WQXR, New York City's only all-classical radio station, is having their annual "Classical Countdown" on the two days preceding the new year. The selections are compiled from listeners' favorites. Even if you don't live in the broadcast radius, you can still vote here for your three favorite compositions, and then listen via their web site. The deadline for voting is 5 PM EST today (December 14, 2007). Selecting three favorite pieces of music is harder than it seems. Obviously you don't want to go with the chestnuts, but you don't want to be too obscure either, or your selection won't make a difference in the final tally. Fortunately, my musical tastes are utterly conventional, so here goes: 1. Schubert's String Quintet in C Major (D. 956) Composed a few months before his death, Schubert's only string quintet is one of staples of the chamber music repertoire. Rather than add another viola to the standard string quartet, Schubert added another cello, giving the music a deep rich sound. The Read More...