Rank |
Composer |
Work |
Date |
1 |
Handel |
Messiah |
1741 |
2 |
Vivaldi |
The Four Seasons |
1725 |
3 |
Allegri |
Miserere |
1630s |
4 |
Handel |
Water Music |
1717 |
5 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
St Matthew Passion, BWV 244 |
1727 |
6 |
Pachelbel |
Canon and Gigue in D |
1680 |
7 |
Purcell |
Dido and Aeneas |
1688 |
8 |
Handel |
Four Coronation Anthems (includes "Zadok the Priest") |
1727 |
9 |
Handel |
Music for the Royal Fireworks |
1749 |
10 |
Tallis |
Spem in alium |
c. 1570 |
11 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Concerto for 2 Violins in D minor, BWV 1043 |
1723 |
12 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 |
1741 |
13 |
Vivaldi |
Gloria, RV 589 |
c. 1715 |
14 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Suite for Solo Cello No. 1, BWV 1007 |
early 18th century |
15 |
Pergolesi |
Stabat Mater |
1736 |
16 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, BWV 1048 |
1721 |
17 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147 (Includes Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring)
|
1723 |
18 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Mass in B minor |
1749 |
19 |
Corelli |
Twelve concerti grossi, Op. 6 (includes No. 8, Christmas Concerto) |
1714 |
20 |
Monteverdi |
Vespers of the Blessed Virgin |
1610 |
21 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 |
early 18th century |
22 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, BWV 1050 |
1721 |
23 |
Handel |
Solomon |
1748 |
24 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Brandenburg Concerto No. 1, BWV 1046 |
1721 |
25 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
The Well-Tempered Clavier |
1722, 1742 |
26 |
Anonymous |
Greensleeves |
16th century |
27 |
Purcell |
Come Ye Sons of Art |
1694 |
28 |
Handel |
Serse |
1738 |
29 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Brandenburg concerto No. 4, BWV 1049 |
1721 |
30 |
Dowland |
Lute songs |
1597–1612 |
31 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248 |
1734 |
32 |
Handel |
Rinaldo |
1711 |
33 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
St John Passion, BWV 245 |
1724 |
34 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Brandenburg concerto No. 2, BWV 1047 |
1721 |
35 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Brandenburg concerto No. 6, BWV 1051 |
1721 |
36 |
Clarke |
Prince of Denmark's March |
c. 1700 |
37 |
Vivaldi |
Concerto for 2 Mandolins in G Major, RV 532 |
18th century |
38 |
Handel |
Giulio Cesare |
1724 |
39 |
Monteverdi |
L'incoronazione di Poppea |
1642 |
40 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 140 |
1731 |
41 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd, BWV 208 |
1713 |
42 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068 |
1730 |
43 |
Monteverdi |
L'Orfeo |
1607 |
44 |
Handel |
Dixit Dominus |
1707 |
45 |
Anonymous |
O come, O come, Emmanuel |
8th century |
46 |
Marais |
Pièces de viole (includes "The Bells of St. Genevieve") |
1723 |
47 |
Albinoni |
Concerto for Oboe in D minor, Op. 9 No. 2 |
1722 |
48 |
Handel |
Semele |
1743 |
49 |
Purcell, Henry |
Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary |
1695 |
50 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Magnificat, BWV 243 |
1723, 1733 |
51 |
Anonymous |
Coventry Carol |
16th century |
52 |
Byrd |
Ave verum corpus |
1605 |
53 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Jesu, der du meine Seele, BWV 78 |
1724 |
54 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Partita for Violin No. 2, BWV 1004 |
early 18th century |
55 |
Hildegard of Bingen |
Chants for the Feast of St. Ursula |
12th century |
56 |
Purcell |
The Fairy Queen |
1692 |
57 |
Charpentier |
Te Deum |
1692 |
58 |
Hildegard of Bingen |
Kyrie eleison |
12th century |
59 |
Praetorius, Michael |
Terpsichore |
1612 |
60 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Ich habe genug, BWV 82 |
1727 |
61 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
The Art of Fugue |
1750 |
62 |
Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel |
Magnificat, Wq215 |
1749 |
63 |
Monteverdi |
Magnificat Primo |
c. 17th century |
64 |
Palestrina |
Missa Papae Marcelli |
c. 1562 |
65 |
Purcell, Henry |
Trumpet Tune and Air |
late 17th century |
66 |
Handel |
Judas Maccabaeus (includes "See, the Conqu’ring Hero Comes!") |
1746 |
67 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian (actually Stölzel) |
Bist du bei mir (Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach) |
c. 1718 |
68 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Cello Suite No. 3, BWV 1009 |
early 18th century |
69 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Toccata and Fugue in D minor ("Dorian"), BWV 538 |
early 18th century |
70 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Concerto for Violin in A minor, BWV 1041 |
early 18th century |
71 |
Telemann |
Concerto for Trumpet In D |
18th century |
72 |
Handel |
Concerti grossi, Op. 6 |
1739 |
73 |
Handel |
Harpsichord Suite in E, HWV 430 (includes The Harmonious Blacksmith) |
1720 |
74 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Cello Suite No. 6, BWV 1012 |
early 18th century |
75 |
Corelli |
12 Sonatas, Op 5 (includes No 12, "La Folia") |
1700 |
76 |
Telemann |
Tafelmusik |
1733 |
77 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Cello Suite No. 2, BWV 1008 |
early 18th century |
78 |
Vivaldi |
Concerto for Lute or Mandolin in D Major RV 93 |
18th century |
79 |
Palestrina |
Stabat Mater in 8 parts |
16th century |
80 |
Byrd |
Mass for Four Voices |
1593–1594 |
81 |
Rameau |
Les Indes galantes |
1735 |
82 |
Handel |
Alcina |
1735 |
83 |
Vivaldi |
Stabat Mater, RV 621 |
1727 |
84 |
Purcell |
Rejoice in the Lord alway[3] |
late 17th century |
85 |
Vivaldi |
Concerto for two trumpets in C, RV 537 |
early 18th century |
86 |
Monteverdi |
Eight Books of Madrigals |
1587–1638 |
87 |
Handel |
Ode for St. Cecilia's Day |
1739 |
88 |
Tartini |
Devil's Trill Sonata |
early 18th century |
89 |
Lully |
Le Bourgeois gentilhomme |
1670 |
90 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582 |
early 18th century |
91 |
Vivaldi |
Dixit Dominus, RV 594 |
early 18th century |
92 |
Couperin, François |
Pièces de Clavecin, book 2 |
1717 |
93 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Concerto for Violin in E major, BWV 1042 |
early 18th century |
94 |
Byrd |
Mass for Five Voices |
1594–1595 |
95 |
Albinoni |
Concerto for Oboe in B-flat, Op. 9 No. 11 |
1722 |
96 |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
Partitas for keyboard, BWV 825–830 |
1731 |
97 |
Anonymous |
Llibre Vermell de Montserrat |
14th century |
98 |
Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber |
Rosary Sonatas (including Passacaglia) |
late 17th century |
99 |
Albinoni |
Concerto for Two Oboes in G, Op. 9 No. 6 |
1722 |
100 |
Anonymous |
Sumer is icumen in |
mid 13th century |