (Cantilena)

142      Bach, JS: Keyboard Concerto No. 1 in D minor, BWV1052

143      Satie: Gymnopédie No. 3

144      Brahms: Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80

145      Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg: Overture

146      Granados: Danza española, Op. 37 No. 5 ‘Andaluza’

147      Morricone: The Mission (Gabriel’s Oboe) (WRITE-IN)

148      Mendelssohn, Felix: Overture to “Midsummer Night’s Dream” (WRITE-IN)

149      Handel: Water Music  (WRITE-IN)

150      Grofe: Grand Canyon Suite (WRITE-IN)

151      Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57 ‘Appassionata’

152      Rimsky-Korsakov: Flight of the Bumblebee

153      Chopin: Barcarolle in F sharp major, Op. 60

154      Tchaikovsky: Romeo & Juliet – Fantasy Overture

155      Brahms: Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68

156      Liszt: Piano Sonata in B minor

157      Elgar: Salut d’amour, Op. 12

158      Strauss, Johann I: Radetzky March, Op. 228

159      Chopin: Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35 ‘Funeral March’

160      Piazzolla: Oblivion

161      Franck: Panis Angelicus

162      Schubert: Symphony No. 9 in C major, D944 ‘The Great’

163      Ravel: Valses nobles et sentimentales

164      Debussy: Rêverie

165      Chopin: Waltz No. 7 in C sharp minor, Op. 64 No. 2

166      Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47

167      Strauss, R: Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks, Op. 28

168      Piazzolla: Libertango

169      Puccini: Vissi d’arte (from Tosca) (WRITE-IN)

170      Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53 ‘Waldstein’

171      Bach, JS: Italian Concerto, BWV971

172      Strauss, R: Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30

173      Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 43

174      Schubert: Wanderer Fantasy

175      Schubert: Winterreise

176      Debussy: Beau Soir (WRITE-IN)

177      Tchaikovsky Capriccio Italien (WRITE-IN)

178      Handel: Arrival of the Queen of Sheba

179      Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody #2 (WRITE-IN)

180      Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major (WRITE-IN)

181      Rossini: Barber of Seville Overture

182      Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major, K331 ‘Alla Turca’

183      Bach: “Little” Fugue in g minor  (WRITE-IN)

184      Ravel:  Daphnis & chloe (WRITE-IN)

185      Haydn: Symphony No. 94 in G Major ‘Surprise’

186      Haydn: Cello Concerto No. 1 in C major

187      Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 14 in C Minor, K, 457 (WRITE-IN)

188      Debussy: La Cathédrale Engloutie (WRITE-IN)

189      Brahms: Clarinet Quintet (WRITE-IN)

190      Beethoven: Der Grosse Fuga Op 133 (WRITE-IN)

191      Verdi: Va, pensiero (Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves (from Nabucco)

192      Rachmaninoff: Prelude in C sharp minor, Op. 3 No. 2

193      Albeniz: Suite Espanola No 1 Op 47 Asturias Leyenda (WRITE-IN) 194      Corelli – La Folia  (WRITE-IN)