Six favourite symphonies by (really) lesser-known composers.

[jimmosk]

And Daverz has also recommended Ludolf Nielsen's 3rd.

While I wouldn't call it a favorite, Siegfried Wagner's symphony is also pretty good -- and unexpectedly Mahlerian.

[snyprrr]

Ha...the more you guys throw syms at me, the stronger my resolve to enjoy what I already have grows!!! 0:) 

weakness!!! weakness I say!!!

ahh...life with no cares...

[snyprrr]

BUT PLEASE... keep em comin'

[WeRoica]

Rued Langgaard      --> 2  "Vaarbrud"  - 1912-14
Kurt Atterberg        --> 7  "Sinfonia Romantica", Op. 45  - 1942
Dag Wiren              --> 2  Op. 14 - 1963
Joachim Raff           --> 8  "Frülingsklange", Op. 205  - 1876
Niels Gade              --> 4   in B flat major, Op.20 - 1842
Alice Mary Smith     --> in A minor  -  1876

[not edward]

I don't think I'd seen this particular iteration of this thread before, though I've contributed to previous ones.

It was good to see mention of Corcoran and Terterian: both the symphonies mentioned there are striking works that I listened to a great deal at one point.

My own personal six would probably contain some of the following, though some of these composers might not be deemed obscure enough:

Popov 1
Langgaard 4
Brian 8
Hartmann 6
Gerhard 1
Ustvolskaya 3
Kancheli 6
B. A. Zimmermann Symphony in One Movement

[schweitzeralan]

I really love Turina's Sinfonía sevillana and William Grant Still's `Afro-American' Symphony.  I haven't heard the others, so many new composers I've discovered thanks to this thread.  Thanks everyone! 

Are you familiar with William Grant Still's piano works? Like Seven Traceries?  Or the 5 Preludes? The music is quite different from the Afro American, "Blues" style which permeate his symphonic works.  The piano works tend to be modal, much chord parallel, exotic minor and overall impressionistic. It's like a sort of dual personality.  I didn't care personally for a couple of his symphonies.  I wonder if there are some orchestral pieces that are similar to, let's say, "Marionette."

[Teresa]

Are you familiar with William Grant Still's piano works? Like Seven Traceries?  Or the 5 Preludes? The music is quite different from the Afro American, "Blues" style which permeate his symphonic works.  The piano works tend to be modal, much chord parallel, exotic minor and overall impressionistic. It's like a sort of dual personality.  I didn't care personally for a couple of his symphonies.  I wonder if there are some orchestral pieces that are similar to, let's say, "Marionette."

No I am sorry to say, I'm not into solo piano works but more into orchestral works though I do like a lot of piano with orchestra works. 

[Sorin Eushayson]

Here I am again! 

Shout out to Symphony No. 3 by one Franz Berwald.  That thing'll knock your socks off!!! 

Check out the F-Sharp Minor symphony of American composer George Frideric Bristow while you're at it, too.   The only one of Bristow's works recorded, it seems... 

[vandermolen]

New list:

Alf Hurum: Symphony (thanks to Greg)

Samuel Jones: Symphony 3 'Palo Duro Canyon' (Naxos)

Balanchivadze: Symphony No 1 (great work - not on CD unfortunately)

Rudolph Simonsen: Symphony No 1 'Zion' (CPO)

Vladimir Scherbachov: Symphony No 5 (Northern Flowers)

Armstrong Gibbs: Symphony No 3 'Westmorland' (Marco Polo)

[Dundonnell]

New list:

Alf Hurum: Symphony (thanks to Greg)

Samuel Jones: Symphony 3 'Palo Duro Canyon' (Naxos)

Balanchivadze: Symphony No 1 (great work - not on CD unfortunately)

Rudolph Simonsen: Symphony No 1 'Zion' (CPO)

Vladimir Scherbachov: Symphony No 5 (Northern Flowers)

Armstrong Gibbs: Symphony No 3 'Westmorland' (Marco Polo)

I have the Scherbachov but have not yet had time to listen to it. The Hurum is great, isn't it One of the best Norwegian symphonies I have heard!

[vandermolen]

I have the Scherbachov but have not yet had time to listen to it. The Hurum is great, isn't it One of the best Norwegian symphonies I have heard!

You will like the Scherbachov (although it goes a bit Socialist Realist in the last movement) - yes, the Hurum is great.

[vandermolen]

I should have included Robin Orr's Symphony in one movement - in some ways my favourite type of symphony - craggy, tonal, epic and darkly moving (and this in 17 minutes). It reminds me a bit of Havergal Brian (ie Symphony No eight) and also Carlos Chavez (Symphony No 4).  It must have been really at odds with the musical thinking of the period 1960-3 when it was composed. It features on a very interesting CD:

[snyprrr]

Wait a minute...considering your latest list (the most humorously obscure list I've ever seen...good work!), I would almost have to consider Orr almost a household name, at least on the thread!

You did recommend him to me a while back. Have you been ordering too many cds?

[jimmosk]

...considering your latest list (the most humorously obscure list I've ever seen...good work!),

How could that be the most obscure list you've ever seen, when all but one of them are on in-print CDs, including big labels like Marco Polo and CPO?  Surely there are lots of symphonies that were only ever released on LP [edit: I originally mistyped 'CD' here], or never recorded at all... anyone know of a page that is to symphonies what Tobias Bröker's list is to violin concertos?

[schweitzeralan]

I have the Scherbachov but have not yet had time to listen to it. The Hurum is great, isn't it One of the best Norwegian symphonies I have heard!

Of those composers mentioned in your list I am familiar only with C. Armstrong Gibbs.  His Westmorland symphonies are fine.  I love his piano works entitled "Lakeland Pictures."  Very English in the Baxian, Moeran, Howells tradition.

[vandermolen]

Wait a minute...considering your latest list (the most humorously obscure list I've ever seen...good work!), I would almost have to consider Orr almost a household name, at least on the thread!

You did recommend him to me a while back. Have you been ordering too many cds?

You can never buy "too many CDs" (although my wife would dispute this..."must you buy ANOTHER CD?"...she doesn't understand 

"humorously obscure list"!!!

[Dundonnell]

You will like the Scherbachov (although it goes a bit Socialist Realist in the last movement) - yes, the Hurum is great.

I like the first three movements of the Scherbachov very much...but yes, the last movement does rather let the piece down! I found the accompanying Suite "The Tobacco Captain" terribly twee and wearisome though.

[owlice]

I hate this thread.

Amazon, on the other hand.....

[vandermolen]

I like the first three movements of the Scherbachov very much...but yes, the last movement does rather let the piece down! I found the accompanying Suite "The Tobacco Captain" terribly twee and wearisome though.

Yes, I will not be playing the Tobacco Captain again!

Two great new discoveries thanks to Greg:

Stale Kleiberg: Symphony No 1: The Bell Reef (1991) which commemorates the sinking of a ship, in 1537 (we history teachers like dates) carrying five bells destined for a Stavanger Cathedral - the bells could then, according to legend, sometimes be heard chiming beneath the waves - wonderfully atmospheric and deeply moving score, especially the last movement which features the chiming bells between the waves.

Yngve Skold: Symphony No 2 (1937)

[owlice]

:: sighs ::

:: checks bank balance ::

:: Googles for a source for two great new discoveries ::