What are your 25 favorite symphonies?

[Symphonic Addict]

I have the CD's of Soderling's No, 2, 3, 4 and maybe another one (going off memory so these might be all) from when they were commercially available and there were several on youtube.  Otherwise, I read the scores and his 6 and 9 are quite epic.  For example, no. 9 is hour long with soloists, choir, and large orchestra. No. 6 has very large orchestra, lasts 55 minutes, 2 sets of timpani, six horns, etc.  There is also a very fine and dramatic early tone poem I really like that I can't find online but have on CD called Taurmusik. 

As for Derek Bourgeois, we were friends for the last 10 year of his life and he sent me many of the early ones which were recorded in the 1960's-80's.  After that all his symphonies only exist digitally or in wind band arrangements because he had considerably better chances getting the wind arrangements performed but the orchestral versions were the originals as intended.  Derek's Symphony No. 9 is a four movement work lasting two hours but the finale is in itself almost an entire 40 minute symphony made up of a grand passacaglia.  His Symphony No. 42 is in three giant movements (each lasting about an hour) and features soloists and choirs of the creation, life on earth, and eventual destruction.   It is available only in computer mock-up version once he stopped trying to have his orchestral music performed he just composed becoming incredibly prolific.  Choral music doesn't work with computer mockup because all the voices and soloists just sing "Ahhh" so you have to be very used to hearing this to understand how it would sound but maybe one day we'll get a performance.

The Soderlind seem tremendous, above all the 6th with the timpani and the horns! It's a shame this composer doesn't get more exposure, because he's certainly very worth exploring. Thanks for responding!

[Christo]

Soderling

Soderling's

Apparently you found it even harder to type -ind instead of -ing.  Typing an ø is an accomplishment we won't share with the Anglo-Saxon world (the ø-gadget would soon be only commercially available, no doubt).  Ragnar Søderlind it is, whether you like it, or not. 

Errr, still all about one Ragnar Søderlind, I presume? 

[Symphonic Addict]

Errr, still all about one Ragnar Søderlind, I presume? 

The composer must be too offended by our terrible lack of respect regarding his spelling. 

[relm1]

Errr, still all about one Ragnar Søderlind, I presume? 

I am ignoring you because you are being very rude.  Do you want me to call out each of your American idioms?  I don't know how to type international letters and you are being an ass about it.  Not only that, I have very bad vision and get English letters wrong too.  So tell me every time I get my own letters wrong please even when I can't see it. 

[relm1]

The Soderlind seem tremendous, above all the 6th with the timpani and the horns! It's a shame this composer doesn't get more exposure, because he's certainly very worth exploring. Thanks for responding!

He is disappointed about this too!  Like Derek Bourgeois, he is composing many work with little hope for performance such as his massive oratorio, The Wasteland, and his symphony No. 9. 

[some guy]

I am ignoring you because you are being very rude.  Do you want me to call out each of your American idioms?  I don't know how to type international letters and you are being an ass about it.  Not only that, I have very bad vision and get English letters wrong too.  So tell me every time I get my own letters wrong please even when I can't see it.

Hold down the "o" key. Do you get a wee window with selections? I get ô, ö, ò, ó, œ, ø, ō, and õ, though since they appear in blue, they're a bit less easy to see than the usual black letters.

Also "g" and "d" are not "international" letters.

Also also, calling Christo rude is inarguably rude, whereas what Christo said could be taken in a variety of ways, none of them pertinent. Only what he says is pertinent, not how he says it. That's why "ad hominem" is considered a logical fallacy; that's why "ad hominem" is considered off-limits at GMG (and most other online discussion forums).

[steve ridgway]

Hold down the "o" key. Do you get a wee window with selections? I get ô, ö, ò, ó, œ, ø, ō, and õ, though since they appear in blue, they're a bit less easy to see than the usual black letters.

Ōh thãt'š gøöd Ī ñėvēr kńęŵ åłl thēśê ŵèrê hëré .

[Christo]

I am ignoring you because you are being very rude.  Do you want me to call out each of your American idioms?

#yep

Ōh thãt'š gøöd Ī ñėvēr kńęŵ åłl thēśê ŵèrê hëré .

All wrong .. 

[Maestro267]

If I hold the o button it just goes oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[vandermolen]

My new list (without consulting my old one) - displacement activity 

Bruckner: Symphony No.8
Weinberg: Symphony No. 5
Shostakovich: Symphony 8
Arnell: Symphony No.3
Mahler: Symphony No.9
Tubin: Symphony 2 'Legendary'
Suk: Asrael Symphony
Moyzes: Symphony No.7
Egge: Symphony No.1
Miaskovsky: Symphony No.3
Eshpai: Symphony No.5
Glazunov: Symphony No.8
Gliere: 'Ilya Murometz'
Walton: Symphony No.1
Soderlind: Symphony No.8
Norgard: 'Sinfonia Austera'
Kinsella: Symphony No.4 'The Four Provinces'
Honegger: Symphony No.3 'Liturgique'
Vaughan Williams: 'A Sea Symphony'
Shostakovich: Symphony 13 'Babi Yar'
Bloch: Symphony in C Minor
Sibelius: Symphony No.7
Popov: Symphony No.1
Holmboe: Symphony No.10
Rosenberg: Symphony No.2 'Sinfonia Grave'

[Total Rafa]

Beethoven: 5, 7
Bruckner: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Mahler: 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10
Martinů: 4, 6
Nielsen: 3, 5
Rautavaara: 7
Sibelius: 2, 7
Shostakovich: 4, 5, 15
Strauss: Alpine
Tchaikovsky: 6

These are all epic, whatever that means!

[Symphonic Addict]

My new list (without consulting my old one) - displacement activity 

Bruckner: Symphony No.8
Weinberg: Symphony No. 5
Shostakovich: Symphony 8
Arnell: Symphony No.3
Mahler: Symphony No.9
Tubin: Symphony 2 'Legendary'
Suk: Asrael Symphony
Moyzes: Symphony No.7
Egge: Symphony No.1
Miaskovsky: Symphony No.3
Eshpai: Symphony No.5
Glazunov: Symphony No.8
Gliere: 'Ilya Murometz'
Walton: Symphony No.1
Soderlind: Symphony No.8
Norgard: 'Sinfonia Austera'
Kinsella: Symphony No.4 'The Four Provinces'
Honegger: Symphony No.3 'Liturgique'
Vaughan Williams: 'A Sea Symphony'
Shostakovich: Symphony 13 'Babi Yar'
Bloch: Symphony in C Minor
Sibelius: Symphony No.7
Popov: Symphony No.1
Holmboe: Symphony No.10
Rosenberg: Symphony No.2 'Sinfonia Grave'

The VW seems the one has more grandeur, so it suits very good. Curious your mention of the Miaskovsky. Glazunov, yes! His most visionary definitely (besides the fragment of the 9th).

[Symphonic Addict]

Beethoven: 5, 7
Bruckner: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Mahler: 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10
Martinů: 4, 6
Nielsen: 3, 5
Rautavaara: 7
Sibelius: 2, 7
Shostakovich: 4, 5, 15
Strauss: Alpine
Tchaikovsky: 6

These are all epic, whatever that means!

Maybe I would exclude Mahler 10 and Shostakovich 15. The rest looks fine. 

[Symphonic Addict]

I should make some changes by focusing in more sense of grandeur or struggle as I get the epic term:

Atterberg: 2
Bax: 1
Bloch: in C sharp minor
Brian: 1
Bruckner: 8
Casella: 2
Gliere: 3
Khachaturian: 2
Korngold: in F sharp
Langgaard: 1, 6
Lloyd: 4
Lyatoshinsky: 3
Mahler: 6
Melartin: 3
Nielsen, Carl: 4, 5
Nielsen, Ludolf: 3
Raid: 1
Shostakovich: 11
Sibelius: 7
Steinberg: 2
Taneyev: 4
Tubin: 2
Walton: 1

[vandermolen]

I should make some changes by focusing in more sense of grandeur or struggle as I get the epic term:

Atterberg: 2
Bax: 1
Bloch: in C sharp minor
Brian: 1
Bruckner: 8
Casella: 2
Gliere: 3
Khachaturian: 2
Korngold: in F sharp
Langgaard: 1, 6
Lloyd: 4
Lyatoshinsky: 3
Mahler: 6
Melartin: 3
Nielsen, Carl: 4, 5
Nielsen, Ludolf: 3
Raid: 1
Shostakovich: 11
Sibelius: 7
Steinberg: 2
Taneyev: 4
Tubin: 2
Walton: 1

I can honestly say that I agree with every one of these Cesar! However, I've only heard extracts from Nilelsen L's Symphony No.3 on You Tube which sounded very impressive. I've ordered a CD of Symphony No.2 (CPO) as it was considerably cheaper. I might have gone for Langgaard's 4th Symphony but No.6 is my other favourite. Bax's No.5 has an 'epic' quality I think, especially in Raymond Leppard's recording on Lyrita. I might have gone for Atterberg No.5 'Funebre' which is probably my favourite of his cycle.

[Dima]

I can name best epic Russian symphonies in my view because it's my homeland:

Anton Rubinstein - 4
Tchaikovsky - 4, Manfred
Glazunov - 3
Rachmaninov - 2
Prokofiev - 6
Shostakovich - 7, 10

[Total Rafa]

Maybe I would exclude Mahler 10 and Shostakovich 15. The rest looks fine. 

In that case would add in Messiaen Turangalila and Brahms 4.   

[André]

I can name best epic Russian symphonies in my view because it's my homeland:

Anton Rubinstein - 4
Tchaikovsky - 4, Manfred
Glazunov - 3
Rachmaninov - 2
Prokofiev - 6
Shostakovich - 7, 10

Nice choice! Never heard the Rubinstein, so I'll investigate. The Prokofiev 6 is terrific in the concert hall.

[Symphonic Addict]

I can honestly say that I agree with every one of these Cesar! However, I've only heard extracts from Nilelsen L's Symphony No.3 on You Tube which sounded very impressive. I've ordered a CD of Symphony No.2 (CPO) as it was considerably cheaper. I might have gone for Langgaard's 4th Symphony but No.6 is my other favourite. Bax's No.5 has an 'epic' quality I think, especially in Raymond Leppard's recording on Lyrita. I might have gone for Atterberg No.5 'Funebre' which is probably my favourite of his cycle.

In terms of epicness I do prefer the Langgaard's 6th (though I love both to the bone)! I've listened to Atterberg and I've felt myself a bit tired of hearing too many epic symphonies lately. 

[Dima]

Nice choice! Never heard the Rubinstein, so I'll investigate.

I have only one adequate recording of it (it is not from CD or youtube). If you ask I could download it in on forum. It is interesting for me your's opinion.