Lark rises to top of classic poll

The Lark Ascending was composed during World War I

The Lark Ascending by Vaughan Williams has been voted the top piece of classical music in a radio poll.

It is the first time a British composer has won the annual Classic FM Hall of Fame vote.

The homage to the English countryside is one of four home-grown works in the top ten, with Vaughan Williams getting another entry and Edward Elgar two.

Beethoven and Mozart were the most featured composers with 19 entries each in the list of 300.

Film soundtracks

CLASSIC FM TOP FIVE 1.The Lark Ascending - Vaughan Williams 2.Cello Concerto - Elgar 3.Piano Concerto no 2 - Rachmaninov 4.Clarinet Concerto - Mozart 5.Piano Concerto no 5 - Beethoven

Vaughan Williams composed The Lark Ascending in 1914 but it was not publicly performed until 1921.

Last year's winner, Mozart's Clarinet Concerto, fell to fourth place, with Rachmaninov and Bruch also making the top ten.

The highest new entry was Into the Light by Patrick Hawes, Classic FM's composer in residence.

The highest charting film soundtrack was Howard Shore's The Lord of the Rings at 55 with John Williams' Star Wars trailing at 108.