Share Some Super Song Symphonies Sans Beethoven and Mahler!!!

[Cato]

That's right!  Beethoven's Ninth and Mahler's efforts are BANNED from any list here!  

We are looking for things like:

Alexander Zemlinsky: Lyric Symphony

Mahler was his model, and Schoenberg his friend and brother-in-law, but Zemlinsky's work is a marvelous experience.  Also recommended, but not a symphony as such: the Six Songs for Orchestra with texts by Maeterlinck.

Igor Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms

What has happened to Stravinsky recently?  Pushed aside by the Minimalists?  This work should be visited at least once a year!  And call your mother tonight!  

Dmitri Shostakovich Symphonies 13 and 14

Heavy stuff!  Some critics sniffed at #14 being called a "symphony" at all, rather than a song cycle.

We might even allow works like:

Vincent D'Indy Symphony on a French Mountain Air  0:)

Composed before the air was polluted by Gauloises   !

[Cato]

P.S.

Perhaps the most recent Song Symphony is John Harbison's Symphony #5.

You can view the score here: http://digital.schirmer.com/

We can ask if Karl Henning was present at the Boston Symphony premiere performance of the work!

[karlhenning]

No, I missed that one.

Thread duty:

Vaughan Williams, A Sea Symphony

[karlhenning]

Since Berlioz considered it one of his symphonies, we should probably include his Roméo et Juliette, Opus 17

[Todd]

Szymanowski's Third, Song of the Night, must surely be included.  Lush, beautiful, "exotic."  Great stuff.

[DavidRoss]

Kullervo and Gorecki's 3rd must make the list.

[karlhenning]

Braga Santos, Symphony № 6, "To my Daughter Maria da Piedade," for soprano solo, choir & orchestra

[Cato]

Since Berlioz considered it one of his symphonies, we should probably include his Roméo et Juliette, Opus 17

That gets put on the Summer Listening List.  45 + years have passed since my ears zeroed in on that one!  

[Sorin Eushayson]

Well, since Beethoven and Mahler are banned from the list, why not mentioned the Lord and King of such pieces:

[DavidRoss]

That gets put on the Summer Listening List.  45 + years have passed since my ears zeroed in on that one!  

Karl steered me to Muti's recording with Jessye Norman a few years ago, one of the first instances proving his trustworthiness as a guide for me.  This reminds me that it's due for a spin.  (That's the problem with owning so many recordings: there's just not enough time to give them all the attention they deserve.  It's hard to imagine how people with several thousand records ever get around to hearing most of them.)

[karlhenning]

. . . why not mentioned the Lord and King of such pieces:

The Lobgesang! I need to revisit that 'un, thanks!

[Opus106]

Just stating a fact: Havergal Brian's 1st symphony, called Gothic. I know it's super in terms of its size, but otherwise I don't have any comments to share.  0:)

[Superhorn]

   I've never been able to understand the neglect of the gorgeous Symphony in C major by Paul Dukas . There's more to this composer than the familiar "Sorceror's Apprentice", but unfortunately not much,
since he destroyed much of the music he wrote , being terribly self-critical.
  The Dukas symphony is somewhat in the tradition of the familiar Franck symphony, and is appealingly melodious . Like the Franck, it's in three movements, and when you hear it for the first time, you'll wonder where it's been all your life ! 
  There are some excellent recordings, such as Martinon on EMI,
  Yan Pascal Tortelier on Chandos etc. I first got to know it many years ago on a superb Decca LP with Walter Weller and the LPO; I don't believe it's appeared on CD yet, but if it does, grab it !

[karlhenning]

   I've never been able to understand the neglect of the gorgeous Symphony in C major by Paul Dukas.

I've never heard it, I don't believe.  Are there singers in it? 

[karlhenning]

Verging upon the tangential, there are also:

Nielsen, Symphony № 3, Sinfonia espansiva, with soprano & baritone vocalise
Vaughan Williams, A Pastoral Symphony, with soprano vocalise
Vaughan Williams, Symphony № 7, Sinfonia antartica, with soprano vocalise & wordless chorus

[karlhenning]

P.S.

Perhaps the most recent Song Symphony is John Harbison's Symphony #5.

On those lines (BSO connexion and all), Wm Bolcom's Symphony № 8 with texts from Wm Blake

[Lethevich]

It's an obvious choice, but I find it remarkable: Vaughan Williams' Sea Symphony. The writing for voice is so impressive, even more so is how effectively the poems gel with the music. It's sweeping, diverse, atmospheric, and the entire work feels to me to be something of a coda to 19th century British Romanticism, which was often desperately staid, meaning that this piece is an excellent book-end, demonstrating that there was potential in the style - it was simply utilised by many mediocre composers.

Another personal favourite is Liszt's Dante Symphony, which of course is bending the rules due to essentially being a tone poem, but that finale has not been approached by any composer, either in the perfection of the melody or the stunning transition from earthly to heavenly. There is nothing quite like it. Another very personal favourite (as in almost nobody on the planet likes it as much as I do) is Langgaard's 15th, which is deliciously gothic and moody, and with a slightly lean, stripped back sound to underline the drama. Just Langgaard at his most atmospheric and also rather concise, despite the work's great sweep.

Pettersson's 12th is just as one might envisage a Pettersson choral symphony being - very well done, but if you already dislike his style it will not convert you. I find it to be very fine and with a well-chosen (and very Petterssonian) text. Szymanowski's 3rd is amazing. I agree that Mendelssohn's 2nd is very good - quite underrated. It has been a long time since I heard it, but I recall Eisler's Deutsche Sinfonie being very strong. Britten's Spring Symphony isn't talked about often, but is first rate.

I am very interested in hearing Henze's 9th asap.

Since Berlioz considered it one of his symphonies, we should probably include his Roméo et Juliette, Opus 17

Yeah, but Berlioz was nuts Romantic

[Brian]

I second Gorecki's Third and first Atterberg's Ninth, with the disclaimer that I have not actually listened to the latter (yet).

[Lethevich]

How could I forget Kullervo...

I got fixated on choral symphonies, whoops Brian's 5th is a very fine and poetic symphony with a single soloist.

[karlhenning]

With thanks to Sara for the reminder:

Langgaard, Symphony № 14, Morgenen, with chorus