Symphonies in one movement

[Lilas Pastia]

Davis Mathews: symphonies 1 and 3:

American Record Guide's reviewer is enthusiastic about this disc.

[Catison]

Davis Mathews: symphonies 1 and 3:

American Record Guide's reviewer is enthusiastic about this disc.

David Matthews - Symphony No. 1 "What would you say?"
David Matthews - Symphony No. 2 "Under the table and dreaming"
David Matthews - Symphony No. 3 "Ants Marching"

[offbeat]

Lennox Berkeley Symphony 3
First hearing for me today - quite an elusive composer but was quite impressed by this one movement work in particular a quiet middle section for woodwind and strings in a slightly atonal ring to it -have feeling sort of work may get more out of with few more hearings 

[Scarpia]

There's Holmboe 7, which is in one movement, although there are fairly well defined sub-sections.  A very interesting work, built from rhythmic motifs and and characteristic intervals.

[Christo]

There's Holmboe 7, which is in one movement, although there are fairly well defined sub-sections.  A very interesting work, built from rhythmic motifs and and characteristic intervals.

Have - accidentally - been playing it this week, for the first time in years. Was as impressed as ever, good to learn that you find it interesting too. The `intermezzi' cleansing the symphonic palette three times, is a device he returned to in his Ninth. That one is called a five movement symphony, but structurally the difference isn't that large.

[eyeresist]

A Lot of Langgaard.

[The new erato]

A Lot of Langgaard.

But is it a symphony just because the composer chose to use the word (ie no 9)?

[eyeresist]

If a song cycle can be called a symphony, then I'd say bloody well yes.

[The new erato]

If a song cycle can be called a symphony, then I'd say bloody well yes.

I'd say the caveat still applies. A song cycle may be a symphony, as a 1-mvt work may; but I still think the opposite just as well may be the case, whatever title the composer uses. An interesting question; what is a symphony?

[jowcol]

I'd say the caveat still applies. A song cycle may be a symphony, as a 1-mvt work may; but I still think the opposite just as well may be the case, whatever title the composer uses. An interesting question; what is a symphony?

I'm not touching that with a ten-foot pole. 

Someone who stretched the definition was Glenn Branca with his ensemble of Mallet Guitars.

[mahler10th]

Hmm.  Why has this thread stopped here?  Couldn't anyone come up with an answer as to "What is  a Symphony?"
From the greek 'symphony', which means 'sounding together'...ORIGIN Greek sumphonia, from sumphonos 'harmonious'.

Wikkipedia:  "In classical music, a symphony is an extended musical composition, scored almost always for orchestra."
wisegeek.com:   "Originally used in several different senses, the word symphony now mainly refers to a symphony orchestra — a large ensemble including strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion—or a work created for such an orchestra and having several particular attributes. It is usually an extended work — of not less than three, but usually not more than five movements, for a medium to large orchestra. It is sometimes referred to as a sonata for an orchestra."
classicalmusic.about.com:   "In its simplest form, a symphony is an extended work for orchestra."
allwords.com:   "an extended piece of music of sophisticated structure, usually for orchestra / harmony in music or colour, or a harmonious combination of elements..."
wordnik.com:  "Symphony: An extended piece in three or more movements for symphony orchestra."
Webster 1913 Dictionary:   "Definitions of 'symphony' Webster 1913 Dictionary 
1. (noun) symphony - a consonance or harmony of sounds, agreeable to the ear, whether the sounds are vocal or instrumental, or both
2. (noun) symphony - a stringed instrument formerly in use, somewhat resembling the virginal
3. (noun) symphony - an elaborate instrumental composition for a full orchestra, consisting usually, like the sonata, of three or four contrasted yet inwardly related movements, as the allegro, the adagio, the minuet and trio, or scherzo, and the finale in quick time. The term has recently been applied to large orchestral works in freer form, with arguments or programmes to explain their meaning, such as the "symphonic poems" of Liszt. The term was formerly applied to any composition for an orchestra, as overtures, etc., and still earlier, to certain compositions partly vocal, partly instrumental.
4. (noun) symphony - an instrumental passage at the beginning or end, or in the course of, a vocal composition; a prelude, interlude, or postude; a ritornello.
Cambridge Advanved Learners Dictionary:   "a long piece of music for an orchestra, usually with four movements (= parts)."
Compact Oxford Dictionary:   "• noun (pl. symphonies) an elaborate musical composition for full orchestra, typically in four movements."
Merriam Webster:  "Etymology: Middle English symphonie, from Middle French, from Latin symphonia, from Greek symphōnia, from symphōnos concordant in sound, from syn- + phōnē voice, sound  -  Date: 15th century
1 : consonance of sounds
2 a : ritornello 1 b : sinfonia 1 c (1) : a usually long and complex sonata for symphony orchestra (2) : a musical composition (as for organ) resembling such a symphony in complexity or variety
3 : consonance or harmony of color (as in a painting)
4 a : symphony orchestra b : a symphony orchestra concert
5 : something that in its harmonious complexity or variety suggests a symphonic composition <a symphony of flavors>

Johns Brain Dictionary:  Well.  I don't agree with any of all that tosh in this day and age.  A symphony, for me, is close to what the original word means - harmonious sounding together
Where two or more fequencies produce harmony - that's enough for me - preferably, frequences generated by Orchestral instruments!

[eyeresist]

Hmm.  Why has this thread stopped here?  Couldn't anyone come up with an answer as to "What is a Symphony?"

I think it's more that the topic has been done to death elsewhere. In the 20th century, the definition came to be "anything the composer (or critic) calls a symphony", which is really a non-answer and not useful at all. For myself, I still have trouble accepting that any number of movements besides four is acceptable! (Take that, Bax.)

[donaldopato]

Roy Harris' 3rd is one of the great 1 movement symphonies. His later 11th is also in one movement, and is one of the more interesting of his later works (1967).

[listener]

just discovered ALyABIEV  Symphony no.3 in e for 4 horns and orchestra in one movement

[Grazioso]

I think it's more that the topic has been done to death elsewhere. In the 20th century, the definition came to be "anything the composer (or critic) calls a symphony", which is really a non-answer and not useful at all. For myself, I still have trouble accepting that any number of movements besides four is acceptable! (Take that, Bax.)

You'd have to jettison a great number of major symphonies/symphonists beside Bax, then: LvB, Schumann, Berlioz, Mahler, Sibelius, etc. Composers using the term "symphony" liberally wasn't just a 20th-century phenomenon: look at Liszt and Berlioz, with their symphonies of other than four movements, featuring vocal forces, etc. And remember that with early symphonies, the three-movement format was the norm rather than the exception. Four movements is just composers gettin' fancy-pants notions in their heads 

[abidoful]

I think Hans Pfitzner ahs a symphony in one movement??

[abidoful]

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

Aren't those more like symphonic poems or something?

[Christo]

just discovered ALyABIEV  Symphony no.3 in e for 4 horns and orchestra in one movement

4 horns in one movement? They will be quite busy. 

[schweitzeralan]

Aren't those more like symphonic poems or something?

Indeed.  Perhaps Scriabin himself claimed these two works as symphonies.  They are more like symphonic poems.

[snyprrr]

My curiosity has been piqued(?) for Zimmermann's Symphony in One Movement. I see three recordings: Metzmacher, brainfart, and Wand. Right now I would pick Wand for no other reason than I enjoy his Modern Portraits disc on RCA (Fortner, Stravinsky, Martin,...). Anyone?