The 2025 Survey of Classical Music on R3

[Suffolkcoastal]

Here’s my 2024 Survey of Classical Music on Radio 3 (aka CFM2), the 17th I’ve undertaken. 2025 was yet another very depressing year for me personally & to see R3's seeming continuous attempts to copy CFM doubly depressing.
The percentage of full & larger scale works broadcast continues at abysmal levels. Though the total number of complete symphonies broadcast for once is up from 2024 dismal number.

As in previous years the narrowing of the variety of works by certain individual composers continues, for example most of the 27 pieces of Kabalevsky played is the Colas Breugnon Overture, of Holst's 229 pieces, half consist purely of The Planets & St Pauls Suite. Many pieces/chunks are getting played ever more often, my 'warhorse' list again shows that certain works are being vastly over played. Is there really a need for 60+ Holberg Suite, 50+ Prelude de l'apres midi d'un faune, 50+ Peter Grimes Sea Interludes, 40+ Hebrides Overture??

Certain composers ow getting unduly favoured, whilst others languish, virtually forgotten. The Bliss anniversary was exceptionally poor & if you take out the number of Things to Come from his total, it would look even worse. Messiaen failed to reach 50 pieces/chunks for the 1st time since I began my surveys, Martinu, Suk & Szymanowski were also short of the 50 mark.

As usual, a list of all composers with 50 or more pieces/chunks broadcast is in the thread below. A composer in bold indicates the highest number of pieces/chunks by that composer since I began my survey in 2009, a composer in Italics is the lowest so far. The now majority play list format programmes again resulted in even more composers having record numbers of bits & pieces broadcast since 2009. If there are any composers who did not reach the 50 threshold, that you would like to know the figures for, then, as usual please let me know & I can provide them.

The Symphony figures will follow tomorrow.

Position	Composer	Number
1	BACH J S	1863
2	MOZART W A	1582
3	BEETHOVEN	1166
4	SCHUBERT	1067
5	BRAHMS	902
6	HAYDN F J	841
7	HANDEL	776
8	CHOPIN	723
9	DEBUSSY	707
10	RAVEL	700
11	TCHAIKOVSKY P I	671
12	DVORAK	663
13	VIVALDI	589
14	MENDELSSOHN FELIX	582
15	SCHUMANN R	533
16	ELGAR	470
17	RACHMANINOV	454
18	SIBELIUS	444
19	VAUGHAN WILLIAMS	441
20	GRIEG	412
21	SAINT-SAENS	401
22	BRITTEN	372
23	SHOSTAKOVICH	358
24	LISZT	356
25	PURCELL H	329
26	PROKOFIEV S	316
27	STRAUSS R	311
28	FAURE	307
29	TELEMANN	294
30	MAHLER G	259
31	WAGNER R	256
32	STRAUSS J II	246
33	COLERIDGE-TAYLOR S	245
34	GERSHWIN	232
35	HOLST G	229
35	SCARLATTI D	229
36	STRAVINSKY	228
37	VERDI	226
38	POULENC	213
39	PART	211
39	SCHUMANN C	211
40	PRICE FLORENCE	200
41	BERLIOZ	196
42	PALESTRINA	189
43	MENDELSSOHN FANNY	181
44	PUCCINI	179
45	ROSSINI	178
46	SATIE	177
47	BIZET	173
47	RAMEAU	173
48	DELIUS	171
49	WALTON W	159
50	BERNSTEIN L	156
51	BYRD	153
52	BRUCH	148
53	JANACEK	146
54	BEACH	144
55	BARTOK	143
55	WILLIAMS JOHN	143
56	RESPIGHI	142
57	CHAMINADE	141
58	MONTEVERDI	140
59	NIELSEN C	137
60	BACH C P E	136
61	GLASS P	133
62	RUTTER JOHN	132
63	WEBER C M VON	131
64	BRUCKNER	130
64	GRAINGER P	130
65	KORNGOLD	128
66	BONIS M	126
67	FARRENC L	125
68	SMETANA	122
69	RIMSKY KORSAKOV	121
70	GIPPS	119
71	FINZI	115
72	ARNOLD M	114
72	GLAZUNOV	114
73	COPLAND	113
74	BINGEN HILDEGARD OF	112
75	STILL W G	106
76	RICHTER M	104
77	RODRIGO	103
78	FRANCK C	102
79	FALLA	101
80	CORELLI	99
81	MACMILLAN J	97
82	PIAZZOLLA	96
82	SHAW CAROLINE	96
83	GIBBONS O	94
84	BORODIN	93
84	SAINT-GEORGES	93
84	SULLIVAN	93
85	DOWLAND	92
85	WILLIAMS GRACE	92
86	KREISLER F	91
86	TALLIS	91
87	SMYTH	89
88	MUSSORGSKY	84
89	ALBENIZ	83
89	BARBER S	83
90	KODALY	82
91	JACQUET DE LA GUERRE	81
91	STROZZI B	81
92	GOUNOD	79
92	KHACHATURIAN	79
93	CHABRIER	78
94	BOULANGER L	77
95	BRIDGE FRANK	76
95	COATES E	76
95	SCRIABIN	76
96	PEJACEVIC	75
97	BOCCHERINI	74
97	DELIBES	74
98	WHITACRE E	73
99	BACEWICZ	72
99	PAGANINI	72
99	TAILLEFERRE	72
100	VILLA LOBOS	71
100	WALLEN E	71
101	BIBER	69
101	SCHOENBERG	69
102	IRELAND J	68
103	PARRY H	67
104	HOWELLS	66
105	ADAMS J	65
105	COUPERIN F	65
106	KATS-CHERNIN	64
106	REICH	64
107	ANDREE	63
108	ALFVEN	61
108	BUTTERWORTH G	61
108	FIELD	61
108	HOLST I	61
108	LULLY	61
109	HAHN R	59
109	STANFORD	59
110	LASSUS	58
111	BERIO L	56
112	HAYDN M	55
113	GLUCK	54
113	HUMMEL J N	54
113	TABAKOVA	54
114	JENKINS K	53
114	MCDOWELL CELIA	53
114	SCARLATTI A	53
115	GABRIELI G	52
115	MARAIS	52
115	OFFENBACH	52
116	BLISS A	51

[LMcD]

Thank you - that's some undertaking! Bach's total almost certainly boosted by Breakfast's 'Bach Before 7'.

[Ian Thumwood]

No Messaien or Syzmanowski. Scriabin at 96 and Villa Lobos at 100.

It is fascinsting list. Good to see composers like Caroline Shaw on the list but perplexed by the inclusion of Eric Coates. W G Still but no Ellington !

[Serial_Apologist]

No Messaien or Syzmanowski. Scriabin at 96 and Villa Lobos at 100.

It is fascinsting list. Good to see composers like Caroline Shaw on the list but perplexed by the inclusion of Eric Coates. W G Still but no Ellington !

Plus the total absence of Weill, Eisler and Henze says so much about subliminal political exclusion, to my mind.

[pastoralguy]

And no George Lloyd!

[Pulcinella]

And no George Lloyd!

Or Tippett.
Britten so high up presumably because of repeated interludes at sea.

[smittims]

Many thanks for this valuable and interesting survey . I've long given up even remarking on Radio 3's almost total avoidance of several composers I've named in the past who I think are well-worth broadcasting far more often than some of the 100-plus names here.

But I was struck by the low number of Schoenberg broadcasts and the absence of Berg and Webern. I've suspected for some time that the current Controller has decided to exclude them as much as possible, and indeed , atonal 20th-century music generally. The 21st-century 'new' music we hear (e.g. Mason Bates' opera last night) is getting more and more tonal and even diatonic: in short, old-fashioned .

[Ian Thumwood]

Many thanks for this valuable and interesting survey . I've long given up even remarking on Radio 3's almost total avoidance of several composers I've named in the past who I think are well-worth broadcasting far more often than some of the 100-plus names here.

But I was struck by the low number of Schoenberg broadcasts and the absence of Berg and Webern. I've suspected for some time that the current Controller has decided to exclude them as much as possible, and indeed , atonal 20th-century music generally. The 21st-century 'new' music we hear (e.g. Mason Bates' opera last night) is getting more and more tonal and even diatonic: in short, old-fashioned .

This list is superb because it serves as an audit. What it does show in the range and balance of composers played and that obscurity is not a reason for exclusion. The one factor missing is performer inluence and especially where this is live in the studio or from concert halls. My point would be how much music is regularly in the repertoire and performed ? I would suggest that this is actually wider than between 1950s and 80s. Female composers are now getting the airing they were excluded from previously. Composers like Colerage Taylor get a lot of airplay and there is far too much Tchaikovsky.

The point about 2nd Viennese school composers is interesting and reminded me of an observation i read in a Susan Tomes book. I just wonder if this music is now being seen as old fashioned and starting to disappear from the repertoire as it is not valued as it once was. Not convinced that some aggressively avant garde composers will be celebrated in 100 years time. Not convinced that Berg and Webern will be performed at all by 22nd century.....just a gut feeling.


Quite interesting to contrast this list which i feel is balanced with Jazz FM's top 100 jazz downloads of 2025. There was hardly any jazz in the list ! I think Radio 3 has a long way to go before sinking this far.

[antongould]

Wonderful as always sir …. Nice, for me at least to see Finzi having a good year …..

[Ein Heldenleben]

This list is superb because it serves as an audit. What it does show in the range and balance of composers played and that obscurity is not a reason for exclusion. The one factor missing is performer inluence and especially where this is live in the studio or from concert halls. My point would be how much music is regularly in the repertoire and performed ? I would suggest that this is actually wider than between 1950s and 80s. Female composers are now getting the airing they were excluded from previously. Composers like Colerage Taylor get a lot of airplay and there is far too much Tchaikovsky.

The point about 2nd Viennese school composers is interesting and reminded me of an observation i read in a Susan Tomes book. I just wonder if this music is now being seen as old fashioned and starting to disappear from the repertoire as it is not valued as it once was. Not convinced that some aggressively avant garde composers will be celebrated in 100 years time. Not convinced that Berg and Webern will be performed at all by 22nd century.....just a gut feeling.


Quite interesting to contrast this list which i feel is balanced with Jazz FM's top 100 jazz downloads of 2025. There was hardly any jazz in the list ! I think Radio 3 has a long way to go before sinking this far.

I don’t think there is a serious music critic , performer or composer who wouldn’t agree that Schoenberg , Berg and Webern are very significant composers and that they deserve a better hearing than that given by the supposed “home of classical music.” Unfortunately playing serial music on Radio 3 usually gets a negative reaction from listeners who tend to be very conservative in their tastes and that’s the main reason they don’t get played much or at all in the 06.00 to 12.00 peak hours. I’m pretty sure that both Wozzeck and Lulu will be performed in 100 years as , some reason , opera audiences take them in their stride - it helps that they are master pieces, Less sure about Moses and Aaron but as I’ve never seen it or likely to see it I can’t really judge,

[Ian Thumwood]

EH

Thanks for your reply.

The issue of repertoire is not limited to classical music. To be commercially successful, radio stations and concert venues will try to programme music that audiences want to hear. This why i feel serial music will eventually disappear and not whether it is a question of whether it is any good. Most people do not want to hear it.

As i stated previously, the list is already quite broad. I think there is a lot on that list which is not Classical music. It is generally weighted against composers people find a challenge to listen to and in favour of more 'easy listening' styles which the majority find acceptable. More and more stations like Radio 3 will pursue this path which is even more exagerated on commercial radio.

I have seen the same happen with jazz but feel classical music has held out the longest. Eventually more difficult composers will be edged out by the likes of Tchaikovsky. The inclusion of women and black composers is an advance in my opinion . My issue is that more populist styles are over represented. Too much Gershwin in my opinion. My bet is that many Radio 3 listeners will find the list very much in their comfort zone. There are worrying and glaring omissions but my issue would be that some names like Price are over featured and that Eric Coates is light music and not serious. Popular pieces seem over played too.

You camnot please everyone and the list is understandable to.a degree. If you do not like the music, you can always turn it off which is what i do with opera, choral, Mozart,.Tchaikovsky or Brahms.

[smittims]

Is it not a shame, though,that a station proud to call itself the home of classical music should be merely following popular taste instead of leading it, as it used to do in the Glock era? Schoenberg is the most significant composer since Brahms and if millions of listeners are denied the chance to listen to his music they will never know if they like it or not.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Is it not a shame, though,that a station proud to call itself the home of classical music should be merely following popular taste instead of leading it, as it used to do in the Glock era? Schoenberg is the most significant composer since Brahms and if millions of listeners are denied the chance to listen to his music they will never know if they like it or not.

Exactly …that’s what the BBC is for : to provoke and challenge , to showcase the best and not just run a warm bath for the audience . CFM can do that.

[Pulcinella]

Exactly …that’s what the BBC is for : to provoke and challenge , to showcase the best and not just run a warm bath for the audience . CFM can do that.

And probably does it better, as it makes no attempt at pretending it's something other.

[Suffolkcoastal]

Here's the Symphony breakdown for those composers who had 5 or more symphonies/sinfoniettas/sinfonias broadcast complete in 2025. The overall total of 859 was slightly up on 2024 but still the 2nd lowest since I began this particular survey in 2011.

Composer	Complete Symphonies
MOZART W A	76
BEETHOVEN	61
F J HAYDN	60
MAHLER	45
SIBELIUS	40
MENDELSSOHN	39
SHOSTAKOVICH	33
BRAHMS	27
BACH CPE	26
BRUCKNER	26
DVORAK	24
SCHUBERT	24
PROKOFIEV	19
RACHMANINOV	19
SCHUMANN	19
TCHAIKOVSKY	18
BERLIOZ	17
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS	16
ABEL	14
FARRENC	11
STRAVINSKY	11
SAINT-SAENS	10
BOYCE	8
MARTINES M	8
BRITTEN	7
M HAYDN	7
NIELSEN	7
WILLIAMS G	7
GIPPS	6
PEJACEVIC	6
JANACEK	5
SAINT-GEORGES	5

The most broadcast complete symphonies were:

Composer	Symphony	Times broadcast
Beethoven	5	12
Berlioz	Symphonie Fantastique	12
Mendelssohn	3	12
Mozart	41	12
Mahler	1	11
Prokofiev	1	11
Sibelius	5	11
Brahms	4	10
Mendelssohn	4	10
Mozart	39	10
Rachmaninov	2	10
Sibelius	2	10
Sibelius	7	10