Six favourite last symphonies.

[Keep Going]

I don't yet know what to make of Schnittke's 9th. It's interesting indeed, but I'm not sure how much of it is Schnittke and how much of it is Raskatov.

Yup. I've been meaning to survey his 'late' symphonies again, i.e. No. 6 through No. 9.

However the allmusic review basically said that the 9th is likely pure Schnittke on the basis of the weakness of Raskatov's Nunc dimittis:

http://www.allmusic.com/album/alfred-schnittke-symphony-no-9-alexander-raskatov-nunc-dimittis-mw0001424851

Schnittke's Ninth may or may not be judged the equal or even the superior of his Eighth, but it is vastly better than Raskatov's own Nunc dimittis that accompanies it here. Scored for mezzo-soprano, men's voices, and orchestra and intended as a Tombeau pour M. Schnittke, the Nunc dimittis is extremely loud and exceedingly abrasive. Though effectively performed by Davies and the Dresdner Philharmonie with mezzo-soprano Elena Vassilieva and the Hilliard Ensemble, Raskatov's tribute implicitly diminishes the man it explicitly admires. But after hearing it, the listener can be certain that its composer added nothing of his own music to the score of Schnittke's Ninth.

[vandermolen]

In no particular order:

Shostakovich 15 (Haitink/LPO)
Bruckner 9 (Giulini/Wiener Phil.)
Rachmaninov 3 (Stokowski/National Phil.)
Mahler 9 (Chailly/RCO)
Sibelius 7 (Vanska/Lahti SO)
Nielsen 6 (Oramo/Royal Stockholm Phil.)

Nielsen No.6 is a great choice - a tragic and eloquent work. Glad to see Oramo as the preferred recording. 
Actually I like all your choices.

[vandermolen]

Shostakovich 15 (Sanderling/Cleveland)
Brahms 4 (Kleiber/Vienna)
Schmidt 4 (Mehta/Vienna)
Vaughan Williams 9 (Haitink/LPO)
Mahler 10 (Levine/Philadelphia)
Saint-Saens 3 "Organ" (Barenboim/Chicago)

Terrific choices. Maybe I should have included Copland No.3 as, like Saint-Saens, he only wrote three. Hang on a minute. Symphony for Organ etc, Short Symph., Dance Symph, No.3. Maybe he wrote four but isn't the short one the same as the organ one without the organ!

[Sergeant Rock]

Terrific choices. Maybe I should have included Copland No.3 as, like Saint-Saens, he only wrote three. Hang on a minute. Symphony for Organ etc, Short Symph., Dance Symph, No.3. Maybe he wrote four but isn't the short one the same as the organ one without the organ!

Saint-Saens actually wrote five. Besides the three numbered, there are two unnumbered: Symphony in A major and Symphony in F major "Urbs Roma".

Sarge

[Dee Sharp]

Shostakovich 15
Dvorak 9
Tchaikovsky 6
Beethoven 9
Brahms 4
Saint-Saens 3

[Turner]

There are many, but a good deal of variation would at least be supplied by

Beethoven 9
Bruckner 9
Mahler 10 complete (or 9)
Stravinsky Symphony in 3 Movements
Martinu 6
Shostakovich 15

[André]

Schubert 9
Bruckner 9
Mahler 9
Brahms 4
Arnold 9
Shostakovich 15

It's really hard to leave out obvious favourites like Haydn 104, Beethoven 9, Schumann 4 (actually not his last symphony), Tchaikovsky 6 and Sibelius 7. But that's just a game, so no harm done 

[springrite]

Brahms 4
Ives 4
Bax 7
Beethoven 9
Copland 3 (is this his last?)
Mahler 9

[The new erato]

What about Cesar Franck's d minor?

[springrite]

What about Cesar Franck's d minor?

Last symphony from a composer who composed at least three

[vandermolen]

Saint-Saens actually wrote five. Besides the three numbered, there are two unnumbered: Symphony in A major and Symphony in F major "Urbs Roma".

Sarge

Oh dear, I'm getting it all wrong. I'll have to opt for Bruckner's 10th Symphony instead. 

[vandermolen]

Schubert 9
Bruckner 9
Mahler 9
Brahms 4
Arnold 9
Shostakovich 15

It's really hard to leave out obvious favourites like Haydn 104, Beethoven 9, Schumann 4 (actually not his last symphony), Tchaikovsky 6 and Sibelius 7. But that's just a game, so no harm done 

The Arnold is an inspired choice.

[vandermolen]

Brahms 4
Ives 4
Bax 7
Beethoven 9
Copland 3 (is this his last?)
Mahler 9

I think that the Copland is his last. I thought of including the Bax myself. An under appreciated work. Raymond Leppard's recording on Lyrita is the best version I think. Which is your preferred recording for the Copland Symphony 3 Paul?

[springrite]

I think that the Copland is his last. I thought of including the Bax myself. An under appreciated work. Raymond Leppard's recording on Lyrita is the best version I think. Which is your preferred recording for the Copland Symphony 3 Paul?

I am glad I am not completely alone in loving the Bax 7!

For the Copland 3, I am very happy with the Lenny recording on DG.

[vandermolen]

I am glad I am not completely alone in loving the Bax 7!

For the Copland 3, I am very happy with the Lenny recording on DG.

That was a very quick reply - I had only just typed the question! 
No, I love that valedictory Bax symphony. The epilogue is outstandingly beautiful and poignant - a musical 'farewell' from Bax I think. I have always liked symphonies 4 and 7 which are seen by many as the weakest.

Right, I shall get out my DGG recording of Copland's Third Symphony with Lenny on the podium. I recall thinking it was better than his Sony recording, which I thought was not as good as Copland's fine old Everest recording - one of the first classical works I came to appreciate as my older brother had the LP.

[SymphonicAddict]

Let me see...

Brahms 4
Glière 3
Bantock Celtic Symphony
Tchaikovsky 6
Magnard 4

The last one is difficult... I would choice: Prokofiev 7, VW 9, Sibelius 7 or Copland 3

[Maestro267]

Tchaikovsky 6
Elgar 2 (or Elgar/Payne 3)
Vaughan Williams 9
Shostakovich 15
Bax 7
Arnold 9

[vandermolen]

I like the Maestro267 and SymphonicAddict choices v much.

[North Star]

Shostakovich 15
Sibelius 7
Mahler 9
Brahms 4
Beethoven 9
Mozart 41

[JRJoseph]

Here is my cliche list:

Beethoven 9