Selecting Best Compositions--Is This Worthless?

[Earl]

From time to time a classical music station will do the best works ever written. I cringe at this. Its like saying who is the best basketball player of all time--Michael Jordan or Wilt Chamberlain? It's a menaingless debate. I put trying to pick the "best" classical recording in the same category. What do others think?

[Harvey]

I do understand Earl's point; having said that I imagine that if I were running a classical music station (nice thought) one would try and inject some superlatives here and there. Ever heard a fishmonger cry, "Stinking fish?" Ergo subjectivity is bound to rear its head on occasion.
To be honest, during our Cultural Season I have to come up with posters and publicity for over fifty musical events and while I have not been guilty of offering the "best" works ever written I can see how its possible to fall into that particular trap.
I am not fond of clichés, indeed do my best to avoid them, but rather, concentrate on the music rather than the 'selling point' as it were.

[Earl]

The key words here are "selling point."
The best of........... is just that a marketing/ratings/build the listenership up ploy. If seen that way it makes sense--but only if seen that way.

[Harvey]

Dear Earl,
Dear Earl,
Yes, I wish to gat bums on seats; in an area that many are unfamiliar with western classical music... or should I not encourage?
I guess this is not a fight but a standpoint and an opening of a debate.