At last! A classical music chart for grown-ups

Classical music CD charts?

Listeners who lament the dumbing down of music lost interest long ago.

The charts became stuffed to the gills with over-promoted middlebrow warblers who can’t hold a candle to serious singers, sentimental renditions of popular orchestral works, and bizarre compositions by heavily-hyped no-names.

So it’s a welcome step forward to see the development of a new classical music chart, aimed at grown-ups.

Kudos Gramophone, this website’s favourite classical magazine, for starting its “Specialist Classical Chart”

Here’s the Top 10 for last week:

1.Forever Vienna
André Rieu
Decca 5323879

2.Alma Mater - Music from the Vatican
Pope Benedict XVI
Geffen 476 3664

3.The Farewell Concerts
Alfred Brendel, Vienna Philharmonic / Charles Mackerras
Decca 478 2116

4.Goodall - Enchanted Voices
Enchanted Voices
Classic FM CFMD7

5.Goodall - Enchanted Carols
Enchanted Voices
Classic FM CFMD11

6.Fantasie
Nicola Benedetti
DG 476 3399GH

7.Sacrificium
Cecilia Bartoli, Il Giardino Armonico / Giovanni Antonini
Decca 478 1521

8.Harris - Symphonies Nos 5 & 6
Bournemouth SO / Marin Alsop
Naxos 8 559609

9.Vaughan Williams - Piano Concerto
Ashley Wass, RLPO / James Judd
Naxos 8 572304

10.Jenkins - Stella Natalis
Kate Royal, Alison Balsom, Alice Halstead, Tenebrae
EMI 6886482

Well worth watching!



www.gramophone.co.uk




Gerry Smith