"100 Greatest Symphonies"

[mn dave]

ps. By the way, Dave, if it's any comfort, I have enjoyed this thread.

Hey, I like my thread. If M doesn't like it, well, that's just...



...just...



fine.

[M forever]

By the way, how do you decide what to listen to at any given time?

I don't really know. Random moods, stuff that I am thinking of because I am reading about it, music I am talking to friends about, special collecting themes which I have, music friends send me etcetc.

BTW, what makes you think you could decide which pieces of music belong on a "top 100" list and in which order?

[mn dave]

BTW, what makes you think you could decide which pieces of music belong on a "top 100" list and in which order?

Oh, I would never attempt it. Way out of my league. I think this list was based on a poll. So, the people have spoken!

Or something...

[M forever]

So if you can't make the list, how can you debate it?

[mn dave]

So if you can't make the list, how can you debate it?

Blow a lot of hot air around.

[M forever]

So that's what you are really here for? You realize that what you are using to blow a lot of hot air around is some people's cultural heritage, do you?

[Kullervo]

And in case you were wondering, my least favorite symphony, with average concert performance timings:
Brian R., Symphony No 2 in F-flat, "The Worst Symphony Ever" [TT: 124:13]
I. Adagio agonizingo [29:31]
II. Vivace vomitante [17:23]
III. Marcia: molto moldo [36:02]
IV. Allegro con colonoscopo [41:17]

This has nothing on my Symphony No. 187 in D-flat minor, "Sinfonia Incontinenzia", in one uncontrollable movement.

[M forever]

That is pretty funny. I have to give you 7.9 for that.

[Kullervo]

That is pretty funny. I have to give you 7.9 for that.

You like me... you really like me! 

[Brian]

This has nothing on my Symphony No. 187 in D-flat minor, "Sinfonia Incontinenzia", in one uncontrollable movement.

Oh, man was that funny  . I think I might have woken my folks up. 

[DavidRoss]

That list absolutely sucks. Allow me to demonstrate:

14. Symphony No. 2 in D major – Jean Sibelius
35. Symphony No. 5 in E flat major – Jean Sibelius
57. Symphony No. 7 in C major – Jean Sibelius
65. Symphony No. 1 in E minor – Jean Sibelius
66. Symphony No. 4 in A minor – Jean Sibelius

The author evidently has some odd ideas regarding Sibelius.

Agreed--he left out #3 & #6, and all seven of them should be in the top 10 (well..top 20 or so, at least)!

[Lethevich]

Further bullshevit (and why is Dvorak's Ninth in the top ten, ahead of the Brahms 4 by the way, if his Seventh and Eight are way down in the 40s?).

It could be assumed that an American compiled the list (not all are as rational as you 0:)) - I've gotten the impression that the 9th is obsessed over there for reasons of its association more than anywhere else.

[The new erato]

The problem is calling it 100 greatest. Without even discussing what's the criteria for greatness.

Calling it "My 100 favorite symphonies" or "Our members 100 favorite symphonies" constitutes no problem whatsoever, and these kinds of lists are always interesting at least for questioning one's own preferences. 

[Christo]

A better idea might be: define the 100 finest among the 193 symphonies - with symphonies 194-200 `in progress' at this moment of writing - by Finnish composer & conductor Leif Segerstam (*1944, Vaasa).

                     

Who's heard all of his 193 symphonies so far, and could recommend us the very best 100 among them?

[mn dave]

Who's heard all of his 193 symphonies so far, and could recommend us the very best 100 among them?

I've heard 0.

[Christo]

I've heard 0.

The Nullte, indeed! Almost as great as Bruckner's !  And what about the other 193?

[Grazioso]

What would be much more interesting and challenging to generate would be the "100 greatest symphonies by 100 different composers". It would probably be more useful for beginners, too, because if they're serious about exploring classical music, they'll just buy up and listen to all of the symphonies by LvB, Brahms, Sibelius, and the other big names without needing some list to help them. (Easy to do with so many top-notch, dirt-cheap box sets out there.)

Then they'd have good suggestions for further exploration and might check out works by Aho, Arnold, Atterberg, Balakirev, Bantock, Bax, Diamond, Hanson, Harris, Honegger, Hovhaness, Huber, Kokkonen, Korngold, Kraus, Madetoja, Mathias, Miaskovksy, Norgard, Pärt, Pettersson, Rautavaara, Rorem, Roussel, Smith, or Svendsen--to name a few I've enjoyed.

[mn dave]

The Nullte, indeed! Almost as great as Bruckner's !  And what about the other 193?

Perhaps if you send me copies.

[mn dave]

What would be much more interesting and challenging to generate would be the "100 greatest symphonies by 100 different composers". It would probably be more useful for beginners, too, because if they're serious about exploring classical music, they'll just buy up and listen to all of the symphonies by LvB, Brahms, Sibelius, and the other big names without needing some list to help them. (Easy to do with so many top-notch, dirt-cheap box sets out there.)

Interesting and challenging, yes. Useful for beginners? I'm not so sure. Beginners might not know that Brahms wrote symphonies or even who Sibelius is.

IMO, of course.

[DavidRoss]

I don't use the term "great" as loosely as some...the very title of this thread gave me pause, as I doubt there are more than a few dozen symphonies I'd consider "great."  And now we can put those worms back in the can, please.