Denis Fodor writes: >Steve then spins into a listing of "top fifty," a roster which looks >kosher enough except, notably, for its lack of even a single Italian >composer(but the inclusion of Copland). Are Rossini, Verdi, and >Puccini mere chopped fegato? Only Rossini is chopped fegato. Actually, I would think that the RC would have the following works from these three composers: Rossini - Barber of Seville and William Tell Overture. Verdi - Aida, Requiem, La Traviata, Rigoletto, and String Quartet in e. Puccini - La Boheme, Madama Butterfly, and Tosca. This RC would have these Bach works: Musical Offering Sonatas for Violin & Harpsichord Art of Fugue English Suites French Suites Partitas for Keyboard Goldberg Variations Well Tempered Clavier Chromatic Fantasia & Fugue Brandenburg Concertos Orchestral Suites Cantata cycle Mass in B minor St. Matthew Passion Magnificat Christmas Oratorio Most of the keyboard and violin concerti Inventions/Sinfonias Sonatas & Partitas for Solo Violin Solo Cello Suites Trio Sonatas for Organ Great Organ Mass Leipzig Chorales Many of Bach's Toccatas & Fugues and Preludes & Fugues for organ I am willing to cut down a little on the Bach offerings, but only the Inventions/Sinfonias and some judicious selections among the Cantatas. I don't believe that Steve's list contained any organ works by Buxtehude or Bruhns - each wrote some wonderful stuff which the RC folks never pay attention to. All in all, I thought Steve's list was quite comprehensive - each work is routinely considered great by many enthusiasts and each is well known. Well, I asked for a detailed list, Steve gave it, and Denis is criticizing it. I doubt that any two persons on Earth would agree on the exact content of an RC list which is why I question its validity. Agreement could be reached on the most popular works and composers based on concert engagements and recordings sold, but there would be enough 'wrinkles' on that assignment which would likely result in less than unanimous agreement. Don Satz [log in to unmask]