Your 2 or 3 Favorite Symphonies

[USMC1960s]

I started the Beethoven symphonies thread, and one about Mozart a few days ago, and now ask for your favorite 2 or 3 or 4 symphonies by any composer.

Not just idly asking general questions, but am continuing to explore classical music, which for me is a never ending quest.

As I've said before, I am at a loss to understand just how much musical knowledge there is on the part of members here, but that was somewhat explained to me by a member a few weeks ago when he told me that there are quite a few professional musicians here.

I've been listening for a number of years, and am still exploring various composers and their works. As I stated before, every time I come on the forum I learn something new. When you get into discussions about the various nuances of Tchaikovsky symphonies and the subtle and not so subtle differences between different recordings, that leaves me in the dust, but otherwise I try to follow the different discussions as best I can.

[Mirror Image]

Some of my favorite symphonists are Shostakovich, Vaughan Williams, Sibelius, and Nielsen. For Shostakovich, my favorites remain Nos. 4-11 & 15. For Vaughan Williams, my favorites are 3, 5, 6, & 8. My favorites from Sibelius are 4-7. For Nielsen, I always turn to the 3-6. Outside of these symphonies, here are some favorites (in no particular order):

Schnittke: 3-5, 8
Prokofiev: 2, 5-7
Honegger: 2, 3, 5
Martinu: all of them (no joke!)
Mahler: 4, 5, 7, 9
Bruckner: 4-6, 9
Brahms: all of them, esp. 4
Dvorak: 7-9
Roussel: 3
Walton: 1
Elgar: 2
Casella: 3
Myaskovsky: 20-27
Weinberg: 3-6, 17
Tchaikovsky: 5, 6
Milhaud: 6
Holmboe: 3
Pettersson: 7
Scriabin: 3
W. Schuman: 3, 5, 8
Diamond: 3, 4
Ives: Holidays, 4
Copland: 3
Barber: both symphonies
Chavez: 1, 2, 4
Stravinsky: all of them
Hartmann: all of them but still having trouble with the 8th
Langgaard: 6
Webern: Symphony (only symphony he composed)
Schoenberg: Chamber Symphonies 1 & 2

[North Star]

Hm, tonight's picks for this silly topic:
Mozart 41st
Beethoven 9th
Brahms 4th
Sibelius 6th

E: I think I and John interpreted the topic rather differently..

[Ken B]

Some of my favorite symphonists are Shostakovich, Vaughan Williams, Sibelius, and Nielsen. For Shostakovich, my favorites remain Nos. 4-11 & 15. For Vaughan Williams, my favorites are 3, 5, 6, & 8. My favorites from Sibelius are 4-7. For Nielsen, I always turn to the 3-6. Outside of these symphonies, here are some favorites (in no particular order):

Schnittke: 3-5, 8
Prokofiev: 2, 5-7
Honegger: 2, 3, 5
Martinu: all of them (no joke!)
Mahler: 4, 5, 7, 9
Bruckner: 4-6, 9
Brahms: all of them, esp. 4
Dvorak: 7-9
Roussel: 3
Walton: 1
Elgar: 2
Casella: 3
Myaskovsky: 20-27
Weinberg: 3-6, 17
Tchaikovsky: 5, 6
Milhaud: 6
Holmboe: 3
Pettersson: 7
Scriabin: 3
W. Schuman: 3, 5, 8
Diamond: 3, 4
Ives: Holidays, 4
Copland: 3
Barber: both symphonies
Chavez: 1, 2, 4
Stravinsky: all of them
Hartmann: all of them but still having trouble with the 8th
Langgaard: 6
Webern: Symphony (only symphony he composed)
Schoenberg: Chamber Symphonies 1 & 2

Judging from the thread title, I conclude John failed math.

[Mirror Image]

Judging from the thread title, I conclude John failed math.

I just couldn't help myself.

[Jay F]

Mine are by Mahler: Nos. 6, 2, and 3.

[Gurn Blanston]

Haydn 92, Mozart 40, Beethoven 3, Schubert 8 (Unfinished).

Mundane, I know, but I like 'em.

[bhodges]

Bruckner 8
Mahler 6
Ives 4

--Bruce

[Daverz]

Hartmann: all of them but still having trouble with the 8th

Have you heard the Kubelik/DG recording?  It was in the Kubelik "Originals" box, and was available separately from Japan at one time.  I learned it from the DG Lp before that.

Ah, symphonies... found this while googling:

http://www.symphs.com/index.html

Nice web design.

A choice of only 3 is bound to be somewhat arbitrary in some way.

Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique
Nielsen: Symphony No. 5
Sessions: Symphony No. 3

[lisa needs braces]

Mahler's Resurrection
Symphonie Fantastique
Brahms' 1st piano concerto

[some guy]

Judging from the thread title, I conclude John failed math.

I was just going to say how much I liked John's interpretation of "2 or 3."

Heck. I'll just do it, anyway. I really liked John's interpretation of "2 or 3."

[Lisztianwagner]

Beethoven: Symphony No.9
Mahler: Symphony No.6
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.6
Sibelius: Symphony No.5

[Jo498]

"For large values of 3"

[Sergeant Rock]

Top 6

Brahms 4
Sibelius 5
Mahler 6
Vaughan Williams 4
Nielsen 3
Bruckner 3


Sarge

[some guy]

But seriously, how can anyone who has heard more than say a dozen symphonies possibly have 2 or 3 (or even 4) favorite symphonies?

I can imagine that someone who's heard only a few could have a couple of favorites.

I can imagine that someone who doesn't really like music all that much having a couple of favorites.

That's it. I can't imagine anything else.

No, I'm with John on this one. And even his list seemed pitifully small to me. (Seemed pitifully small to him, too, no doubt. Or so I'm hoping.)

[Gurn Blanston]

But seriously, how can anyone who has heard more than say a dozen symphonies possibly have 2 or 3 (or even 4) favorite symphonies?

I can imagine that someone who's heard only a few could have a couple of favorites.

I can imagine that someone who doesn't really like music all that much having a couple of favorites.

That's it. I can't imagine anything else.

No, I'm with John on this one. And even his list seemed pitifully small to me. (Seemed pitifully small to him, too, no doubt. Or so I'm hoping.)

Which is the essential problem with 'Favorite' or 'Top X' lists. For me, they usually only relate to today, tomorrow, who knows? 

[Sergeant Rock]

That's it. I can't imagine anything else.

You obviously lack imagination 

I approach this kind of list as if it were the hypothetical desert island game. If I had to choose, what would those choices be? I have literally hundreds of favorite symphonies (and hundreds of favorite composers)...but the op asked for a small number, not an unwieldy, and basically worthless list like John's (I think he even included the kitchen sink). The ones I picked have been part of my life for 50 years; have been special from my first encounter with them, and have never lost their luster.

Sarge

[Brian]

But seriously, how can anyone who has heard more than say a dozen symphonies possibly have 2 or 3 (or even 4) favorite symphonies?

I can imagine that someone who's heard only a few could have a couple of favorites.

I can imagine that someone who doesn't really like music all that much having a couple of favorites.

That's it. I can't imagine anything else.

No, I'm with John on this one. And even his list seemed pitifully small to me. (Seemed pitifully small to him, too, no doubt. Or so I'm hoping.)

I agree with you. There is a Top Ten Favorite Symphonies thread elsewhere on this board, and that was difficult enough.

I guess if I could only take three symphonies to a desert island, on penalty of death, I'd choose Beethoven's Seventh, Brahms' Fourth, and, uhhhh... probably something really long, to pass more time, like Rach 2 or Mahler 3 or Bruckner 6-7.

[mc ukrneal]

But seriously, how can anyone who has heard more than say a dozen symphonies possibly have 2 or 3 (or even 4) favorite symphonies?

I can imagine that someone who's heard only a few could have a couple of favorites.

I can imagine that someone who doesn't really like music all that much having a couple of favorites.

That's it. I can't imagine anything else.

No, I'm with John on this one. And even his list seemed pitifully small to me. (Seemed pitifully small to him, too, no doubt. Or so I'm hoping.)

I cannot understand you (or MI). It is a small number, but how can you not be able to pick a top 2 or 3 (or at least something close to it)?  Why can't you narrow it down? I don't see much use in a long list (not that the question will lead us to a deep conversation, but a short list is at least manageable for those interested). if you have 50 favorites, well then none of them are favorites.

My 2 favorites:
Tchaikovsky 5
Schumann 4

[(poco) Sforzando]

Simply edit out "2 or 3" from the thread title and all is solved.