Symphonies in one movement

[vandermolen]

Listening to Samuel Barber's fine Symphony No 1 today, on my way to work, got me thinking about other one movement symphonies.  I guess that the prototype for Barber was Symphony No 7 by Sibelius - one of the greatest 20th century symphonies in my view.  Other fine examples of this genre which come to mind are:

Tubin: Symphony 10

Alwyn: Symphony 5

Rubbra: Symphony 10

Holmboe: Symphony No 10 (what is it with No 10?)

Roy Harris: Symphony No 3

Robin Orr: Symphony in One Movement

William Schuman: Symphony No 6

That's seven and there are many others.

In the case of Sibelius, Alwyn and Tubin, these were their last completed symphonies (Tubin was working on No 11 when he died) and they offer, I think, a kind of final synthesis which is very compelling.

Any views?

[karlhenning]

Low-hanging fruit:

Shostakovich Second & Third

[The new erato]

Petterson 6, 7 & 9 ++++

[Brian]

In the case of Sibelius, Alwyn and Tubin, these were their last completed symphonies (Tubin was working on No 11 when he died) and they offer, I think, a kind of final synthesis which is very compelling.

I think it is quite valid to see Sibelius' Seventh as a summation or synthesis of his life's work. The first time I heard the Fifth Symphony, which was at a live performance, I couldn't help noticing throughout the first and second movements how so many of the orchestral effects and even thematic ideas had "offspring" which made appearances in the Seventh. After that first experience of Number Five, a musicology major asked what I thought and I said something like, "It seemed very much like a sketchbook of ideas for the Seventh, until the finale happened..."

There are a lot of ways in which his other works - particularly 1, 2 and 6 - also seem to be precursors or "dry runs" for 7, in one way or another. It really does feel like he managed to put in that last symphony everything that made his voice, his voice.

Dang it, now I really wanna listen to Sibelius.   *puts on Symphony No 1 with Boston and Colin Davis*

[Dana]

I think it is quite valid to see Sibelius' Seventh as a summation or synthesis of his life's work. The first time I heard the Fifth Symphony, which was at a live performance, I couldn't help noticing throughout the first and second movements how so many of the orchestral effects and even thematic ideas had "offspring" which made appearances in the Seventh. After that first experience of Number Five, a musicology major asked what I thought and I said something like, "It seemed very much like a sketchbook of ideas for the Seventh, until the finale happened..."

I've been thinking the same thing about the outer movements of the first symphony.

I wonder whether we ought to count the early tone poems of Strauss as one-movement symphonies.

[Brian]

I've been thinking the same thing about the outer movements of the first symphony.

I wonder whether we ought to count the early tone poems of Strauss as one-movement symphonies.

David Hurwitz counts Kullervo and Lemminkainen in the symphonic canon, with very valid evidence (Sibelius himself apparently viewed the Four Legends as a four-movement symphony), bringing the number up to 9. Not that this answers the point. 

Hearing the finale of 1 now - some of the transitional passages definitely remind me of the introduction to and exit from the Seventh's scherzo section.

[Ten thumbs]

Not forgetting Scriabin:
Symphony No.4 The Poem of Ecstasy
Symphony No.5 Prometheus

[Joe Barron]

Well, the use of the term "one movement" here is a little deceptive. Some of the works mentioned, such as the Schuman 6th, are actually multiple movement works played without pause. I would mention Mr. Carter's Symphony of Three Orchestras. It's got about twelve movements, which are cut and interspliced, but it's as much a single movement as anything else here.

[karlhenning]

Well, the use of the term "one movement" here is a little deceptive. Some of the works mentioned, such as the Schuman 6th, are actually multiple movement works played without pause.

Excellent consideration, Joe.

[Guido]

I adore Barber's first symphony - it's rare that a work can be simultaneously so beautiful and satisfying. Obviously Sibelius' 7th is the ne plus ultra of the genre - perfection.

Hartmann's Second I love, and Hersch's 1st I very much like (but don't know that well yet).

[Conor71]

Sibelius 7 - just lovely!  .

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Simpson's 9th, which runs about 50 minutes, is in one movement, and the composer tells us it uses a single "pulse" throughout, thereby setting some kind of record. Anyway, an awesome work.

Otherwise as Joe pointed out, describing some of these as "single movement" is a bit deceptive. Rochberg's 2nd for instance is officially in one movement, but it sure feels like 5 movements to me.

(Another recent one I like: Sallinen's 8th)

[Guido]

I'm quite keen on Persichetti's single movement String Symphony (His symphony no.5). It has a remarkable sweep and concentration of ideas.

[Grazioso]

Petterson 6, 7 & 9 ++++

Pettersson was among the first composers to spring to my mind. Unlike some of the works mentioned so far, these tip the long end of the scale, coming in at around 45-70 minutes each.

Simpson's 1st and Hovhaness's 6th Celestial Gate are good ones. Aho's 2nd is worth a listen.

[Dana]

Otherwise as Joe pointed out, describing some of these as "single movement" is a bit deceptive. Rochberg's 2nd for instance is officially in one movement, but it sure feels like 5 movements to me.

      Sure, and you could argue that Sibelius 7th is actually in 5 movements as well. All of Strauss' tone poems are multiple-movement works, Shostakovich's 12th Quartet is actually in five movements, not two, the 13th is actually in 4 movements instead of one, and his 8th, 14th & 15th quartets are all really in one movement. Point being that it's nearly impossible to write a work within one theme group and idea and end up with great art - more often than not, you end up with Pachelbel's Canon
      Seriously, though, the concept of having a single-movement work with great variety goes back at least to the baroque, when the church sonata form was conceived as four movement-type sections within the framework of a single movement. It continues to Schumann, who said "as if all mental pictures must be shaped to fit one or two forms! As if each idea did not come into existence with its form ready-made! As if each work of art had not its own meaning and consequently its own form!" And then along came Mahler and Strauss 0:)

[vandermolen]

Thanks very much for the replies.  I take the point about works like William Schuman's 6th Symphony (a great work - I will listen again tonight) being really 4 movement symphonies without a break between movements (like Vaughan Williams' 6th Symphony).  I too should have included Petterson's 7th Symphony (also 6).  I think that the first movement of Walton's First Symphony would be a great one movement symphony - none of the other movements are as good.

I'd also go along with Simpson Symphony 1 and Hovhaness 'Celestial Gate Symphony'.

[Luke]

No takers for Brian here? more than a handful of one-movement marvels scattered among his 32, for sure (number 8 always my favourite, the echt-Brian symphony, though, yes, of course it has its subdivisions). Some of the one movement symphonies are amongst Brian's finest, certainly.

Also, with my  face on, I'd say Mahler 9. I know for sure I'm not the only one who tends to press stop after the sublime, can't-be-topped first movement. Heretical, I know...

[Guido]

Of course - how could we forget Brian?! The eighth is a marvel.

[Lilas Pastia]

As already mentioned, there's Pettersson's corpus of one-movement works (he seems to have specialized in that form). I'm not looking any further as I think they probably stand right up there with THE one-movement symphony (Sibelius 7). As has been perceptively mentioned, these are multi-sectional works that exist in a continuous, unbroken form.

Anybody mentioned Strauss' Alpine Symphony ?

[The new erato]

Pokofievs 7th; isn't that in one movement?

Edit: No it obviously isn't, so please disregard this!