Top 10 Favorite Symphonies of the 20th Century

[Mirror Image]

Yeah, I think you'll really like that disc! Imagine a mixture of Leifs, Schnittke, and Ligeti and you'll have a slight idea what Terterian's music is like. I've never heard more primitive-sounding music.....

Sounds mouth-watering delicious already, Kyle. Can't wait to dig into the music. Any other Terterian recommendations or recordings of his music few and far between? I haven't really done any investigating.

[kyjo]

Sounds mouth-watering delicious already, Kyle. Can't wait to dig into the music. Any other Terterian recommendations or recordings of his music few and far between? I haven't really done any investigating.

There are CDs on obscure labels which contain the 3rd and 6th and 7th and 8th symphonies coupled together, but they are, unfortunately, well out of print and I don't own them.

[Mirror Image]

There are CDs on obscure labels which contain the 3rd and 6th and 7th and 8th symphonies coupled together, but they are, unfortunately, well out of print and I don't own them.

That's too bad, but not surprising.

[Best Music Art]

From 200 Best Symphonies:

1.(5) Mahler: Symphony No. 6 in A minor
2.(14) Mahler: Symphony No. 5
3.(27) Shostakovich: Symphony No. 9 in E flat major
4.(35) Mahler: Symphony No. 9
5.(38) Shostakovich: Symphony No. 8 in C minor
6.(42) Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major
7.(45) Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10 in E minor
8.(48) Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 in D major
9.(58) Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 in D minor
10.(64) Vaughan Williams: A Pastoral Symphony (Symphony No. 3)

11.(69) Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2 in E minor
12.(74) Mahler: Symphony No.7
13.(75) Vaughan Williams: Sinfonia antartica (Symphony No. 7)
14.(78) Prokofiev: Symphony No. 1 in D major "Classical"
15.(79) Shostakovich: Symphony No.13 In B Flat Minor "Babi Yar"
16.(80) Toch: Symphony No. 6
17.(90) Shostakovich: Symphony No. 15 in A major
18.(91) Prokofiev: Symphony No. 7 in C-sharp minor
19.(92) Khachaturian: Symphony No. 3 "Symphony-Poem"
20.(94) Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 4 in F minor

[madaboutmahler]

Yeah, I think you'll really like that disc! Imagine a mixture of Leifs, Schnittke, and Ligeti and you'll have a slight idea what Terterian's music is like. I've never heard more primitive-sounding music.....

Sounds very exciting!

[North Star]

Yeah, I think you'll really like that disc! Imagine a mixture of Leifs, Schnittke, and Ligeti and you'll have a slight idea what Terterian's music is like. I've never heard more primitive-sounding music.....

So, primitive as in most highly sophisticated.  Sounds very exciting indeed!

[kyjo]

Yeah, definitely check it out, Daniel and Karlo! Just be prepared for an aural assault! Subtlety isn't one of Terterian's strengths!

BTW don't expect it to sound too much like either Leifs, Schnittke, or Ligeti. It's unlike anything else you've ever heard! Here's a live performance on YouTube: http://youtu.be/q81PlU6qw8Y

[kyjo]

16.(80) Toch: Symphony No. 6
19.(92) Khachaturian: Symphony No. 3 "Symphony-Poem"

I am rather surprised by these two nominations! A friend of mine dubbed Khachaturian 3 as "the worst symphony ever written", but I prefer to look at it as great bombastic fun! I think his Second Symphony is a much greater work, though. It's been a while since I've heard the Toch, but I recall being more impressed by his Third and Fifth symphonies. Where can the complete list of 200 be found, per chance?

[Mr Bloom]

Very interesting list (with which I largely concur)! I don't believe I know the Del Tredici. The Terterian is a mind-blowing work-big, loud, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink, and unlike anything else I've ever heard before.

Thank you.
The first 3 symphonies by Terterian are quite good in their mix of primitivism and well, strange stuff. The third is probably the most brutal of the three, but also the most straight-forward. The first one, with its "ghost train" organ, jazzy electric bass guitar and armenian percussions, and its almost comical moments, is quite strange. I would say that it's "Schnittkian", but it's from 1969, and Schnittke hadn't finished his first symphony at the time.

Symphonies 4-6-7-8 are a little bit different : gone are the displays of power, they're almost spectral music. They're less accessible, but interesting nonetheless.

The fifth, his longest symphony (almost 50 minutes), is a good mix of his two manners, and probably the closest to the third one.

I've chosen the third symphony in my list because it's the one I've discovered Terterian with, but 1-2-3-4-5-7 are all good.

[kyjo]

Thank you.
The first 3 symphonies by Terterian are quite good in their mix of primitivism and well, strange stuff. The third is probably the most brutal of the three, but also the most straight-forward. The first one, with its "ghost train" organ, jazzy electric bass guitar and armenian percussions, and its almost comical moments, is quite strange. I would say that it's "Schnittkian", but it's from 1969, and Schnittke hadn't finished his first symphony at the time.

Symphonies 4-6-7-8 are a little bit different : gone are the displays of power, they're almost spectral music. They're less accessible, but interesting nonetheless.

The fifth, his longest symphony (almost 50 minutes), is a good mix of his two manners, and probably the closest to the third one.

I've chosen the third symphony in my list because it's the one I've discovered Terterian with, but 1-2-3-4-5-7 are all good.

Thank you for this interesting and informative post. You are lucky to have heard all of the symphonies! I see some of them are on YouTube; I'll have to check them out! I'm not much for "spectral" music, but I'll try some of his later symphonies when I get a chance.

Who are some of your favorite composers, Mr. Bloom? Mine are the ones listed under "Currently listening to" beneath my avatar.

[kyjo]

List no. 5:

Pettersson 7
Harris 3
Moeran (G minor)
Khachaturian 2
Roussel 2
Korngold
Alwyn 3
Simpson 9
Rautavaara 7
Aho 10

[Mirror Image]

My, my Kyle. You've got to put this thing out of its' misery. I know you have 20 more lists to post about, but have you ever heard of condensing?

[kyjo]

My, my Kyle. You've got to put this thing out of its' misery. I know you have 20 more lists to post about, but have you ever heard of condensing?

The first list I posted is my absolute top 10!

[Mirror Image]

The first list I posted is my absolute top 10!

Hmmm...are you positively sure about that?

[kyjo]

Hmmm...are you positively sure about that?

Yep!

[Mirror Image]

Yep!

Just as long as you're sure.

[starrynight]

Magnard 4

Why is Magnard 3 often ignored in favour of the 4th.  It's got great tunes, it should be considered cool to like it.

[kyjo]

Why is Magnard 3 often ignored in favour of the 4th.  It's got great tunes, it should be considered cool to like it.

I actually slightly prefer the Third to the Fourth, but as the Third was written in 1896, I couldn't include it on my list.

If it's cool to like Magnard's music, then I should be the coolest member of this forum!

[starrynight]

The 4th has a certain atmosphere because of the key or orchestration but the I find the material more interesting in the 3rd, certainly in the Plasson performances I knew from when I first heard them back in the 90s.

[kyjo]

The 4th has a certain atmosphere because of the key or orchestration but the I find the material more interesting in the 3rd, certainly in the Plasson performances I knew from when I first heard them back in the 90s.

Yes, the Third is certainly strong on memorable thematic material. BTW I prefer Ossonce and Sanderling to Plasson in the symphonies.