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Chief Executive Emma Stenning's Top Ten Picks from the Classic FM Hall of Fame.

You love them, so we play them! The Classic FM Hall of Fame is the definitive countdown of Britain’s favourite classical music. Our Chief Executive Emma Stenning has shared her top ten picks.

Turn up to experience these incredible pieces of music for yourself! From Bach to Broadway, there's something for everyone. So why not take a break from your usual playlist and discover some new tunes today? You never know, you might just find your new favourite.

Headshot of Emma Stenning

Bach, Orchestral Suite No.3

When to watch: Tuesday 14 November 2023, 7:30pm: Bach and Schumann

There's something sultry about Bach's Air on a G String making it the perfect companion for James Bond's antics in Casino Royale.

Uematsu, FINAL FANTASY

When to watch: Sunday 2 June 2024, 3:00pm: Final Symphony II: Music from FINAL FANTASY

In an adventure that spans aeons and worlds – an unending, magical struggle between the forces of good and evil – the power of music stands undefeated. Tense, atmospheric and charged with emotion, the soundtracks are as compelling as the gameplay. Epic doesn’t cover it…

Pianist Mischa Cheung and the CBSO play Final Symphony in Birmingham's Symphony Hall.
Pianist Mischa Cheung and the CBSO play Final Symphony in Birmingham's Symphony Hall. Credit: Andrew Fox 2023

Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess

When to watch: Friday 22 March 2024, 7:30pm: Baroque to Broadway

Beethoven, Violin Concerto

When to watch: Thursday 22 February 2024, 7:30pm: Kazuki Conducts Elgar & Beethoven Part 2

A masterpiece that Elgar loved throughout his life: Beethoven’s radiant Violin Concerto.

Maria Dueñas Credit: Tam Lan Truong

Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet

When to watch: Friday 31 May 2024, 7:30pm: Best of Ballet

Puccini, Madam Butterfly

When to watch: Saturday 29 June 2024, 7:00pm: Madam Butterfly

You might recognise the Humming Chorus from Puccini's Madam Butterfly from House of Gucci, but if you listen closely you can also hear echoes of Bring Him Home from Les Miserables which was inspired by this opera.

Mendelssohn, Hebrides Overture

When to watch: Wednesday 24 – Thursday 25 January 2024: Beethoven 5

Staffa, an island in the Inner Hebrides that inspired Mendelssohn.

Mahler, Symphony No.5

When to watch: Sunday 18 February 2024, 3:00pm: Youth Orchestra: Mahler 5

A favourite of fictional conductors across cinema, Mahler's Symphony No. 5 features on the soundtrack of both Tár and Death in Venice.

Morricone, The Mission

When to watch: Friday 19 April 2024, 7:30pm: Classic FM Hall of Fame

Elgar’s Nimrod

When to watch: Wednesday 21 February 2024, 2:15pm: Kazuki Conducts Elgar & Beethoven: Part 1

Elgar’s Enigma Variations are an unforgettable musical portrait of the friends who made him the man he was, right here in the Midlands 125 years ago.