Your Favorite Symphonies

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

To be fair if I gave a top 5 it would be one of those boring average lists OP didn't want.

Beethoven 3
Mozart 38
Brahms 3
Dvořák 7
Webern

Webern is the only outside choice and even then, still the best known and highest regarded symphony of the 20th century in compositional and musicological circles.

So instead I listed like 590 symphonies so someone who didn't know some of them could find out more. >_>

What do you mean by 'outside choice?'

[Brian]

What do you mean by 'outside choice?'

Outside the "greatest hits", probably.

Already I've "discovered" symphonies 1 and 6 of Martinu. I had never heard of that composer. No matter how much I learn about classical music, I still feel that I've taken only a hundred or so steps into the vast Sahara and have hundreds upon hundreds of miles to go before reaching the end of it, and the analogy is false, because classical music seems to be endless, while even the Sahara has limits.

Isn't it exciting???

And I was going to tell you that we already had a GMGer named "dave b" and that you should meet him...guess that won't be necessary!

[71 dB]

No matter how much I learn about classical music, I still feel that I've taken only a hundred or so steps into the vast Sahara and have hundreds upon hundreds of miles to go before reaching the end of it, and the analogy is false, because classical music seems to be endless, while even the Sahara has limits.

I have given up "exploring everything". Not going to happen within one lifetime. I am 45 and I have already discovered so much great music (classical and non-classical) I could give away 75 % of it and still have enough music to enjoy the rest of my life. At the same time there is so much I have not discovered and never will. Too much music in the world, we don't live for 1000 or 5000 years! 

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

I have given up "exploring everything". Not going to happen within one lifetime. I am 45 and I have already discovered so much great music (classical and non-classical) I could give away 75 % of it and still have enough music to enjoy the rest of my life. At the same time there is so much I have not discovered and never will. Too much music in the world, we don't live for 1000 or 5000 years! 

I always thought you were 71.....

[vandermolen]

Again, thank you for these lists. They are extremely helpful. Already I've "discovered" symphonies 1 and 6 of Martinu. I had never heard of that composer. No matter how much I learn about classical music, I still feel that I've taken only a hundred or so steps into the vast Sahara and have hundreds upon hundreds of miles to go before reaching the end of it, and the analogy is false, because classical music seems to be endless, while even the Sahara has limits.

But anyway, I have been introduced, via these various lists, to many "new" (to me) composers and works. Thanks very much.-----I was on here about 8 years ago as dave b and have not posted much since, until recently. I remember some of you from back then.

Martinu Symphony 4 is my favourite of his cycle although they are all good. Agree about Shostakovich Symphony 10 which is one of the greatest 20th Century symphonies in my view.

[vandermolen]

 



There are tooooo many!!!  0:)

Okay, let me just make a list of favorite composers who only produced One symphony: at random...

Hans Rott

Bernard Herrmann

Ernst Chausson

Georges Bizet

Richard Wagner

Louis Vierne

Erich Korngold

Irving Fine

Very much agree with Herrmann and Korngold choices.

[Monsieur Croche]

I always thought you were 71.....

Oh, that is sure to win them over as a friend 

To thread duty, with pleasure... a higgledy-piggledy array, with near certain a few already mentioned...

Georges Bizet ~ Symphony in C
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtiOCpSalLw

Camille Saint-Saens ~ Symphony No. 3
Studio recording, Charles Munch conducting the Boston Symphony, is a terrific performance. The finale is gloriously over the top, uses a huge orchestra, two pianos, pipe organ. (You might instantly recognize having heard it without before having known what, or whose, it is.)

Darius Milhaud ~ Six Little Symphonies ("Pocket symphonies, each three movements, five minutes or less for various small instrumental ensembles. Strong, tiny gems.) below, all six, youtube playlist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EsUk1tcLnU&list=PLhQHlPG4E3CwsJAmTCNkWy_x5_mgQQPKb

Claude Debussy ~ La Mer (no quibbling; it analyzes as a formal symphony, regardless of what he called it.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qyO6nhM79E

Gustav Mahler ~ Nos. 1, 4, the first movement Adagio of his uncompleted 10th

Arthur Honegger ~ Symphony no.5 "Di Tre Re." (youtube, Serge Baudo, Czech Philharmonic)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEVSq6Jl5JA

Charles Ives ~ Symphony no. 4 (Michael Tilson-Thomas, conducting)

Roy Harris ~ Symphony No. 11
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Dr_jg-hl0g

Luciano Berio ~ Sinfonia (premiere recording w Berio Conducting)

Carl Nielsen ~ SYmphony no. 54 (already mentioned.)

Lukas Foss ~ SYmphony no. 2, "A Symphony of Chorales"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU1p4Em0hzQ

George Rochberg ~ SYmphony no. 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueRwiK--nTA

Alfredo Casella ~ Symphony No.3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6Q7a9vL8fY

Gian Francesco Malipiero ~ Symphony no.6 for strings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WS20RAw6dw

Alan Hovhaness ~ Symphony No. 2 "Mysterious Mountain" premiere recording, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Fritz Reiner, conducting -- and still (regarded as) the best recorded performance of several now available
[I'm an advocate of all the above, but not an advocate 'for' Hovhaness.' It is just not my cuppa, while you should know of it, may love it and some other pieces by this composer]
Andante con moto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-hfR6CCwe8
Double Fugue (Moderato maestoso, allegro vivo)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYNQ-v5Wrbo
Andante espressivo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-hfR6CCwe8


Best regards.

[vandermolen]

Agree about Honegger Symphony 5 - a very underrated work and composer.

[Monsieur Croche]

Agree about Honegger Symphony 5 - a very underrated work and composer.

...not a symphony, but here is another I place in 'underrated,' or just not nearly enough well-known.

Concertino for piano and orchestra.
https://www.youtube.com/v/nEs0xJnHzbs
or, considering the ongoing 'problem' copy and paste the below URL in to a new window
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEs0xJnHzbs


Best regards.

[USMC1960s]

BRIAN----you were, if you recall, a participant in this thread from back in 2008. Whether it's a classic thread or not, it brought back memories for me. That was the last time I asked such a question.


http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,6833.msg160380.html#msg160380

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Lukas Foss ~ SYmphony no. 2, "A Symphony of Chorales"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU1p4Em0hzQ

This is a symphony I discovered thanks to our very own Monsieur Croche...probably my favourite Lukas Foss composition now.

[vandermolen]

A Top 10 (leaving out the Eroica)

Havergal Brian 1 "Gothic"
Mahler 6
Bruckner 3
Sibelius 5
Nielsen 3
Vaughan Williams 4
Brahms 4
Shostakovich 15
Haydn 99
Ives 2

Largely agree with these choices although I prefer Nielsen's 4-6. Bruckner Symphony 3 and Mahler Symphony 6 are amongst their greatest I think.

[Christo]

Another attempt, in roughly chronological order (leaving Mozart and Beethoven out, at your request)

Wilms 6
Mendelssohn 4 ('Italienische')
Schubert 8 ('Unvollendete')
Tchaikovsky 4, 5, 6
Dvořák  1 ('Zlonické zvony'), 9 ('Z nového světa')
Saint-Saëns 3 ('Orgue') (I know it's ..., but no, it isn't and I love it  )
Bruckner 9 ('Dem lieben Gott gewidmet')
Mahler 6, 7
Schmidt 4
Debussy 'La Mer'
Tournemire 6
Sibelius 4
Miaskovsky 6
Szymanowski 3
Vermeulen 2 (`Prélude à la nouvelle journée')
Madetoja 2
Hindemith 1 ('Mathis der Maler')
Nielsen 3 ('Espansiva'), 4 ('Uudslukkelige'), 5, 6
Langgaard 6 ('Himmelrivende')
Koppel 3
Vaughan Williams 3 ('Pastoral'), 4, 5, 6, 8, 9
Bliss 1 'Colour Symphony'
Brian 1 ('Gothic'), 8, 10
Walton 1
Moeran 1
Goossens 1
Rubbra 10 ('Da camera')
Orthel 2 ('Piccola')
Irgens-Jensen 1
Shostakovich 4, 5, 8, 10, 15
Tubin 4 ('Lirica'), 6, 8
Raid 1
Ben-Haim 2
Schuman 3
Barber 2
Diamond 3
Harris 3
Honegger 3 ('Liturgique'), 4 ('Deliciae basiliensis'), 5 ('Di tre re')
Lilburn 2
Cooke 1
Tippett 2
Bate 3, 4
Alwyn 2
Martinů 4, 5, 6 ('Fantaisies symphoniques')
Freitas Branco 4
Braga Santos 3, 4
Holmboe 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Guarnieri 2 ('Uirapuru'), 3
Górecki 3 ('Pieśni żałosnych')
Englund 4 ('Nostalgica')
Kokkonen 4
Simpson 9
Arnold 7, 9
Kinsella 3, 7

[Jo498]

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/aug/04/beethoven-eroica-greatest-symphony-vote-bbc-mozart-mahler

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-ten-best-symphonies-so-say-the-experts-r2wsqncmb

1. Beethoven Symphony No 3 (1803)
2. Beethoven Symphony No 9 (1824)
3. Mozart Symphony No 41 (1788)
4. Mahler Symphony No 9 (1909)
5. Mahler Symphony No 2 (1894 rev 1903)
6. Brahms Symphony No 4 (1885)
7. Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique (1830)
8. Brahms Symphony No 1 (1876)
9. Tchaikovsky Symphony No 6 (1893)
10. Mahler Symphony No 3 (1896)

FWIW, their 11-20 (note the reverse counting order)

20- Bruckner #7
19- Beethoven #6
18- Brahms #2
17- Shostakovich #5
16- Beethoven #7
15- Mozart #40
14- Sibelius #7
13- Bruckner #8
12- Brahms #3
11- Beethoven #5

They were asking 150 conductorsfor their top 3 (I think) and compiled the lists from those results. Most conspicuous absence for me is Schubert 9th, also surprising that DSCH 5th beat his 4th, 8th or 10th (they asked conductors, not audience), no Bruckner in the top 10 and Mahler's 2nd and 3rd doing so well.

[king ubu]

Not that far yet on my journey into symphonies ... couldn't name a favourite by Sibelius yet, or Dvorák, though I heard most of their symphonies by now and enjoyed them.

So far, I guess:

Beethoven 7 & 8
Mozart 40 & 41
Schubert "Great"
Mendelssohn 4
Brahms 3 & 4
Weinberg 10 (heard it in concert and was really impressed)

not very original, I know 

[Madiel]

Well, this is an interesting exercise partly because it reminds me how many composers' symphonies I myself don't have yet, and want.

Looking through the ones that I do have or know well enough, though, and choosing as spontaneously as possible...

Haydn - 93 and 102
Mozart - 39
Beethoven - 4
Liszt - Faust Symphony I seem to remember liking
Dvorak - 4 and 9
Rachmaninov - 1, or the Symphonic Dances if I may
Sibelius - 4
Mahler - 5
Shostakovich - 13
Holmboe - 8 and 10, and 2 and 5 and 6 and 9 and...
Simpson - 2
Nørgård - 3
Vine - 1

[vandermolen]

Agree with all of Christo's latest choices and would add this one as well as Bloch's early 'Symphony in C sharp minor':
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[asin]B00E3ISHMI[/asin]

[Maestro267]

Carl Nielsen ~ SYmphony no. 54 (already mentioned.)

Holy cow...are there really at least 48 undiscovered Nielsen symphonies?!! 

The majority of the symphonies I'd recommend have already been mentioned at least once. Being Welsh, I have to suggest William Mathias' three symphonies, especially No. 2. Oh, and the six of Arnold Bax (especially the even-numbered ones). All wonderfully orchestrated.

[vandermolen]

Another favoured ten in the same (brotherly ) spirit:

Vaughan Williams 6
(Havergal) Brian 1 'Gothic'
Nielsen 5
Tubin 6
Shostakovich 15
Barber 2
Holmboe 8
(Stanley) Bate 3 (played it again today and was impressed, again)
Braga Santos 3
Arnold 9
Mahler 6

No Kaljo Raid: Symphony 1? 

[asin]B00007JISY[/asin]

[Christo]

No Kaljo Raid: Symphony 1? 

Raid is safely rescued in my long-list, see below. In return: what made you betray your love for Suk's Asrael Symphony? Or Gibbs' 3 Westmorland?