Favorite Symphonies by a 2-Symphony Composer

[springrite]

I gave my singular vote to Dutilluex.

Disappinted that my favorite Borodin symphony (the unfinished 3rd) is neglected enough to make him a two symphony composer.

[Mirror Image]

I gave my singular vote to Dutilluex.

Disappinted that my favorite Borodin symphony (the unfinished 3rd) is neglected enough to make him a two symphony composer.

Dutilleux's symphonies are sonic marvels. I love them.

[Luke]

Have you listened to Dutilleux?

Yes. Heretical around here to say so, bu I don't rate him as highly as many do. The fault is mine, I know.

[Jared]

I voted Walton, Liszt, Elgar, Suk, Schoenberg, because they really do stand out from the crowd for me here.

Walton, Liszt, Elgar, Suk & Borodin for me... 

[DavidW]

Yes. Heretical around here to say so, bu I don't rate him as highly as many do. The fault is mine, I know.

There is no fault Luke there is only taste.

[Sergeant Rock]

Your favorite of the two being the Third --- am I right?   

Yeah, I'm way into fragments. Love me some fragments 

Sarge

[Luke]

There is no fault Luke there is only taste.

True, but I don't mind being hard on myself - there's obviously something great to Dutilleux, something that I just don't hear, yet, despite trying. Others hear it, including people whose tastes often chime with mine, so I'm as sure as can be that it is me who is lacking something, not the music. And it's happened too often that a composer I haven't got has suddenly clicked with me in such a huge way that I'm mystified about why it never happened before - an example is Ives, who as a teenager I completely dismissed...until discovering that e.g. the Concord Sonata, which has seemed a sprawling, indulgent mess at first, suddenly went right to my heart more than almost any other piece of music. So I've learnt that my taste isn't at all a big deal, especially as it might change at any moment. I might listen to some Dutilleux tonight; by tomorrow he might be intruiging me like so many others do....

[DavidW]

Speaking of Ives, I'm giving him another chance... when that cd arrives I'll see if I hear him any different than I did last time.

[Scarpia]

True, but I don't mind being hard on myself - there's obviously something great to Dutilleux, something that I just don't hear, yet, despite trying. Others hear it, including people whose tastes often chime with mine, so I'm as sure as can be that it is me who is lacking something, not the music. And it's happened too often that a composer I haven't got has suddenly clicked with me in such a huge way that I'm mystified about why it never happened before - an example is Ives, who as a teenager I completely dismissed...until discovering that e.g. the Concord Sonata, which has seemed a sprawling, indulgent mess at first, suddenly went right to my heart more than almost any other piece of music. So I've learnt that my taste isn't at all a big deal, especially as it might change at any moment. I might listen to some Dutilleux tonight; by tomorrow he might be intruiging me like so many others do....

I have also failed to "get" Dutilleux.  The one piece that really made an impression was "Le Loup," a Ballet that has been recorded by Pretre.  But saying you like Dutilleux for that piece is like saying you like Bartok for the Miraculous Mandarin or Prokofiev for the Scythian Suite, it's not "real" Dutilleux.  I feel that I am close to appreciating the cello concerto (Rostropovich, the dedicatee made the definitive recording).   Beyond those, I'm grasping at straws!

[Guido]

I know the right answer to this thread is Elgar, whose two symphonies are just superlative, but my choice is Barber, mainly for his youthful first symphony which is one of my favourite pieces of music. The second symphony is probably his least successful large scale work, but I still like large parts.

I like Dutilleux a great deal, though can't swallow it all - I think it's sort of the same problem that Messiaen had - he tends to repeat himself in ever larger canvasses. The Cello concerto and Trois Strophes  and the string quartet (maybe unsurprisingly) remain my favourites by him. I'm very fond of the violin concerto too. Much of the rest I like, but it often lacks the vitality, urgency and last degree of ravishing beauty of these works.

[71 dB]

Poju will be pleased.

Sure I am, Elgar doesn't usually do this well in polls... 

[karlhenning]

My votes (in alphabetical order):

Barber
Elgar
Liszt
Schoenberg
Walton

[DavidW]

I thought Liszt didn't belong because he was the only 19th century composer on the list.

[abidoful]

Liszt and Schoenberg got my vote here

[abidoful]

What, no Wagner?

Exactly!

[madaboutmahler]

Voted for Elgar, Bortkiewicz and Schoenberg.

The two Elgar symphonies are two of my favourite pieces ever.
I absolutely adore Bortkiewicz's second symphony!
And the Schoenberg is highly fascinating, great pieces!

Daniel

[Lisztianwagner]

I voted for Liszt, Elgar, Bortkiewicz and Schoenberg 

Ilaria

[Lisztianwagner]

What, no Wagner?

I absolutely agree!!

Ilaria

[TheGSMoeller]

Liszt
Barber
Elgar

...and for some reason my finger didn't press hard enough for my Dutilleux vote 

[madaboutmahler]

I voted for Liszt, Elgar, Bortkiewicz and Schoenberg 

Ilaria

Excellent choice Ilaria!

I don't know why I didn't vote for Liszt as well!

Daniel