Favourite Brahms symphony movements

[rappy]

Personally, I'd go for all four final movements. But instead of the #2 symphony finale, I could also pick the first of #2 or #3...

[JoshLilly]

Symphony #3, one of the best symphonies ever. Voted its full ticket!

EDIT: Put it on again after a long time, almost forgot how awesome it really was.

[c#minor]

Symphony No. 3, 3rd Movement. Some of the best music i have ever heard and the most lasting impression Brahms has made on me.

[jwinter]

I find this an odd way to think about Brahms -- it would never occur to me to listen to just one movement (as opposed to Mahler or Bruckner, where I will occasionally do it just because I don't have an hour and a half to spend). 

That said, my favorite has to be the finale of the 1st.  You really haven't lived until you've heard Furtwangler tear into that one.  The very opening bars of the 1st are mighty shiver-inspiring too -- I like Karajan's 60's recording for that.

[c#minor]

I will say the first and fourth of his 1st were heavy in the back of my mind. But there is just something about the 3rd of the 3rd.

[Harry]

I like all movements and all symphonies.

[hornteacher]

Symphony 1 - all four movements.

[BachQ]

4th Sym, first mvt ........ WITHOUT A DOUBT ........

[Brian]

4th Symphony, 1st mvt
4th Symphony, 2nd mvt
4th Symphony, 3rd mvt
4th Symphony, 4th mvt

Glad I wasn't the only person to vote a straight party ticket. 

[AnthonyAthletic]

As movements go, the slow mvt to the 3rd is delectable, but the finale to the 4th (has to be played at a cracking lick ala Furtwangler) simply sends hairs to attention    Amazing.

About an hour before this post I saw a couple of bargains on UK Amazon for the Brahms symphonies, the "3"fer set on EMI with Sawallisch for £1.70 something and the Masur/NYPO 5cd set for £3 on Warner, not that I need another Brahms set, and its the first buy of the year, at these prices...why not.  Also nabbed Jansons EMI Dvorak 5, 7-9 on the EMI "3"fer label for same silly price, but that's another thread.

Wonder if Mark's bought any cds yet 

[(poco) Sforzando]

I prefer 2 and 4 to 1 and 3.

[val]

First Symphony: First Movement, Poco Sostenuto-Allegro (ah, Toscanini!)

2nd Symphony:  The 2nd movement, Adagio non tropo (ah Bruno Walter!)

4th Symphony: First movement, Allegro no tropo (ah Bruno Walter!) / 4th movement, Allegro energico e passionato (ah Carlos Kleiber!)

[hautbois]

4th Sym, first mvt ........ WITHOUT A DOUBT ........

SPOT ON! 

Howard

[Symphonien]

Symphony No. 3, 3rd Movement. Some of the best music i have ever heard and the most lasting impression Brahms has made on me.

Same here.

[Wanderer]

Quite an odd poll; here's what I'd rather listen to at the moment...

#1 - 1st
#1 - 4th
#2 - 4th
#4 - 1st

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

1st: first movement
2nd: second movement
4th: second and fourth movements

(But of course I like all the Brahms symphonies.)

[Bogey]

1st First

[Sergeant Rock]

Symphony No. 3, 3rd Movement.

Another voite for 3/3. Absolutely haunting music.

My other votes:

4/1 (which is Mrs. Rock's favorite bit of Brahms)
4/4
2/1 (love the lullaby-like second subject)

Sarge

[Mozart]

I love the 3rd and 4th movements of the 3rd I once took a math test and listened to Brahms 3rd first and while I was trying to remember integration formulas, the only thing going on in my head was the finale...

[jochanaan]

..."3"fer set on EMI with Sawallisch for £1.70 something...

Which orchestra?  I have some LPs of Sawallisch leading the Vienna Symphony Orchestra in the 4 symphonies, Academic Festival and Tragic Overtures, and the Haydn Variations that must have been recorded no later than the early 1970s (I got them in 1975 or 1976), and they're just about my favorite Brahms recordings, flowing and flexible and singing, with plenty of drama.  Sawallisch and Reiner are my favorite Brahms conductors, along with Carlos Kleiber and Sir Charles Mackerras.

As for which movement is my favorite, I'll say what I've said before: the one I'm listening to!