Top 10 Symphony Slow Movements

kyjo · September 13, 2013, 05:38:19 PM

In no particular order:

1. Shostakovich 5
2. Honegger 3
3. Tchaikovsky 5
4. Rachmaninov 2
5. Bruckner 9
6. Casella 3
7. Miaskovsky 24
8, Mahler 3
9. VW 5
10. Glazunov 8

Mirror Image · September 13, 2013, 06:28:11 PM

Nice list, Kyle. Several of my choices duplicate your own:

1. Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5
2. RVW: Symphony No. 5
3. Casella: Sinfonia
4. Honegger: Symphony No. 3 'Liturgique'
5. Schnittke: Symphony No. 8
6. Roussel: Symphony No. 3
7. Myaskovsky: Symphony No. 24
8. Elgar: Symphony No. 2
9. Diamond: Symphony No. 4
10. Tubin: Symphony No. 1

kyjo · September 13, 2013, 06:35:46 PM

Quote from: Mirror Image on September 13, 2013, 06:28:11 PM
Nice list, Kyle. Several of my choices duplicate your own:

1. Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5
2. RVW: Symphony No. 5
3. Casella: Sinfonia
4. Honegger: Symphony No. 3 'Liturgique'
5. Schnittke: Symphony No. 8
6. Roussel: Symphony No. 3
7. Myaskovsky: Symphony No. 24
8. Elgar: Symphony No. 2
9. Diamond: Symphony No. 4
10. Tubin: Symphony No. 1

Cool, John.

Surprised not to see Bruckner 9 on there, though! Dude, you've got to choose an avatar and stick with it for at least a day!

But, of course, I'm not complaining about Koechlin being up there!

Mirror Image · September 13, 2013, 06:40:34 PM

Quote from: kyjo on September 13, 2013, 06:35:46 PM
Cool, John. Surprised not to see Bruckner 9 on there, though! Dude, you've got to choose an avatar and stick with it for at least a day! But, of course, I'm not complaining about Koechlin being up there!

Yeah, I do love Bruckner but Tubin's Symphony No. 1 edges him out here and I felt I couldn't make any other compromises on my list to include him. As for Koechlin being my current avatar, yeah, he's such an awesome composer with such a unique style.

kyjo · September 13, 2013, 06:45:22 PM

Quote from: Mirror Image on September 13, 2013, 06:40:34 PM
Yeah, I do love Bruckner but Tubin's Symphony No. 1 edges him out here and I felt I couldn't make any other compromises on my list to include him. As for Koechlin being my current avatar, yeah, he's such an awesome composer with such a unique style.

Yeah, Tubin 1 is an awesome piece, as are pretty much all of his symphonies (especially nos. 1-5). It has its fair share of memorable tunes and has a fresh, invigorating quality to it that makes it a refreshing, satisfying listen.

Mirror Image · September 13, 2013, 06:52:14 PM

Quote from: kyjo on September 13, 2013, 06:45:22 PM
Yeah, Tubin 1 is an awesome piece, as are pretty much all of his symphonies (especially nos. 1-5). It has its fair share of memorable tunes and has a fresh, invigorating quality to it that makes it a refreshing, satisfying listen.

Speaking of Tubin, I only own the Jarvi series on BIS but am curious about Volmer's recordings, have you heard these performances?

kyjo · September 13, 2013, 06:58:00 PM

Quote from: Mirror Image on September 13, 2013, 06:52:14 PM
Speaking of Tubin, I only own the Jarvi series on BIS but am curious about Volmer's recordings, have you heard these performances?

Yes, I have also long been curious about Volmer's recordings, but the price tags have turned me away. If only Alba would box up the recordings, then I would probably purchase them! I have noticed Volmer's renditions are generally more expansive than Jarvi's, so chances are his cycle gives further insight into these remarkable works.....

Mirror Image · September 13, 2013, 07:03:40 PM

Quote from: kyjo on September 13, 2013, 06:58:00 PM
Yes, I have also long been curious about Volmer's recordings, but the price tags have turned me away. If only Alba would box up the recordings, then I would probably purchase them! I have noticed Volmer's renditions are generally more expansive than Jarvi's, so chances are his cycle gives further insight into these remarkable works.....

Yes, the price tag is certainly keep me away at the moment as well. I do wish Alba would box them up! I mean they already released the series so why not go ahead and put out a set? I did buy Volmer's recording of the complete Kratt and it's stupendous! I suppose you haven't heard it? It's a mandatory purchase IMHO.

kyjo · September 13, 2013, 07:26:23 PM

Quote from: Mirror Image on September 13, 2013, 07:03:40 PM
Yes, the price tag is certainly keep me away at the moment as well. I do wish Alba would box them up! I mean they already released the series so why not go ahead and put out a set? I did buy Volmer's recording of the complete Kratt and it's stupendous! I suppose you haven't heard it? It's a mandatory purchase IMHO.

Oh yes, I've heard Volmer's recording of Kratt. It's quite an exciting work and indeed a must hear for anyone who enjoys the symphonies.

PaulR · September 14, 2013, 07:55:30 AM

1. Shostakovich 5
2. Shostakovich 8
3. Shostakovich 13 (Fears)
4. Atterberg 5
5. Bruckner 7
6. Beethoven 7 (Technically not slow as it is marked "allegretto", but it takes the slow movements place)
7. Mahler 4
8. Mozart 40
9. Schumann 3
10. Schubert 9.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
-Shostakovich 7, 11.
-Schumann 2
-Beethoven 3, 5
-Schubert 8

vandermolen · September 14, 2013, 08:34:58 AM

Not in any order:

Bruckner: Symphony No 9

Vaughan Williams: Symphony No 6 (Epilogue)

Diamond: Symphony 3

Piston: Symphony 2

Miaskovsky: Symphony 27

Tchaikovsky: 'Pathetique' Symphony (finale)

Malcolm Arnold: Symphony 6

Tubin: Symphony No 2 'Legendary'

Honegger: 'Liturgique' Symphony

Nystroem: Sinfonia Del Mare (slow section with Soprano)

I also very much agree with Atterberg Symphony 5.

vandermolen · September 14, 2013, 08:40:50 AM

Quote from: Mirror Image on September 13, 2013, 06:52:14 PM
Speaking of Tubin, I only own the Jarvi series on BIS but am curious about Volmer's recordings, have you heard these performances?

John, they are strong performances and very well recorded but Jarvi remains my top choice.

kyjo · September 14, 2013, 08:47:58 AM

Quote from: vandermolen on September 14, 2013, 08:34:58 AM
Not in any order:

Bruckner: Symphony No 9

Vaughan Williams: Symphony No 6 (Epilogue)

Diamond: Symphony 3

Piston: Symphony 2

Miaskovsky: Symphony 27

Tchaikovsky: 'Pathetique' Symphony (finale)

Malcolm Arnold: Symphony 6

Tubin: Symphony No 2 'Legendary'

Honegger: 'Liturgique' Symphony

Nystroem: Sinfonia Del Mare (slow section with Soprano)

I also very much agree with Atterberg Symphony 5.

Nice list, Jeffrey! I really love Piston's slow movements for some reason. They have a restrained, noble emotionalism that is quite moving. I started to tear up (I kid you not) during the slow movement of Symphony no. 2 you mentioned as well as the slow movement of the Divertimento for nine instruments (one of my favorite chamber works). Also, kudos for mentioning the Nystroem. That is a magical moment in the piece indeed. John, are you reading this?

vandermolen · September 14, 2013, 08:58:25 AM

Quote from: kyjo on September 14, 2013, 08:47:58 AM
Nice list, Jeffrey! I really love Piston's slow movements for some reason. They have a restrained, noble emotionalism that is quite moving. I started to tear up (I kid you not) during the slow movement of Symphony no. 2 you mentioned as well as the slow movement of the Divertimento for nine instruments (one of my favorite chamber works). Also, kudos for mentioning the Nystroem. That is a magical moment in the piece indeed. John, are you reading this?

Kyle,

The slow movement of Piston's Symphony 2 had the same effect on me.

PaulR · September 14, 2013, 01:37:23 PM

I'm going to add: Kallinikov Symphony #1

Karl Henning · September 14, 2013, 02:23:00 PM

Quote from: PaulR on September 14, 2013, 07:55:30 AM

2. Shostakovich 8

6. Beethoven 7 (Technically not slow as it is marked "allegretto", but it takes the slow movements place)

8. Mozart 40

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
-Shostakovich 7

That Passacaglia in the Opus 65 is fabulous.

I'm glad you mentioned the Beethoven! And the Mozart!

And that Stravinskyan wind chorale in the Leningrad is soul-searing.

North Star · September 14, 2013, 03:17:27 PM

Schumann 4th
Sibelius 5th
RVW 5th
Tchaikovsky 6th
Beethoven 9th
Bruckner 9th
Schubert 9th
Mahler 10th
Shostakovich 10th (is that an Alexander Nevsky quote I hear around the climax

)
Mozart 41st

No room for Shosty's 4th, 8th, 14th (Le Suicidé & O Delvig), 15th, Mozart's 40th, or Beethoven's 3rd, 5th or 7th.

TheGSMoeller · September 14, 2013, 03:58:05 PM

Bruckner 6
Ives 4th (finale)
Haydn 49, 63, 98
Schubert 9
Górecki 3 (pick a movement

)
Sibelius 3
Beethoven 6

And only because I enjoy being a follower, plus it's a piece I first saw performed 20 years ago and still love...
Piston 2

PaulR · September 14, 2013, 06:09:30 PM

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on September 14, 2013, 02:23:00 PM
That Passacaglia in the Opus 65 is fabulous.

I'm glad you mentioned the Beethoven! And the Mozart!

And that Stravinskyan wind chorale in the Leningrad is soul-searing.

While the Passacaglia in 8 is generally just fantastic, what I really enjoy in that movement is the transition from the 3rd movement into the 4th. Almost like it is the 'event' is moving to a cataclysm and the rest of the movement is the result.

The 7th, the opening chorale in the winds and the response in the strings is just wonderful music. Completely different character to the other three movements.

LvB 7 is probably my favorite of the 9 symphonies. I love the opening, 'themeless' opening to the movement as well as the fugue near the end.

kyjo · September 14, 2013, 06:14:13 PM

Quote from: PaulR on September 14, 2013, 06:09:30 PM
LvB 7 is probably my favorite of the 9 symphonies. I love the opening, 'themeless' opening to the movement as well as the fugue near the end.

Same here, Paul. This work is so exciting and full of zest for life, and the subdued melancholy of the second movement makes an excellent contrast to the outer movements. That part where the cellos first come in with the first real "theme" is pure goose bump material.