Greatest Composers of All Time

Thanks. Classical is about all I listen to. I do on occasion listen to female jazz vocals. I might also add that I am a classical pianist and play mostly Chopin and Beethoven.

I also enjoy listening to Radio Swiss Classic.

I don't doubt that this will be of interest, in the sense of inciting a riot. Haydn
below Rachmaninov, Liszt and Schumann above Brahms and Mahler?
Shostakovich, Bruckner and Dvorak completely absent? Oh my!

Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Mahler, Haydn in that order. The next tier, in no
particular order, Brahms, Wagner, Shostakovich, Schubert, and Schutz. The
next tier, also in no particular order, Tchaikovsky, Bruckner, Dvorak, and
Chopin. For the final spot, I'd go with Sibelius over Schumann.

Czbbl, I also like Radio Swiss Classic. They are on the same page as me with
respect to there preferences for performance of a given work. Its almost like
they are playing from my own library, but I've also found much new and to my
liking. Plus, I get a little practice on my woefully inadequate German.

Wow I speak some German as well so I like listening to the German version which keeps my ear tuned to the language and it's cadence.

Anthony Tommasini, music critic of the New York Times did a comprehensive series a few years back with plenty of feedback from his readers. A bit different result, his list

10 - Bartok
9 - Wagner
8- Verdi
7 - Brahams
6 - Stravinsky
5 - Debussey
4 - Schubert
3 - Mozart
2 - Beethoven
1 - Bach

I couldn't argue with the top 5 being on any top 10 list but there could be sufficient debate over 6-10. Below the top 3 it shouldn't be "greatest" but "favorite".

I'm a big Rachmaninov and Chopin fan but I've NEVER seen either in a top 10 list of greatest. Chopin is special in his unique genuis with solo piano music. Neither wrote in a variety of different genres, limiting their relevance in the grand scheme of things.

Tubegroover, Astute comment regarding Chopin. It was for exactly that reason that I excluded Verdi (although not Wagner) from my list. I don't see Debussey in the top 5 or Bartok in the top 10, and with Schubert, he just died too young. His late chamber works and the Lieder, as well as some of his piano sonatas are of the highest quality. I could easily agree to Stravinsky being on the list, but that is objectively questionable in view of who you would need to move off. I could, based on personal preference, argue for R. Strauss. But his own judgement, I am a first rate second class composer" should stand.