Charting Pre-19th Century Music

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Is it possible to compile and rank music that was composed prior to the 19th century? Given that recording technology did not exist until the 1880s, and the first music charts did not appear until the 1930s? If we count the number of times a piece of music has been recorded, or appears in hymnbooks, or has received votes in a poll, then, yes, the early music can be compiled and ranked. The most dominant pre-19th century composers are Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johann Sebastian Bach, who appear 76 and 75 times in this book's compilations, respectively, followed by Franz Joseph Haydn, at 47. All three were Classical composers from Austria and Germany. Also with ten or more appearances are Germany's (and later England's) George Frideric Handel, Italy's Domenico Scarlatti and Antonio Vivaldi, and English hymnodists Isaac Watts and Charles Wesley. While we cherish the music of these composers, our highest-ranked pre-1800 compositions, to which we still listen, are Mozart's "Clarinet Concerto, " Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons, " Johann Pachelbel's "Canon & Gigue in D, " Thomas Tallis' "Spem in Alium, " Guillaume de Machaut's "Messe di Nostre Dame, " "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name" among hymns, and "Adeste Fideles" among Christmas carols. The best-preserved and structured pre-19th century music is almost wholly western European, but a discussion of music from "the rest of the world" is provided in the Foreword. The discussion includes composers and music from Armenia, India, Korea, Peru and other lands, plus national anthems that are no longer in use. As for female composers, the 12th century's Hildegard von Bingen may be the greatest ever. Women are otherwise only minimally represented in pre-19th century music. To compensate, at least one female composer is discussed in association with each compilation. To learn more, get the book, and look inside...