Favourite symphony no. 9

[not edward]

Mahler.

[vandermolen]

Bruckner's might be the greatest but Vaughan Williams's is my favourite.

[Christo]

Vaughan Williams' Ninth, no doubt.

Other faves are the Holmboe, Kinsella. Oops: forgot the Simpson.

[Pat B]

Well, given that Brian is a Mahler fan (or that I suspect anyway), I just find it a bit surprising.

I don't think Brian is particularly a Mahler fan.

Without seeing this thread, I happened to listen to both the Mahler and the Dvorak today. I voted for Beethoven, and it wasn't a particularly tough decision, even though all of the choices are masterworks. I should listen to the Bruckner and the Shostakovich more.

[Ken B]

I don't think Brian is particularly a Mahler fan.

Without seeing this thread, I happened to listen to both the Mahler and the Dvorak today. I voted for Beethoven, and it wasn't a particularly tough decision, even though all of the choices are masterworks. I should listen to the Bruckner and the Shostakovich more.

And the Simpson!

[Moonfish]

It is a close race....

[TheGSMoeller]

Nobody chose Dvorak? 
I'll take my Schubert vote back and give it to Dvorak. It's a classic piece, deservedly placed in the commonly performed repertoire of orchestras across the world.   

[Ken B]

Nobody chose Dvorak? 
I'll take my Schubert vote back and give it to Dvorak. It's a classic piece, deservedly placed in the commonly performed repertoire of orchestras across the world.   

But the Schubert is great! Better you should take back one of those Mahler votes. 

[vandermolen]

Vaughan Williams' Ninth, no doubt.

Other faves are the Holmboe, Kinsella. Oops: forgot the Simpson.

Same here although haven't properly got into the Simpson yet.

[Christo]

Same here although haven't properly got into the Simpson yet. 

Great that you happen to know the Kinsella! His cycle of ten is my most recent obsession (with only a recording of the Eight still missing). Can't help repeating here that Kinsella's ten symphonies are one of the most impressive symphonic cycles that I know of - and he's still going strong and now embarked on No. 11.

[vandermolen]

Great that you happen to know the Kinsella! His cycle of ten is my most recent obsession (with only a recording of the Eight still missing). Can't help repeating here that Kinsella's ten symphonies are one of the most impressive symphonic cycles that I know of - and he's still going strong and now embarked on No. 11.

Oh sorry Johan, I got that wrong I thought that you were referring to the newish CD I recently purchased, but I just checked and it has symphonies 6 and 7, so I haven't heard No. 9 yet. 

I consider 3 and 4 to be masterpieces and the return of the 'prevailing wind' motto theme at the end of No.4 is overwhelming and I find it very moving. No. 3, which reminds me a bit of Tubin and Raid  (Lilburn has also been mentioned), though it is an absolutely original work, is an out-and-out masterpiece in my view.

He sent me an absolutely delightful letter when I wrote to him c/o RTE Dublin to say how much the Marco Polo disc meant to me. He said that as he had just delivered his 8th Symphony for performance he was feeling a bit vulnerable and had therefore appreciated my letter. 

[Christo]

Oh sorry Johan, I got that wrong I thought that you were referring to the newish CD I recently purchased, but I just checked and it has symphonies 6 and 7, so I haven't heard No. 9 yet. 

I consider 3 and 4 to be masterpieces and the return of the 'prevailing wind' motto theme at the end of No.4 is overwhelming and I find it very moving. No. 3, which reminds me a bit of Tubin and Raid  (Lilburn has also been mentioned), though it is an absolutely original work, is an out-and-out masterpiece in my view.

He sent me an absolutely delightful letter when I wrote to him c/o RTE Dublin to say how much the Marco Polo disc meant to me. He said that as he had just delivered his 8th Symphony for performance he was feeling a bit vulnerable and had therefore appreciated my letter. 

Again, great to learn. I think I read about his letter to you before, but with the detail added, the story becomes even greater. Yes, symphonies nos. 6 and 7 are equally impressive as nos. 3 and 4, but the same applies to nos. 9 and 10, also recently released. No. 10 coupled with no. 5, that I still have to listen to. Given that nos. 1 and 2 are on Youtube - but none of them as impressive as no. 3, Joie de vivre, which is simply georgeous - we only have to wait for a recording of no. 8 for a complete cycle. Great symphonist, and I mean it. 

[vandermolen]

Again, great to learn. I think I read about his letter to you before, but with the detail added, the story becomes even greater. Yes, symphonies nos. 6 and 7 are equally impressive as nos. 3 and 4, but the same applies to nos. 9 and 10, also recently released. No. 10 coupled with no. 5, that I still have to listen to. Given that nos. 1 and 2 are on Youtube - but none of them as impressive as no. 3, Joie de vivre, which is simply georgeous - we only have to wait for a recording of no. 8 for a complete cycle. Great symphonist, and I mean it. 

Have just listened to the great 3 and 4 and now listening to No. 7 which I am very fond of. Your PM box is full but I emailed you about the letter.

[Guido]

Bruckner's is the only one of these which I love throughout. The finale of Beethoven 9 has to be one of the weakest movements in all his output, and in common with a lot of people, Mahler 9 is a let down for me after the astonishing first movement. The others I also like very much, but all have their patches of padding, despite being very special.

[Ken B]

Bruckner's is the only one of these which I love throughout. The finale of Beethoven 9 has to be one of the weakest movements in all his output, and in common with a lot of people, Mahler 9 is a let down for me after the astonishing first movement. The others I also like very much, but all have their patches of padding, despite being very special.

+1

Try the Simpson ...

[Jay F]

in common with a lot of people, Mahler 9 is a let down for me after the astonishing first movement.

There is no composer I like more than Mahler, and I feel the same way about his Ninth. I like to play the first two CDs of Bernstein's original 3-CD CBS set, such that I hear all of 7 and just the first movement of 9. I like the first movement enough to have voted for Mahler in this poll, however.

[kishnevi]

There is no composer I like more than Mahler, and I feel the same way about his Ninth. I like to play the first two CDs of Bernstein's original 3-CD CBS set, such that I hear all of 7 and just the first movement of 9. I like the first movement enough to have voted for Mahler in this poll, however.

Interesting.  For me it is the two inner movements which are truly special, while the first is essentially a lead-in to the rest, and the final movement the grand payoff.

[Gurn Blanston]

Favorite 9th... hmm, tough choice. It's either Kletzki on modern instruments or Herreweghe on PI... I always hate to commit to these questions. 

[not edward]

Interesting.  For me it is the two inner movements which are truly special, while the first is essentially a lead-in to the rest, and the final movement the grand payoff.

I think the Ninth can be balanced, but most conductors don't manage to pull it off (in my opinion even CSO/Boulez fails here with a painfully intense first movement and then a rapid falling off of intensity). There's something of a similar trap in the first part of the Fifth, where if the performance gives a full payoff to the climax of the second movement, the rest of the work can seem something of an afterthought.

Of all the recordings I know, I find only Maderna manages to milk the first movement yet keep the work balanced, and that's due to a lot of very subtle details plus a very unusual interpretation of the last movement. (More conventionally balanced interpretations would, to me, include Ancerl and Barbirolli.)

[vandermolen]

Bruckner's is the only one of these which I love throughout. The finale of Beethoven 9 has to be one of the weakest movements in all his output, and in common with a lot of people, Mahler 9 is a let down for me after the astonishing first movement. The others I also like very much, but all have their patches of padding, despite being very special.

I love the last movement too.