Regardless of how anyone builds out their own personal list from 4 onwards, clearly, the gold, silver and bronze must always go to Bach, Bethoven, and Mozart. About those 3 (in whatever order) there can really be no debate.
After that, I think it’s fair game.
Chopin is a giant. As is Mahler. As is Liszt.
As for Bartok, I’m not sure he is even the greatest Hungarian composer (see Liszt...), let alone the #10 of all time.
But that’s the beauty of this sort of exercise. And I think the livelier our opinions, the better it is for everyone! (I think this author has done his due dili, for sure).
By the way...has anyone read much of Alex Ross? I really enjoy (am doing so at the moment) his The Rest is Noise. Brilliant writer.
Forgive me, but I find Mahler to be boring. Maybe I didn’t listen to enough of his music to get to the that which wasn’t boring.