Welcome to the Spirit of 76 Countdown!
The Countdown is happening over five days, April 24-26 and April 29-30. Each day, the Countdown will begin at 8:15 a.m. and end at approximately 5:45 p.m. We'll be pausing the Countdown over the weekend, on April 27 and 28 — but be sure to tune in for a special edition of Sunday Classical hosted by Dave Tarantino from 3-6 p.m. on April 28, which includes "near misses," an amazing group of pieces that were only a few votes shy of making the top 76.
This page will be updated with the Spirit of 76 Countdown entries as they play. More information about the pieces, performers and recordings can be found on WRTI's classical playlist page.
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Special programming like the "Spirit of 76 Countdown" and our simultaneous "All-Philly Jazz Tribute", is only possible through the generous support of WRTI listeners and members. Make your contribution to WRTI and become a Member now. (You can also contribute over the phone, at 866-809-9784.)
WRTI Spirit of 76 Countdown Results
(This list will be updated as each piece is played on the air. Keep checking back, and keep listening, to see what YOU chose as the top 76 pieces of classical music.)
76. Bach: Cello Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007
75. Puccini: Nessun Dorma from Turandot
74. Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks, HWV 351
73. Debussy: Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun)
72. Copland: Fanfare for the Common Man
71. Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez
70. Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64
69. Ravel: Pavane pour une infante défunte (Pavane for a Dead Princess)
68. Dvořák: Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104
67. Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro, K. 492
66. Bach: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring ("Jesus bleibet meine Freude"), BWV 147
65. Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35
64. Respighi: Pines of Rome
63. Delibes: Dome epais, le jasmin (Flower Duet) from Lakme
62. Schubert: Piano Quintet in A major, D. 667, "Trout"
61. Bach: Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043
60. Bernstein: West Side Story
59. Satie: Three Gymnopedies
58. Mahler: Symphony No. 2 in C minor, "Resurrection"
57. Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23
56. Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring
55. Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988
54. Pachelbel: Canon in D
53. Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K. 467
52. Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture, Op. 49
51. Handel: Water Music
50. Bizet: Au fond du temple saint from The Pearl Fishers
49. Stravinsky: The Firebird
48. Jenkins: Benedictus from The Armed Man
47. Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker, Op. 71
46. Mozart: Serenade No. 13 in G major, K. 525, "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik"
45. Copland: Rodeo
44. Grieg: Peer Gynt, Op. 23
43. Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43
42. Bach: St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244
41. Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98
40. Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16
39. Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27
38. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 2, "Moonlight"
37. Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 43
36. Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64
35. Mahler: Symphony No. 1 in D major, "Titan"
34. Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition
33. Verdi: Requiem
32. Sibelius: Finlandia, Op. 26
31. Mahler: Symphony No. 5 in C-sharp minor
30. Elgar: Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 (Enigma Variations)
29. Fauré: Requiem in D minor, Op. 48
28. Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 55, "Eroica"
27. Bach: Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565
26. Wagner: The Ring Cycle
25. Debussy: Clair de Lune (from Suite Bergamasque)
24. Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73, "Emperor"
23. Ravel: Bolero
22. Bach: Mass in B minor, BWV 232
21. Orff: Carmina Burana
20. Mozart: Requiem in D minor, K. 626
19. Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending
18. Handel: Messiah, HWV 56
17. Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78, "Organ"
16. Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
15. Brahms: A German Requiem, Op. 45
14. Smetana: The Moldau (from Ma Vlast)
13. Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade, Op. 35
12. Bach: Brandenburg Concertos
11. Holst: The Planets, Op. 32
10. Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, "Pastoral"
9. Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18
8. Barber: Adagio for Strings
7. Vivaldi: The Four Seasons (Le quattro stagioni)
6. Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue
5. Copland: Appalachian Spring
4. Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67
3. Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92
2. Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95, "From the New World"
1. Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125