Five exceptionally fine first symphonies

[LKB]

... I'm not too enamored with Mahler's 1st or I'd definitely would have chosen it. The same goes for Bruckner.

And yet Mahler is one of your Desert Island Three. This leads me to suspect that you've yet to encounter that one recording or performance which will " turn the piece on " for you.

But l think it will happen for you someday, and l envy you the experience once it occurs.

,

LKB

[Brahmsian]

Dvořák (I've always loved this symphony and never understood/agreed with the criticism of it)

Same here. I love it. Especially love the schrezo third movement.

[kyjo]

I eliminated "only one symphony" composers just to make it easier to choose 

I did too - that would've opened up a whole new world of possibilities!

[kyjo]

Sibelius (I'm choosing the E minor, but I'm not sure if Kullervo counts like his genuine first)
Walton
Langgaard
Rubbra
Lutoslawski

Then: Nielsen, Arnold, Weingartner, Melartin, Glazunov

Good point regarding Sibelius. I always forget Kullervo exists, for some reason...it's a fine piece!

The Rubbra and Lutoslawski are interesting choices. The Lutoslawski is a spiky, playful work, not a masterpiece like the Concerto for Orchestra but still very good. I must admit I don't know the Rubbra at all.

[Mirror Image]

And yet Mahler is one of your Desert Island Three. This leads me to suspect that you've yet to encounter that one recording or performance which will " turn the piece on " for you.

But l think it will happen for you someday, and l envy you the experience once it occurs.

,

LKB

Oh, allow to me reiterate: I think Mahler's 1st is a good symphony, but I just don't like it as well as his 2nd for example. I've heard some outstanding performances of the 1st make no mistake about it --- from Kubelik to Bernstein to Haitink et. al. As you mentioned, I guess it just hasn't clicked yet, but I'll certainly not give up on it.

[Mirror Image]

Same here. I love it. Especially love the schrezo third movement.

Indeed. A fantastic piece all-around.

[vandermolen]

New List (probably the same as the old one - but let's see  )

Klaus Egge
Walton
David Diamond
Shchedrin
Alwyn

[TheGSMoeller]

Let's see...(in no particular order):

Dvořák (I've always loved this symphony and never understood/agreed with the criticism of it)

Same here. I love it. Especially love the schrezo third movement.

Dvorak's 1st certainly has the best opening of any of his symphonies, that horn call is fierce. Especially from the Jarvi/SNO recording.

[Brian]

Dvorak's 1st certainly has the best opening of any of his symphonies, that horn call is fierce. Especially from the Jarvi/SNO recording.

That's stiff competition, given that Dvorak was really good at openings - the sheer melody of 5 and 8, the mystery of 4, the snarly nastiness of 7, the "how on earth will he turn this into a symphony" of 3 and 6.

I've recently wondered if he got the horn call idea in the First from prior knowledge of fellow Czech composer Kalliwoda's Fifth. But I'm not sure the Kalliwoda piece ever got performed where Dvorak could hear it. Might just be a cool coincidence.

[TheGSMoeller]

That's stiff competition, given that Dvorak was really good at openings - the sheer melody of 5 and 8, the mystery of 4, the snarly nastiness of 7, the "how on earth will he turn this into a symphony" of 3 and 6.

I've recently wondered if he got the horn call idea in the First from prior knowledge of fellow Czech composer Kalliwoda's Fifth. But I'm not sure the Kalliwoda piece ever got performed where Dvorak could hear it. Might just be a cool coincidence.

Brian, the real reason its the best opening is because as a former horn player I get real excited for multiple forte horns. That's enough to win the argument right there.

I like your "mystery of the 4th" description. The opening 2 minutes or so sound like an overture to the rest of the symphony, it covers so much in such a short time.