Music has been a balm for the soul for many during this difficult global pandemic period, something which has been uppermost in the ABC’s mind as it’s developed this year’s Classic 100 countdown. Celebrating Beethoven in the 250th anniversary year of his birth, this June long weekend the broadcaster will count down the top 100 works by the composer as decided by audiences. As in years past, an array of beloved presenters including Ed Ayres, Martin Buzacott, Greta Bradman, Russell Torrance, Vanessa Hughes, Alice Keath, and Mairi Nicolson will host, while pianist Kristian Chong and conductor Benjamin Northey will be on hand to give their own unique perspectives on the music as performers intimately acquainted with Beethoven.

“Really the Classic 100 is all about celebrating Australians’ connections with classical music and what we’ve found out through the voting period that we’ve been running for the last four weeks has been the ways in which Beethoven has been a part of the lives of Australians,” ABC Classic Content Manager Toby Chadd told Limelight. “We subtitled this countdown the ‘Music of Hope & Humanity’ because that’s really what Beethoven’s music has represented across so...