Six favourite eighth symphonies

[vandermolen]

Did I do this already?   

Vaughan Williams
Rautavaara 'The Journey'
Rubbra
Atterberg
Pettersson
Glazunov

[jochanaan]

Perhaps you did, but, anyway:

Beethoven
Bruckner
Schubert
Shostakovich
And, greatest of all:
Mahler "of a Thousand" (In "unpopular opinions" category, but it's my opinion and I'm sticking to it! )

(I know that's only five, and the Schubert is Unfinished; but with Bruckner, Shostakovich and Mahler in the tally, they're equivalent to at least six "normal" symphonies! )

[jochanaan]

Someday when I have time I will listen to the complete Vaughan Williams cycle.

[Christo]

Vaughan Williams
Holmboe
Tubin
Shostakovich
Tournemire
Brian

[Dee Sharp]

Schubert
Shostakovich
Dvorak
Mahler
Beethoven
Miaskovsky

[Green Destiny]

Can't think of 6 - my choices:

Bruckner
Vaughan Williams
Shostakovich
Dvorak

[Sergeant Rock]

Havergal Brian
Vaughan Williams
Dvorak
Bruckner
Mahler
Lloyd

[Mirror Image]

Only two come immediately to mind:

Vaughan Williams
Shostakovich

The rest I'll have to think about as there are many composers who didn't make it this far (numerically speaking of course).

[TheGSMoeller]

Haydn
Beethoven
Bruckner
Schnittke
Glass

And of course... Mahler! His 8th is a gorgeous masterpiece.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Haydn
Beethoven
Bruckner
Schnittke
Glass

And of course... Mahler! His 8th is a gorgeous masterpiece.

Nice to see Glass mentioned! His 8th may just be my favourite of all his orchestral music.

What would I list....

Glass
Bruckner
Shostakovich
Schubert
Vaughan Williams
Mahler

[bhodges]

(Posting again after making a note: never post when tired.  )

In alpha order:

Beethoven
Bruckner
Dvorak
Mahler
Schnittke
Shostakovich

Except for Vaughan Williams, I haven't heard most of the Eighths on Jeffrey and Christo's lists (and would like to, at some point).

--Bruce

[Brian]

Alphabetical

Atterberg
BEETHOVEN
DVORAK
G. Lloyd
Schubert "Great C Major"

...and I must confess that when I search my 2015 listening log for "Symphony No. 8," the only other results are Haydn 80-89!

[vandermolen]

Thanks to all for the interesting replies.  I must listen to the Glass which I don't know. The slow movement of Miaskovsky's 8th Symphony is one of his finest. I like the Tubin but prefer 1-5 + 10. The Tournemire is great, his last one I think. Had my list said 'greatest' I would have definitely included Bruckner, Schubert 'Unfinished', Shostakovich and Dvorak. Ashamed to say that I hardly know the Mahler but hear the epic No.3 in concert a couple of months ago which was a great experience. Agree about George Lloyd too. No.8 is one of the best. Today I have been thoroughly enjoying his valedictory 12th Symphony which is rather Baxian. Oh yes, the Holmboe is great - my introduction to his music on a Turnabout LP (a performance never released on CD as far as I'm aware).

[Maestro267]

Mahler
Shostakovich
Brian
Vaughan Williams
Bruckner
Rubbra

[jochanaan]

...Schubert "Great C Major"...

From the "useless trivia" department: Schubert's Great C Major is actually his #7 or #9, depending on who you ask. Schubert's Eighth, by most accounts, is the Unfinished.

[Brian]

From the "useless trivia" department: Schubert's Great C Major is actually his #7 or #9, depending on who you ask. Schubert's Eighth, by most accounts, is the Unfinished.

Now now, we already had a poll about this!!

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

I go by both counting systems for Schubert, thus in my post I do certainly mean both the Unfinished and Great C major symphonies

[amw]

Beethoven
Bruckner
Dvořák
Mahler Schubert D944
Schnittke
Shostakovich Schubert D759

That's not cheating right?

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

That's not cheating right?

Nooooooo of course it isn't cheating.

[vandermolen]

Alphabetical

Atterberg
BEETHOVEN
DVORAK
G. Lloyd
Schubert "Great C Major"

...and I must confess that when I search my 2015 listening log for "Symphony No. 8," the only other results are Haydn 80-89!

Nice to see another vote for Atterberg. The slow movement is my favourite in all his symphonies.