Greatest Composers of All Time

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.

And why I devote most of my time to playing Chopin; Simply a genius.

I'm glad this thread was initiated.My knowledge base is deeply rooted in jazz, but I'm beginning to include Classical music in the last year or so. Bach's music immediately caught my ear, hope this means I'm headed in the right direction. Just love Rostropovich's cello playing Bach.I want to learn more from following this thread.
Regards,

These discussions are always fun, even though they are quite silly, really. The inclusion of Liszt is absurd for me. I agree with many here who think Stravinsky should be on the list. Another glaring omission, except from Tommassini's list, is Bela Bartok, who is easily in the top fifteen based on sheer compositional craft alone. It would be difficult to find a list of the best pieces of music ever written that did not include his Concerto for Orchestra. Another interesting omission, though much more debatable, is Richard Strauss - again, for me, probably deserving mention on sheer craft alone, though even he once famously referred to himself as "the greatest second-rate composer," which is one of my favorite composer quotes ever.