List favourite symphonies 1-10 by different composers:

[Madiel]

I'm not sure I even have enough to go around without playing a bit fast and loose.

Which is depressing. I mean, I know I do technically have enough, but I'm not going to whack in an early Haydn that I've only just heard, or the Schumann ones I've just heard which I know I liked but which I can't immediately tell apart, or the Nielsen ones which I've just heard that are slightly blurred together.

So here's what I came up with from works where I can think "yes, that one, I know for certain which one I'm talking about". And being strategic to fill certain gaps.

Rachmaninov 1
Brahms 2
Vine 3
Nørgård 4
Nielsen 5
Sibelius 6
Dvorak 7
Beethoven 8
Holmboe 9
Shostakovich 10


But really that's rough as guts.

[Turner]

I'm not sure I even have enough to go around without playing a bit fast and loose.

(...)
Rachmaninov 1
Brahms 2
Vine 3
Nørgård 4
Nielsen 5
Sibelius 6
Dvorak 7
Beethoven 8
Holmboe 9
Shostakovich 10

But really that's rough as guts.

Very interesting, since I find Nørgård´s 4th by far his most difficult one (I have the Panula and Segerstam recordings).

[Madiel]

Very interesting, since I find Nørgård´s 4th by far his most difficult one (I have the Panula and Segerstam recordings).

Well, as I noted elsewhere, the recent Da Capo recording gets through the 2nd movement twice as fast as Segerstam does, making it into a radically different piece. I didn't listen to the whole of the Segerstam online, but I did listen to the transition between movements and... for me it just lacked the sense of contrast which is the whole point of the piece from what I've read.

For me, on a first run through all the symphonies, it was the one in transition between the more recognisably structured earlier symphonies and the very abstract late ones. And more than anything else I was extremely taken with the evocations of birds in the 1st movement. It was one of those things where I could just hear it, hear that it was a depiction of a garden.

There's also an element of picking it because it was a convenient slot for 4th. It's not genuinely my favourite 4th symphony, Beethoven and Sibelius would easily beat it. But I did like it a lot, it's not a "grit my teeth" kind of choice.

[Turner]

Well, as I noted elsewhere, the recent Da Capo recording gets through the 2nd movement twice as fast as Segerstam does, making it into a radically different piece. I didn't listen to the whole of the Segerstam online, but I did listen to the transition between movements and... for me it just lacked the sense of contrast which is the whole point of the piece from what I've read.

For me, on a first run through all the symphonies, it was the one in transition between the more recognisably structured earlier symphonies and the very abstract late ones. And more than anything else I was extremely taken with the evocations of birds in the 1st movement. It was one of those things where I could just hear it, hear that it was a depiction of a garden.

There's also an element of picking it because it was a convenient slot for 4th. It's not genuinely my favourite 4th symphony, Beethoven and Sibelius would easily beat it. But I did like it a lot, it's not a "grit my teeth" kind of choice.

I thought that it could might be related to the new recording 
I´m not the biggest fan of Segerstam, but I like his 5th (the only 5th I know), however for example I prefer Dausgaard in the 3rd, and Gardelli in the 1st.

[Madiel]

I bought the Da Capo set lock, stock and barrel.

I haven't in general listened to other versions. However, I had listened to Segerstam's 3rd online, before listening to Dausgaard's the same way, and I responded to Dausgaard far more. That was in fact what made me interested in buying recordings.

EDIT: Now I'm feeling like listening to them all. Given the difficulty I'm likely to have sleeping in this heat, it might be a decent use of my time...

[Turner]

I bought the Da Capo set lock, stock and barrel.

I haven't in general listened to other versions. However, I had listened to Segerstam's 3rd online, before listening to Dausgaard's the same way, and I responded to Dausgaard far more. That was in fact what made me interested in buying recordings.

EDIT: Now I'm feeling like listening to them all. Given the difficulty I'm likely to have sleeping in this heat, it might be a decent use of my time...

Here, it´s too snowy and cold to get outdoors, if one can avoid it 

[Madiel]

Here, it´s too snowy and cold to get outdoors, if one can avoid it 

The next two days here, the forecast is 41C (106F). If it happens I think it will be the hottest I've ever personally experienced.

[Mirror Image]

Thanks John - it's an unsung 'Great American Third Symphony'. American composers always write great third symphonies  ( actually that sounds like something Snoopy might say in Charlie Brown ( )
Anyway, yes it's great - it made me write a fan letter to the composer via Delos many years ago - although I gather he was supposed to be a bit 'difficult' he sent me a very sweet reply which I treasure. Well John, if you can do list No.2 so can I - especially as I am the supremo behind this thread. So, here goes:

No.1 Klaus Egge
No.2 Glazunov
No.3 Honegger 
No.4 Braga Santos
No.5 Weinberg
No.6 Vaughan Williams
No.7 Roy Harris
No.8 Vagn Holmboe
No.9 Bruckner
No. 10 Havergal Brian

Leaving out Copland's Third and Nielsen's Fifth was difficult.

Very nice list, Jeffrey. The only one I don't know (or haven't heard rather) is the Klaus Egge. I agree with you about the 'Great American Thirds'. If only Barber, had composed a third symphony. Now that would have been something!

[vandermolen]

I'm not sure I even have enough to go around without playing a bit fast and loose.

Which is depressing. I mean, I know I do technically have enough, but I'm not going to whack in an early Haydn that I've only just heard, or the Schumann ones I've just heard which I know I liked but which I can't immediately tell apart, or the Nielsen ones which I've just heard that are slightly blurred together.

So here's what I came up with from works where I can think "yes, that one, I know for certain which one I'm talking about". And being strategic to fill certain gaps.

Rachmaninov 1
Brahms 2
Vine 3
Nørgård 4
Nielsen 5
Sibelius 6
Dvorak 7
Beethoven 8
Holmboe 9
Shostakovich 10


But really that's rough as guts.

The Rachmaninov Symphony 1 is a favourite of mine too. Must listen to the Vine No.3.

[vandermolen]

Very nice list, Jeffrey. The only one I don't know (or haven't heard rather) is the Klaus Egge. I agree with you about the 'Great American Thirds'. If only Barber, had composed a third symphony. Now that would have been something!

Thank you John - the Barber No.1 would be a candidate here too - my favourite work by him and I like the withdrawn Symphony 2 as well.

[Karl Henning]

I'm not sure I even have enough to go around without playing a bit fast and loose.

Which is depressing. I mean, I know I do technically have enough, but I'm not going to whack in an early Haydn that I've only just heard, or the Schumann ones I've just heard which I know I liked but which I can't immediately tell apart, or the Nielsen ones which I've just heard that are slightly blurred together.

So here's what I came up with from works where I can think "yes, that one, I know for certain which one I'm talking about". And being strategic to fill certain gaps.

Rachmaninov 1
Brahms 2
Vine 3
Nørgård 4
Nielsen 5
Sibelius 6
Dvorak 7
Beethoven 8
Holmboe 9
Shostakovich 10


But really that's rough as guts.

I cannot speak to the Vine or Nørgård.  But as to the rest, a perfectly solid list.

[Mirror Image]

Thank you John - the Barber No.1 would be a candidate here too - my favourite work by him and I like the withdrawn Symphony 2 as well.

I love both of Barber's symphonies. Symphony No. 2 is seriously underrated. I wish more conductors would make this symphony a part of their repertoire.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

I've tried but I just can't, it's hard to remember 


But I know my #1 would be Havergal Brian, #4 would be Korndorf or Ives and #9 would be Mahler, as for the rest 

So much to choose from 

Nørgård? Hersch? Davies? Gerhard? Henze? Schnittke? Stravinsky? Foss?

There are certainly heaps.......do you have a favourite Schnittke or Nørgård symphony which you could finalise on your list?

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Norgard 5,6,7? Hersch? don't know him, Davies? not really, haven't heard Gerhard, all of Henze's are great (especially 5), Schnittke 1,2,6. Stravinsky Symp. in three movements, Foss? not really

There's seriously so much to choose from! 

I think you'd really like Hersch

[kyjo]

Elgar 1
Rachmaninoff 2
Saint-Saens 3
Braga Santos 4
Atterberg 5
Vaughan Williams 6
Sibelius 7
Dvorak 8
Mahler 9
Shostakovich 10

...and an alternate list, 'cause why not?:

Martinu 1
Hanson 2
Honegger 3
Schmidt 4
Arnold 5
Bax 6
Beethoven 7
Glazunov 8
Bruckner 9
Holmboe 10

It really pained me to leave out Brahms and Nielsen, but the competition is just too stiff I hope you guys don't mind me resurrecting old polls, but they're just so fun! (and simultaneously frustrating )

[SymphonicAddict]

Elgar 1
Rachmaninoff 2
Saint-Saens 3
Braga Santos 4
Atterberg 5
Vaughan Williams 6
Sibelius 7
Dvorak 8
Mahler 9
Shostakovich 10

...and an alternate list, 'cause why not?:

Martinu 1
Hanson 2
Honegger 3
Schmidt 4
Arnold 5
Bax 6
Beethoven 7
Glazunov 8
Bruckner 9
Holmboe 10

It really pained me to leave out Brahms and Nielsen, but the competition is just too stiff I hope you guys don't mind me resurrecting old polls, but they're just so fun! (and simultaneously frustrating )

You're right, it's a curious mixture. Great lists indeed. To me, another alternative choice for the 10th symphony is the Langgaard's. Really very good. The E-flat minor key gives a sense of metaphysical power, and Langgaard knew how to use those ideas throughout the work.

[bwv 1080]

1 Walton
2 Schumann
3 Lutoslawski
4 Brahms
5 Schnittke
6 Shostakovitch
7 Beethoven
8 Henze
9 Schubert
10 Mahler

[kyjo]

6 Shostakovitch

Interesting choice! I really like Shostakovich 6 as well - an unfairly maligned work. The brooding first movement is one of his finest creations, and the next two movements, while great fun, are still full of substance.

[bwv 1080]

The brooding first movement is one of his finest creations

Absolutely!

[Mirror Image]

Interesting choice! I really like Shostakovich 6 as well - an unfairly maligned work. The brooding first movement is one of his finest creations, and the next two movements, while great fun, are still full of substance.

Yes! Shostakovich's 6th doesn't get quite the love that it's predecessor or successor has received, but it's a fine work nonetheless. I'm sure it raised a few eyebrows when it was premiered because, perhaps, people were expecting another symphony on same scale as the 5th.