Please excuse me if this has been done before but here's my list (in no particular order), but as usual, this list is always subject to change:):
1. Shostakovich: Symphony No. 8
2. Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 5
3. Sibelius: Symphony No. 6
4. Milhaud: Symphony No. 6
5. Pettersson: Symphony No. 7
6. Casella: Sinfonia "Symphony No. 3"
7. Schuman: Symphony No. 3
8. Honegger: Symphony No. 3 "Liturgique"
9. Tippett: Symphony No. 2
10. Myaskovsky: Symphony No. 24
Interesting list, John! Just missing one composer... ;)
Shall think about my list and post it tommorow. Good night, John! :)
Quote from: madaboutmahler on May 22, 2012, 02:11:33 PM
Interesting list, John! Just missing one composer... ;)
Shall think about my list and post it tommorow. Good night, John! :)
I wonder who you could be referring to? Hmmm... ;)
Let's see... only ten? I think I could easily name fifty ;D
So... in rough order (and trying not to repeat composers):
Shostakovich: Symphony no. 4
Suk: 'Asrael' Symphony
Copland: Symphony no. 3
Mahler: Symphony no. 9
Vaughan Williams: Symphony no. 4
Nielsen: Symphony no. 5
Schuman: Symphony no. 3
Prokofiev: Symphony no. 6
Martinu: Symphony no. 4
Walton: Symphony no. 1
Nielsen 5, Mahler 9, DSCH 5, 8, 10, Sibelius 4-7, Stravinsky Symphony in 3 movements, Prokofiev 5th, 6th. Well it's not the magic number but who cares! :D
In no special order (and sure to change with my mood):
Mahler - Symphony No. 7
Mahler - Das Lied von der Erde
Prokofiev - Symphony No. 2
Prokofiev - Symphony No. 3
Vaughan Williams - Symphony No. 7 'Antartica'
Vaughan Williams - Symphony No. 8
Shostakovich - Symphony No. 1
Terterian - Symphony No. 3
Terterian - Symphony No. 4 (& possibly more when I finally get to hear them!)
- and, because I can't make up my mind but need to fill out the list -
Schuman - Symphony No. 8
Quote from: DavidW on May 22, 2012, 05:57:08 PM
Nielsen 5, Mahler 9, DSCH 5, 8, 10, Sibelius 4-7, Stravinsky Symphony in 3 movements, Prokofiev 5th, 6th. Well it's not the magic number but who cares! :D
Very nice list, Davey!
Mahler 1 through 10. That was easy 8)
Sarge
This is my not so easy list. I'm sure we've done this before. I wonder what my other list (lists?) look like.
Mahler Symphony #4
Mahler Symphony #6
Nielsen Symphony #3
Shostakovich Symphony #15
Vaughan Williams Symphony #4
Vaughan Williams Symphony #8
Sibelius Symphony #5
Roy Harris Symphony #3
Ives Symphony #2
Havergal Brian Symphony #1 "Gothic"
Sarge
No, I could not possibly devise a list.
(http://www.magle.dk/music-forums/images/smilies/banana.gif)
I will see how many I can list without resorting to Mahler:
Pettersson 7
Shostakovich 11
Sibelius 5
Nielsen 3
Rubbra 3 ( I think... )
Alwyn 1
Carter Symphonia (This is 20th, not 21st century, right?)
Mahler 9
Mahler 7
Mahler 6
Hmmm, interesting thread, and great for finding recommends!
Here's mine:
Webern, Symphony Op.21
R. Strauss, Alpine Symphony
Mahler, Symphony no.7 and no.9
Pfitzner, Symphony in C, Op.46
Ives, Symphony no.2
Wetz, Symphony no.1
Stephen Albert, Symphony riverrun
Bernstein, Symphony no.3 'Kaddish'
Two more candidates for mine:
Korngold: Symphony in F-sharp
Roussel: Symphony no. 2
I'm sure I'll keep adding to the list! :D
Mahler 9
Sibelius 7
Shostakovich 5
Weill 2
Martinu 3
Honegger 5
Roussel 3
Stravinsky /of psalms
Prokofiev 7
Piston 2
Quote from: karlhenning on May 23, 2012, 06:24:03 AM
No, I could not possibly devise a list.
Come on, Karl. Man up! Give us 10!
Sarge
Quote from: Drasko on May 23, 2012, 06:31:31 AM
Mahler 9
Sibelius 7
Shostakovich 5
Weill 2
Martinu 3
Honegger 5
Roussel 3
Stravinsky /of psalms
Prokofiev 7
Piston 2
Does my heart good to see the Prokofiev Seventh in there!
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on May 23, 2012, 06:36:07 AM
Come on, Karl. Man up! Give us 10!
Sarge, you're demanding, but never unfair.
In alphabetical order:
Langgaard, Sinfonia interna
Nielsen, № 3, Sinfonia espansiva, FS60 Op.27
Nielsen, № 6, Sinfonia semplice, FS116
Prokofiev, № 2 in d minor, Op.40
Schnittke, № 4
Shostakovich, № 4 in c minor, Op.43
Shostakovich, № 10 in e minor, Op.93
Sibelius, № 6 in d minor, Op.104
Stravinsky, Symphony in Three Movements
Vaughan Williams, A Pastoral Symphony
Quote from: karlhenning on May 23, 2012, 06:36:34 AM
Does my heart good to see the Prokofiev Seventh in there!
Nine more comments like that and we will have a list!
Good to see ur list of 10 (or 11)!
Quote from: karlhenning on May 23, 2012, 06:48:18 AM
Sarge, you're demanding, but never unfair.
In alphabetical order:
Langgaard, Sinfonia interna
Nielsen, № 3, Sinfonia espansiva, FS60 Op.27
Nielsen, № 6, Sinfonia semplice, FS116
Prokofiev, № 2 in d minor, Op.40
Schnittke, № 4
Shostakovich, № 4 in c minor, Op.43
Shostakovich, № 10 in e minor, Op.93
Sibelius, № 6 in d minor, Op.104
Stravinsky, Symphony in Three Movements
Vaughan Williams, A Pastoral Symphony
Excellent, and excellent choices! I knew you could do it ;)
Sarge
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on May 23, 2012, 06:58:53 AM
Excellent, and excellent choices! I knew you could do it ;)
Sarge
He's just pulling our legs with these random choices. He could pull out another ten sets any time :P
Quote from: springrite on May 23, 2012, 07:02:37 AM
He's just pulling our legs with these random choices. He could pull out another ten sets any time :P
I hadn't considered that. Damn... But you know, I have known him to wax eloquent about Prok 2 and Shosty 4 and Nielsen 6. I think we can believe in that much of the list ;D
Sarge
Quote from: Leo K on May 23, 2012, 06:29:54 AM
Stephen Albert, Symphony riverrun
I remember liking that in the past. Sad that he died young.
Ten more from me:
Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5
Mahler: Symphony No. 7
Roussel: Symphony No. 3
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5
Nielsen: Symphony No. 5
Martinu: Symphony No. 4
Britten: Sinfonia da Requiem
Alwyn: Symphony No. 3
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 4
Ives: Holidays Symphony
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 23, 2012, 08:48:15 AM
Ten more from me:
Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5
Mahler: Symphony No. 7
Roussel: Symphony No. 3
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5
Nielsen: Symphony No. 5
Martinu: Symphony No. 4
Britten: Sinfonia da Requiem
Alwyn: Symphony No. 3
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 4
Ives: Holidays Symphony
I like your second ten better than your first ten. ;D
Maybe you will like my 10th ten better than my first. It will include H V-L, Milhaud, Tippett, etc. 8)
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 23, 2012, 08:48:15 AM
Ten more from me:
Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5
Mahler: Symphony No. 7
Roussel: Symphony No. 3
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5
Nielsen: Symphony No. 5
Martinu: Symphony No. 4
Britten: Sinfonia da Requiem
Alwyn: Symphony No. 3
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 4
Ives: Holidays Symphony
Hey, you're cheating! You just made a list of 20!
Sarge
Quote from: springrite on May 23, 2012, 08:50:30 AM
I like your second ten better than your first ten. ;D
Maybe you will like my 10th ten better than my first. It will include H V-L, Milhaud, Tippett, etc. 8)
Lol....:D
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on May 23, 2012, 08:56:44 AM
Hey, you're cheating! You just made a list of 20!
Sarge
:P Yeah, I know. Isn't it fun? ;D
1900-1950
1) Harris 3 Schuman 3
2) Sibelius 7
3) Honegger 4
4) Vaughn Williams 5
5) Hindemith Mathis der Maler
6) Milhaud 6?? (one of them)
7) Messiaen Turangalila
8 Malipiero 7
9) Pettersson 3
10) Diamond 4
1950-1999
1) Lutoslawski 2 Schuman 8
2) Lutoslawski 3
3) Penderecki 1
4) Penderecki 2
5) Pettersson 8
6) Harrison Elegiac
7) Henze 2-5
8 Pettersson 10-11
9) Gerhard 1-4 (especially 2/4)
10) Malipiero 8-11
more:
Schnittke 1,3,4,6,7... haven't heard 8
Simpson 8-10
Brian
Tippett 1-3
Segerstam??
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 22, 2012, 02:13:57 PM
I wonder who you could be referring to? Hmmm... ;)
Glad to see you included him in your other top 10 list, John! :)
I'm not sure about my list exactly, but 10 of them would be Mahler 5,6,7,9, VW 6, Casella 3, Roussel 3, Sibelius 5, Nielsen 5, Simpson 4/9 and the Elgar symphonies. (oops, that's not quite 10, I suppose I'm cheating a little.... and I'm just going to count the Alpine Symphony as a tone poem ;) )
Are we allowed to follow your example of doing another 10 as well then, John? ;)
Quote from: snyprrr on May 23, 2012, 09:22:21 AM
Segerstam??
No, you'd have to wait till the "Top 216 Favorite Symphonies of the 20th and 21st Century" before you mention him. Then you can put all of them in.
Quote from: madaboutmahler on May 23, 2012, 09:23:20 AM
Glad to see you included him in your other top 10 list, John! :)
I'm not sure about my list exactly, but 10 of them would be Mahler 5,6,7,9, VW 6, Casella 3, Roussel 3, Sibelius 5, Nielsen 5, Simpson 4/9 and the Elgar symphonies. (oops, that's not quite 10, I suppose I'm cheating a little.... and I'm just going to count the Alpine Symphony as a tone poem ;) )
Are we allowed to follow your example of doing another 10 as well then, John? ;)
Great list so far, Daniel! 8) Yeah, since we're all nuts here, we're allowed to compose more than one list of favorites. :)
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 23, 2012, 09:32:54 AM
since we're all nuts here
While some of us are nuttier than others (and you guys can take care of the rankings in the poll section), collectively, we are surely
The Best of Planter's Assorted Nuts!
Quote from: madaboutmahler on May 23, 2012, 09:23:20 AM
Are we allowed to follow your example of doing another 10 as well then, John? ;)
If he follows his usual MO for this type of thread, he'll give us at least four or five more "Top 10s" ::) Assume he leads by example. Go ahead, give us as many symphonies as you wish ;D
Sarge
A sketchy list:
- Mahler 10 (finished)
- Nielsen 5
- Langgaard 4
- Sibelius 6
- Martinu 6
- Pettersson 8
- Nørgård 5
- Henze 1
- Shostakovich 8
- V-Williams 4 or Honegger 3
Quote from: springrite on May 23, 2012, 09:35:24 AM
While some of us are nuttier than others (and you guys can take care of the rankings in the poll section), collectively, we are surely The Best of Planter's Assorted Nuts!
The Best of Planter's Assorted Nuts? HA! I love it! That would be a good bumper sticker. 8)
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on May 23, 2012, 09:37:11 AM
If he follows his usual MO for this type of thread, he'll give us at least four or five more "Top 10s" ::) Assume he leads by example. Go ahead, give us as many symphonies as you wish ;D
Sarge
:P HAHA!
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 23, 2012, 09:54:48 AM
The Best of Planter's Assorted Nuts? HA! I love it! That would be a good bumper sticker. 8)
Or the title of a family portrait. :D
Bax : Symphony No.1
Gillis : Symphony No.5.5
Gorecki : Symphony No.3 'Sorrowful Songs' - [Is there only myself on the forum who loves this work]? ;D
Sauguet : Symphony No.2 'Allegorique' - [Long in length, but quality assured, a 20th Century Gem]
Shostakovich : Symphony No.5
Shostakovich : Symphony No.11
Sibelius : Symphony No.2
Suk : Asrael
Truscott : Symphony in E - [Short but desirable]
Walton : Symphony No.1
So hoping that C. V. Stanford's Symphony No.1 was 190- but alas 1870's....shame as that's a lovely work.
Disclaimer: List compiled without the aid of Rachmaninov, Elgar and even Mahler 8)
Quote from: AnthonyAthletic on May 23, 2012, 10:00:01 AM
Sauguet : Symphony No.2 'Allegorique' - [Long in length, but quality assured, a 20th Century Gem]
Shostakovich : Symphony No.11
Suk : Asrael
Truscott : Symphony in E - [Short but desirable]
Disclaimer: List compiled without the aid of Rachmaninov, Elgar and even Mahler 8)
Loves your inclusion of these works. That AND the exclusion of Rachmaninov and Elgar is more than sufficient for me to excuse you for the exclusion of Mahler.
Quote from: James on May 23, 2012, 10:03:17 AM
just throwing this out there .. a question to throw into this mix here is perhaps .. does the form (or the symphony orchestra even) have much relevance in today's world (21st century)? i'd like to read some perspectives from members here on that, including those who write music themselves ..
To me the Symphony is more of a name, a box suggesting a certain level of ambition (or it can be even half-way or whole-heartedly ironical, like in Gudmundsen-Holmgreen´s "Symphony - Antiphony" for instance) - one can put any kind of musical or literary material in it. Composers keep renewing the content, I think.
But collage-like works like Schnittke´s 1st or Berio´s are probably some of the "truest" symphonies in a more modern sense.
Quote from: springrite on May 23, 2012, 10:04:27 AM
Loves your inclusion of these works. That AND the exclusion of Rachmaninov and Elgar is more than sufficient for me to excuse you for the exclusion of Mahler.
You can't beat a bit of Elgar!, those rolling clouds, the feeling of patriotism in ones busom, the cascading fields, walking, flowing, caressing the countryside all the way up to White Hart Lane...and onto the League of Europa!
As to Rachmaninov, who doesn't like lovely uplifting slush.... ;D
Quite difficult, but here's my list:
Mahler: Symphony No.6
Mahler: Symphony No.9
Mahler: Symphony No.7
Mahler: Symphony No.5
Rachmaninov: Symphony No.2
Shostakovich: Symphony No.10
Sibelius: Symphony No.5
Nielsen: Symphony No.4
Prokofiev: Symphony No.5
Martinu: Symphony No.4
If the list continued, I would also add the Elgar Symphonies, Lutoslawski No.2, Roussell No.3, Shostakovich No.12, Simpson No.7/9, Honegger No.2, Nielsen No.5 and Rautavaara No.7 :) Oh, without forgetting WV's No.1 and Britten's Simple Symphony. Und so weiter.....
Quote from: James on May 23, 2012, 10:03:17 AM
just throwing this out there .. a question to throw into this mix here is perhaps .. does the form (or the symphony orchestra even) have much relevance in today's world (21st century)? i'd like to read some perspectives from members here on that, including those who write music themselves ..
I thought orchestral music was alive and well, maybe more so than any other classical genre.
Quote from: springrite on May 23, 2012, 08:50:30 AM
I like your second ten better than your first ten. ;D
I like both of my tens, but they are
mine after all. :)
Well, since everyone else is doing it, I'll submit a full second list of ten fifteen :D. This time not being so careful to avoid duplicating composers:
-Mahler Symphony no. 7
-Shostakovich Symphony no. 10
-Korngold Symphony in F-sharp (haven't seen anyone else nominate this piece, but I love it!)
-Lajtha Symphony no. 8
-Roussel Symphony no. 2
-Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms
-Tippett Symphony no. 2 (just heard for the first time last night - but very impressive!)
-Bax Symphony no. 3
-Lutoslawski Symphony no. 3
-Glière Symphony no. 3 'Ilya Murometz'
-Chávez Symphony no. 2 'Sinfonia India'
-Piston Symphony no. 6
-Pijper Symphony no. 1
-Hindemith Symphony in E-flat
-Sessions Symphony no. 7
And, for shame, I am omitting many composers whose symphonies I've enjoyed, but that I haven't heard enough times (or recently enough) to include in such a list:
Alfven, Alwyn, Antheil, Arnold, Atterberg, Bazelon, Braga Santos, Brian, Creston, Dutilleux, Englund, Gerhard, Guarnieri, Hartmann, Henze, Holmboe, Honegger, Kancheli, Krenek, Langgaard, Malipiero, Mathias, Mennin, Milhaud, Moyzes, Nielsen (Ludolf), Norgard, Norholm, Pettersson, Popov, Rawsthorne, Saeverud, Searle, Simpson, Tcherepnin, Toch, Tournemire, Tubin, Vermeulen, Villa-Lobos, Wellesz, and so on, and so on... :o
Actually, I think if I could pick just one body of music to listen to for the rest of my life, it would be 'Symphonies since 1870'. But luckily I don't have to! :D
Quote from: classicalgeek on May 23, 2012, 11:45:04 AM
Well, since everyone else is doing it, I'll submit a full second list of ten fifteen
As I read it, only the nuts are doing that ; )Quote from: starrynight on May 23, 2012, 11:33:45 AM
I thought orchestral music was alive and well, maybe more so than any other classical genre.
Chamber music is still going mighty strong.
Quote from: karlhenning on May 23, 2012, 11:48:13 AM
As I read it, only the nuts are doing that ; )
Indeed. If we're allowed to name
all our favorite symphonies, what is the point of a Top 10 list? (I mean, I know there really is no point at all, but still...even in the midst of irrational list making, do we
want chaos to reign? ;D )
Sarge, who is considering his alternate three or four Top 10 lists (if you can't beat 'em, join 'em :D )
Quote from: karlhenning on May 23, 2012, 11:48:13 AM
As I read it, only the nuts are doing that ; )
And I am very proud to count myself among said nuts! 8)
Quote from: classicalgeek on May 23, 2012, 11:58:12 AM
And I am very proud to count myself among said nuts! 8)
By the bye, good on you for topping your list with the Shostakovich Fourth (which I would have, if my list had not been alphabetical) and for including the Prokofiev Sixth.
Quote from: classicalgeek on May 23, 2012, 11:58:12 AM
And I am very proud to count myself among said nuts! 8)
Me too! ;D
haha :)
Right, shall start considering the next list. Must get some Shosty and Prokofiev in there! :)
Korngold Symphony in F sharp
Bernard Herrmann Symphony
Langgaard Symphony #4 "Fall of the Leaf"
Franz Schmidt Symphony #1 Symphony #4 (Schmidt's First is from 1996)
Rautavaara Symphony #3
Diamond Symphony #2
George Lloyd Symphony #4
Elgar Symphony #2
Havergal Brian Symphony #16
Magnard Symphony #4
Sarge
I like seeing these lists, I'll have to use 'em for some inspiration for future listening.
Another list of ten favorite symphonies from the 20th Century:
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 11 "The Year 1905"
Roussel: Symphony No. 2
Copland: Organ Symphony
Vaughan Williams: A Pastoral Symphony 'Symphony No. 3'
Sibelius: Symphony No. 7
Suk: Asrael Symphony
Rubbra: Symphony No. 4
Rawsthorne: Symphony No. 1
Schmidt: Symphony No. 4
Braga Santos: Symphony No. 2
Quote from: AnthonyAthletic on May 23, 2012, 10:14:44 AM
You can't beat a bit of Elgar!, those rolling clouds, the feeling of patriotism in ones busom, the cascading fields, walking, flowing, caressing the countryside all the way up to White Hart Lane...and onto the League of Europa!
Tony,
I've a sad feeling that many non-British members might not appreciate all the cultural references there - and anyway in Elgar's case it should read
all the way up to Molineux... and down to the Championship! And better do a list while I'm here, although I expect they've all been nominated above:
Mahler 6
Nielsen 5
Sibelius 6
Stravinsky in 3 Movements
Hindemith Mathis
Shostakovich 4
Brian 16
Tippett 4
Vaughan Williams 4
Messiaen Turangalîla
- mostly from the first half of the century, sadly.
DF
Quote from: DavidW on May 23, 2012, 12:09:51 PM
I like seeing these lists, I'll have to use 'em for some inspiration for future listening.
I like seeing these lists too David, when I see them I realize how much music I still have to acquire.
Roussel tonight, just ordered the Apex Dutoit set, never heard a note. Everyone seems to be listening to him on the forum. MadAboutMahler's listening of his 3rd in another thread has just prompted me to press the "Confirm" button again!! ;D
Quote from: DaveF on May 23, 2012, 12:24:36 PM
Tony,
I've a sad feeling that many non-British members might not appreciate all the cultural references there - and anyway in Elgar's case it should read all the way up to Molineux... and down to the Championship! And better do a list while I'm here, although I expect they've all been nominated above:
Springrite would have gotten the White Hart Lane reference. He is sadly a "Gunner" ;D And hates all things Hotspur.
As for me, I'm glad this year the "DW Stadium of Athletic" didn't fall the Molineux way and we thrive for another season.
Yeah, this does seem like some secret code to the uninitiated. ;D Cheers.
Just like those 'Merican's talkin' bout the bottom of the ninth, something else I don't understand.
Quote from: AnthonyAthletic on May 23, 2012, 12:32:43 PM
I like seeing these lists too David, when I see them I realize how much music I still have to acquire.
Roussel tonight, just ordered the Apex Dutoit set, never heard a note. Everyone seems to be listening to him on the forum. MadAboutMahler's listening of his 3rd in another thread has just prompted me to press the "Confirm" button again!! ;D
Dutoit's Roussel set is one of the worst I've heard. He does fine in the first symphony, but as a starting point, it will be good to get familiar with his symphonies. You should've went with the Deneve, but it's too late now I imagine.
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 23, 2012, 12:38:24 PM
Dutoit's Roussel set is one of the worst I've heard. He does fine in the first symphony, but as a starting point, it will be good to get familiar with his symphonies. You should've went with the Deneve, but it's too late now I imagine.
No, not too late. The confirmation button is not clicked yet.
I've got two screens open at the moment...now I have a quandry ;D I was typing the last message and about to press the go button.
Quote from: AnthonyAthletic on May 23, 2012, 12:37:29 PM
As for me, I'm glad this year the "DW Stadium of Athletic" didn't fall the Molineux way and we thrive for another season.
And long may you continue to do so. That end of season revival was one of the most tremendous of its kind in recent years - exactly what my woeful Sky Blues needed and failed dismally to deliver. And to keep it to symphonies - I'm sorry now that a Lancastrian one (Walton 1) missed the cut at the last minute...
DF
Quote from: AnthonyAthletic on May 23, 2012, 12:39:51 PM
No, not too late. The confirmation button is not clicked yet.
I've got two screens open at the moment...now I have a quandry ;D I was typing the last message and about to press the go button.
GET THE DENEVE!!!!
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 23, 2012, 12:21:23 PM
Another list of ten favorite symphonies from the 20th Century:
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 11 "The Year 1905"
Roussel: Symphony No. 2
Copland: Organ Symphony
Vaughan Williams: A Pastoral Symphony 'Symphony No. 3'
Sibelius: Symphony No. 7
Suk: Asrael Symphony
Rubbra: Symphony No. 4
Rawsthorne: Symphony No. 1
Schmidt: Symphony No. 4
Braga Santos: Symphony No. 2
John, I am really looking forward to reading your lists because they never stop getting better and better!
Quote from: springrite on May 23, 2012, 03:07:04 PM
John, I am really looking forward to reading your lists because they never stop getting better and better!
Thanks, Paul. Glad to know you and I share many common musical interests. 8)
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 23, 2012, 03:16:53 PM
Thanks, Paul. Glad to know you and I share many common musical interests. 8)
We'd share even more common musical interests if the lists don't
keep getting better so consistantly! Ha!
Quote from: springrite on May 23, 2012, 03:22:14 PM
We'd share even more common musical interests if the lists don't keep getting better so consistantly! Ha!
:P
Glad to see some love for Mahler 7 here. Maybe my nagging has paid off in some way?
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on May 23, 2012, 06:13:22 AMVaughan Williams Symphony #8
You rock, Sarge!
Quote from: AnthonyAthletic on May 23, 2012, 10:00:01 AMBax : Symphony No.1
Actually, yes - that one is underrated. It just slides down the gullet too quickly ;)
Quote from: James on May 23, 2012, 10:03:17 AMjust throwing this out there .. a question to throw into this mix here is perhaps .. does the form (or the symphony orchestra even) have much relevance in today's world (21st century)? i'd like to read some perspectives from members here on that, including those who write music themselves ..
Something like this?
"__________ was a bourgeois institution which, in its pretentions to naturalism, its perverse adherence to superceded forms, and its whipping up of sentimental emotions in order to stifle any real political thought or action, was discovered to be part of the oppressive patriarchal capitalist system, and has since become an historical anachronism advocated only by fascist reactionaries and the most naive, non-politicised useful idiots of the dominant paradigm."
Pseudointellectual paleobolshevik BS. Music is music. The symphony is as valid and "relevant" as it's ever been.
MAHLER: Symphony 6
SIBELIUS: Symphony 4
ENESCU: Chamber Symphony
WEBERN: Symphony opus 21
STRAVINSKY: Symphony in three movements
ROUSSEL: Symphony 3
PROKOFIEV: Symphony 5
SHOSTAKOVITCH: Symphony 14
ELGAR: Symphony 2
LUTOSLAWSKI: Symphony 3
Quote from: James on May 24, 2012, 03:12:00 AM
Can you pls. name the significant symphonies written in the last 30-40 years that get wide performance ..
I think you could turn the question round - are there
any work for larger forces that get a lot of performances on a global scale, except from some Part, Tan Dun, Corigliano, Adams - all writing in a hopelessly popular style of course - and the like ?
I wouldn´t include Stockhausen either on such a list ;)
Is that the touchstone, James? Can you pls name the significant Stockhausen compositions (which have the temporal advantage over symphonies written in the last 30-40 years) that get wide performance ....
The question is relevant, since if larger works don´t receive a lot of performances in general, the symphony isn´t discredited by this ...
Nørgård is doing pretty well. His later ones receive quite a lot of performances, both in Europe and the USA, including the upcoming 8th.
Gubajdulina´s and Ruders are also quite popular, the same concerns Aho ...
QuoteSo DieNacht .. is there a big list of major 'symphonies' of the last 30-40 years?
Answering this suitably will probably demand specialized studies equal to a doctorate thesis ...
But for instance in Denmark, as you probaby already know, one could perhaps even say that
most of the composed symphonies of the period has been experimenting with form, and quite a lot have ambitious literary content - Nørgård, Nørholm, Ruders, Gudmundsen-Holmgreen are some main figures; Holmboe I guess largely stuck to his already conceived style (?). Others are Abrahamsen, Bent Sørensen, Steen Pade; apparent traditionalists include Bentzon and H.D. Koppel. I probably forgot a few more.
But in spite of every one of his symphonies being very different from the others, Nørgård hasn´t grown tired of the symphony yet ...
Also, getting the overview demands time; we have no doubt more classical composers than ever before in history, and the immediately popular might recede later, to the advantage of lesser perfomed works.
Personally I´d probably start the list with
Berio Sinfonia
Pettersson 8th Symphony
Schnittke 1st Symphony
Nørgård 5th Symphony (can´t really explain much though)
and then start considering further ...
And (has been pretty much consistently been the case since Beethoven shuffled off this mortal coil), there are two fruitful avenues for the symphony: In what way can we strike out into new territory? and How do I take the symphony in pretty much its established character, and make it my own?
Well, it is not easy because I have to many gasps in my experience.
Obvious works for me are:
Prokofiev No.2
Mahler No.9
Then there are composers who for sure deserves to be in the list but I'm not really sure whith wich of their works:
Vermeulen No.2
Casella No.3
Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms
Shostakovich No.6
Vaughan-Williams No. 5?
My other favorites are:
Sibelius No.2
Rachmaninov No.2
Szymanowski No.3
The 'symphony is dead' meme seems like it won't die: certainly, there's no doubt that the meaning of the symphony has changed over the last 100 years (the rise of the symphony as commentary on its own genre and history is a major development, though one that it might be possible to argue started as early as Mahler), but I certainly see plenty life in the genre still.
Even amongst composers who don't write symphonies, the genre can be seen as important: almost all of Lachenmann's recent orchestral work has been at least in part about the symphony; DieNacht notes Gudmundsen-Holmgreen as another good example of this trend. A more ambiguous case might be Rihm's Vers une symphonie fleuve series, which falls somewhere in between commentary and straight symphonic writing in a post-Hartmann vein.
Other composers have a more direct relationship to the genre, even if creating a symphony nowadays may mean something more specific these days (for example, Henze's 7th as an assertion of his German identity or Schnittke's 4th as an attempt to create a synthesis between the religio-musical traditions that lie behind much of his music). Carter's Symphonia, Lutoslawski's 3rd and 4th and the later symphonies of Norgard might be seen in this context as falling more straightforwardly in the symphonic tradition.
This is a tough call, but as things stand today I will go for (in no particular order):
1. Shostakovich - Symphony No.11
2. Shostakovich - Symphony No.13
3. Prokofiev - Symphony No.5
4. Prokofiev - Symphony No.3
5. Walton - Symphony No.1
6. Khachaturian - Symphony No.2
7. Vaughan Williams - Symphony No.2
8. Nielsen - Symphony No.4
9. Vaughan Williams - Symphony No.7
10. Sibelius - Symphony No.2
...My favourite Mahlers are No.s 2 & 3, both of which belong to the 19th century albeit right at the end.
Langgaard 10
Honegger 2
Vasks 1
Simpson 11
Holmboe 10
Pettersson 14
Berkeley 3
Dopper 7
RVW 8
Sibelius 3
no order
Cool to see the Sibelius Third on this thread, too!
Quote from: James on May 24, 2012, 03:12:00 AMCan you pls. name the significant symphonies written in the last 30-40 years that get wide performance ..
I wouldn't expect you of all people to use "wide performance" as a criterion of artistic validity :D
Quote from: James on May 25, 2012, 02:54:03 AM
You claim that the form is as relevant as ever; relevant as ever ... and I'm just simply asking you who's writing them today and provide a list of major symphonies of the last 30-40 years. Something you haven't done yet ..
Who cares if the symphony is relevant today or not, James? You're derailing my thread and I don't appreciate it. The question is where is your list of top 10 favorite symphonies of the 20th Century? Anything outside of giving lists and users commenting on the lists is irrelevant to this thread. Start your own thread if you feel the need to discuss whether the symphony is relevant today.
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 25, 2012, 06:15:56 AM
Who cares if the symphony is relevant today or not, James? You're derailing my thread and I don't appreciate it. The question is where is your list of top 10 favorite symphonies of the 20th Century? Anything outside of giving lists and users commenting on the lists is irrelevant to this thread. Start your own thread if you feel the need to discuss whether the symphony is relevant today.
You're so disrespectful!
This really isn't your thread and you don't decide for the board what is irrelevant. Once you start a thread, you lose all control except for having the option of locking it up.
I think most of the possible contributions have been made and maybe it IS time to lock it up. It will be a Stockhausen thread very soon if not already.
- Elgar 2
- Elgar 1
- C. Nielsen 4
- Elgar/Payne 3
- C. Nielsen 3
- C. Nielsen 2
- C. Nielsen 5
- Prokofiev 5
- Villa-Lobos 10
- Walton 1
Quote from: James on May 25, 2012, 02:54:03 AM
You claim that the form is as relevant as ever; relevant as ever ... and I'm just simply asking you who's writing them today and provide a list of major symphonies of the last 30-40 years. Something you haven't done yet ..
This list (http://www.amazon.com/Late-20th-21st-Century-Symphonies/lm/1LD8EDONOLNBD) contains late 20th/21st century symphonic works, some called "Symphony", others are large scale orchestral works which qualify in all respects except in name.
Quote from: James on May 25, 2012, 01:09:01 PM
At a quick glance .. not a lot; and the majority of the more current things (more significant things) on that list aren't symphonies. So the title of the list by "autonomeus"is misleading and inaccurate.
A symphony is a symphony is a symphony ...
Quote from: Sammy on May 25, 2012, 10:07:52 AM
You're so disrespectful!
This really isn't your thread and you don't decide for the board what is irrelevant. Once you start a thread, you lose all control except for having the option of locking it up.
Then why have threads? Why have a thread topic? Why have anything? Let's just have chaos!
By the way, have you ever took the time to read some of James' posts?
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 25, 2012, 07:20:48 PM
Then why have threads? Why have a thread topic? Why have anything? Let's just have chaos!
By the way, have you ever took the time to read some of James' posts?
I read all posts from all members unless I find them excessively long. Why do you ask about James' postings?
A shifting of thread content is a long way from "chaos". Also, whether the shift actually derails the thread's original intent always depends on how other members respond to the person who initiated the shift. I have started threads that eventually were derailed by multiple members; that's just the way it goes. THE DERAILING OF A THREAD IS NOT EVIL.
Quote from: Sammy on May 25, 2012, 07:36:59 PM
I read all posts from all members unless I find them excessively long. Why do you ask about James' postings?
A shifting of thread content is a long way from "chaos". Also, whether the shift actually derails the thread's original intent always depends on how other members respond to the person who initiated the shift. I have started threads that eventually were derailed by multiple members; that's just the way it goes. THE DERAILING OF A THREAD IS NOT EVIL.
Most people apologize for derailing a thread or for letting that derailing go on for too long, but not James, he just keeps going and going like the Energizer bunny. Thank goodness Karl started a thread about James' very topic.
Anyway, we're both terribly off-topic now. I'm done talking about this with you.
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 25, 2012, 07:45:02 PM
Most people apologize for derailing a thread or for letting that derailing go on for too long, but not James, he just keeps going and going like the Energizer bunny. Thank goodness Karl started a thread about James' very topic.
Anyway, we're both terribly off-topic now. I'm done talking about this with you.
That's what I like about great discussions. They're concise and end quickly with Sammy the winner. 8)
I noticed in James's 21st century classic thread, Mirror Image named a number of composers who are in fact symphonists! So there's that. There's also the practical matter of music taking a long time to be performed and heard (generally much longer than in the past, due to concerts now being commited to the canon). Remember, we are still "discovering" new composers who died centuries ago.
Quote from: James on May 25, 2012, 02:54:03 AM
I'm just simply asking you who's writing them today and provide a list of major symphonies of the last 30-40 years. Something you haven't done yet ..[/font]
You could do your own research on that. :D
Reading this thread makes me realise that I have heard only a very tiny fraction of 20th century symphonies. It's amazing how people have that much time and money to invest exploring composers and their symphonies (often massive long works). Or why people are so interested in exploring so much in the first place.
I haven't explored even Prokofiev's symphonies completely (I haven't heard 2, 4 and 6 and only recently bought 3 and 7). Shostakovich's symphonies don't seem to be my cup of tea; I have only 5 & 9 and they don't encourage me to explore the rest. Elgar's and Nielsen's symphonies I do love. If there is something similar to be explored then that could be worth while.
Well, in the next life I can be a dedicated explorer of 20th century symphonies. In this life I am too interested in so many other types of music, from Northern Germany baroque (just listened to Matthias Weckmann) to Carly Simon... :P
Quote from: 71 dB on May 26, 2012, 03:37:52 AMReading this thread makes me realise that I have heard only a very tiny fraction of 20th century symphonies. It's amazing how people have that much time and money to invest exploring composers and their symphonies (often massive long works). Or why people are so interested in exploring so much in the first place.
I haven't explored even Prokofiev's symphonies completely (I haven't heard 2, 4 and 6 and only recently bought 3 and 7). Shostakovich's symphonies don't seem to be my cup of tea; I have only 5 & 9 and they don't encourage me to explore the rest. Elgar's and Nielsen's symphonies I do love. If there is something similar to be explored then that could be worth while.
The reason we explore is the desire for fresh pleasures, ultimately. Sadly, this search must be limited by money and time (except for Mirror Image, whom I suspect of being a time lord). One of this forum's essential is to help us find things we'll like.
For Shostakovich, I suggest the impudent first symphony and manic depressive cello concerto 1 as good points of access (it's one of the three great cello concertos, along with Dvorak and Elgar).
If you are wary of caustic music, there's a CD of Prokofiev's symphonies 1 and 7 (plus the Three Oranges suite) conducted by Malko, which I think is the easiest introduction to this composer's symphonies.
Do you know Vaughan Williams? How about Bax? How have you fared with Mahler?
If you love Elgar, you'll love this:
[ASIN]B000004CVV[/ASIN]
Quote from: eyeresist on May 26, 2012, 04:08:09 AM
The reason we explore is the desire for fresh pleasures, ultimately. Sadly, this search must be limited by money and time (except for Mirror Image, whom I suspect of being a time lord). One of this forum's essential is to help us find things we'll like.
We have priorities. My problem haven't been so much in finding (enough) things I like but the time/money limitations. Not so much the money but time is an issue. Having a really depressing and mentally exhausting job means that most of my free time goes recovering mentally for the next day. It's not easy to explore (atonal) symphonies in that state. That's why I prefer lighter, more entertaining music like Carly Simon most of the time.
Quote from: eyeresist on May 26, 2012, 04:08:09 AMFor Shostakovich, I suggest the impudent first symphony and manic depressive cello concerto 1 as good points of access (it's one of the three great cello concertos, along with Dvorak and Elgar).
I have Shostakovich's violin and piano concertos but the cello concertos I haven't heard. Just bought Hindemith's (one promising composer I have started to explore slowly) cello concertos on cpo. I need to listen to those more before exploring other cello concertos. I have never figured Shostakovich an important composer of cello concertos.
Quote from: eyeresist on May 26, 2012, 04:08:09 AMIf you are wary of caustic music, there's a CD of Prokofiev's symphonies 1 and 7 (plus the Three Oranges suite) conducted by Malko, which I think is the easiest introduction to this composer's symphonies.
As I mentioned, I do have Prokofiev's symphonies 1, 3, 5 and 7. Surely the first symphony is easy. Number 5 of these is my favorite.
Caustic music as such isn't an issue. It's about how it is constructed. For "colder and edgier" post war music I prefer techno sounds of 90's and 00's, for example Autechre.
Some people are willing to explore all the symphonies of 20th century as long as it is "classical music" but would never explore Autechre because it is "techno/computer music". The more I explore music the more I feel that genre means almost nothing. Execution is what counts. Classical music composers don't have monopoly on excellence of execution. In my opinion the best tracks by artist such as Carly Simon or Autechre are simply amazing music.
Quote from: eyeresist on May 26, 2012, 04:08:09 AMDo you know Vaughan Williams? How about Bax? How have you fared with Mahler?
RVW: Fantasia on Greensleaves and
The Lark Ascending are familiar to me, of course. Based on those works, RVW's style isn't exactly my cup of tea. Maybe I should check out symphony no. 6 to be sure.
Bax: I have one Naxos disc of his chamber music for harp. I don't have a clue about how I would react to his symphonies. I became somewhat suspicious about Non-Elgar "british" symphonies after buying Harty's
An Irish Symphony and finding it dull. Nothing like Elgar (I was told somewhere he is similar to Elgar, something I strongly disagree). I fear that RWV, Bax, Alwyn, Arnold, Bliss, Piston, Rawsthorne, etc. sound as dull as Harty to me. That is an irrational fear but keeps me effectively from exploring. :-[
However, I have Walton's first Symphony and Truscott's Symphony in E major. I like those. ;)
Mahler: I have tried and tried again but I don't get Mahler hype. I prefer Bruckner over Mahler but even Bruckner isn't one of my favorites.
Quote from: eyeresist on May 26, 2012, 04:08:09 AMIf you love Elgar, you'll love this:
[ASIN]B000004CVV[/ASIN]
I'll love that? Well, why did I almost hate the Naxos disc of his
Symphonies 1 & 2 + The School for Scandal + First Essay for Orchestra? Extremely lousy performance?
Thanks for the suggestions!
Quote from: 71 dB on May 25, 2012, 12:11:08 PM
Really glad to see this one being mentioned here. I'll certainly include it in my next list, I love that piece so much! :)
Quote from: madaboutmahler on May 23, 2012, 09:23:20 AM
Mahler 5,6,7,9, VW 6, Casella 3, Roussel 3, Sibelius 5, Nielsen 5, Simpson 4/9 and the Elgar symphonies. (oops, that's not quite 10, I suppose I'm cheating a little.... and I'm just going to count the Alpine Symphony as a tone poem ;) )
Are we allowed to follow your example of doing another 10 as well then, John? ;)
So, continuing from this list....
Shosty 5,9,11, Prokofiev 5, Elgar/Payne 3, Skold 2, Rach 2, Martinu 4, Nielsen 4, Sibelius 6, Stravinsky in 3 movements.
:)
ooops, that was in fact another 11... oh well!
What do folks think of Webern's symphony Op.21? It's an amazing, perhaps underrated work. I love how it sounds like a meditation of the first bars of Mahler's 9.
Quote from: 71 dB on May 26, 2012, 06:39:07 AMI have Shostakovich's violin and piano concertos but the cello concertos I haven't heard. Just bought Hindemith's (one promising composer I have started to explore slowly) cello concertos on cpo. I need to listen to those more before exploring other cello concertos. I have never figured Shostakovich an important composer of cello concertos.
I'd say Shostakovich is a more important composer of cello concertos than is Hindemith (whose cello concertos I so far find unrewarding). I have a feeling the consensus is with me on this.
Quote from: 71 dB on May 26, 2012, 06:39:07 AMAs I mentioned, I do have Prokofiev's symphonies 1, 3, 5 and 7.
Sorry, I misunderstood that bit.
Quote from: 71 dB on May 26, 2012, 06:39:07 AMRVW: Fantasia on Greensleaves and The Lark Ascending are familiar to me, of course. Based on those works, RVW's style isn't exactly my cup of tea. Maybe I should check out symphony no. 6 to be sure.
I don't think anyone should judge RVW based on Greensleeves! Just pick up a cheap box of his symphonies (Previn or Handley) and dive in.
Quote from: 71 dB on May 26, 2012, 06:39:07 AMBax: I have one Naxos disc of his chamber music for harp. I don't have a clue about how I would react to his symphonies. I became somewhat suspicious about Non-Elgar "british" symphonies after buying Harty's An Irish Symphony and finding it dull. Nothing like Elgar (I was told somewhere he is similar to Elgar, something I strongly disagree). I fear that RVW, Bax, Alwyn, Arnold, Bliss, Piston, Rawsthorne, etc. sound as dull as Harty to me. That is an irrational fear but keeps me effectively from exploring. :-[
It is a danger of exploring musical byways that you'll encounter strong advocation of second-class music. I have little time for most of the names you've mentioned (BTW, Piston is American). I'd say Elgar and RVW are the two greatest English symphonists. After them, Bax is the most engaging, but his rhapsodic structures make him a bit slippery to get hold of.
Quote from: 71 dB on May 26, 2012, 06:39:07 AMMahler: I have tried and tried again but I don't get Mahler hype. I prefer Bruckner over Mahler but even Bruckner isn't one of my favorites.
Have you been following the American recommendations? I'd say the Europeans have a better idea of how this music should go. :P You should pick up a CD of Des Knaben Wunderhorn. This collection of songs (based on lyrics from old German folk songs) is very approachable and enjoyable.
Quote from: eyeresist on May 27, 2012, 01:35:30 AM
I'd say Shostakovich is a more important composer of cello concertos than is Hindemith (whose cello concertos I so far find unrewarding). I have a feeling the consensus is with me on this.
Maybe but my taste doesn't always follow consensus. I got the Hindemith disc for a very low price so I picked it up since I am exploring Hindemith anyway...
Quote from: eyeresist on May 27, 2012, 01:35:30 AMI don't think anyone should judge RVW based on Greensleeves! Just pick up a cheap box of his symphonies (Previn or Handley) and dive in.
Before or after diving into Shostakovich's cello concertos? Nine symphonies isn't an easy task to explore ???
Quote from: eyeresist on May 27, 2012, 01:35:30 AMIt is a danger of exploring musical byways that you'll encounter strong advocation of second-class music. I have little time for most of the names you've mentioned (BTW, Piston is American). I'd say Elgar and RVW are the two greatest English symphonists. After them, Bax is the most engaging, but his rhapsodic structures make him a bit slippery to get hold of.
Silly me including Piston.
Quote from: eyeresist on May 27, 2012, 01:35:30 AMHave you been following the American recommendations? I'd say the Europeans have a better idea of how this music should go. :P You should pick up a CD of Des Knaben Wunderhorn. This collection of songs (based on lyrics from old German folk songs) is very approachable and enjoyable.
#1 => Muti
#3 => Tennstedt
#4 => Tennstedt
#5 => Maazel
Songs? Not sure if I am into those...
Quote from: 71 dB on May 27, 2012, 03:00:42 AMMaybe but my taste doesn't always follow consensus.
Mine neither :D
Quote from: 71 dB on May 27, 2012, 03:00:42 AMBefore or after diving into Shostakovich's cello concertos? Nine symphonies isn't an easy task to explore ???
You are right about that :( If I knew a bit more about your tastes I could recommend a bit more strategically. I was just listening to RVW's underrated 3rd symphony, deceptively gentle pastoral stuff, acutely put together. A faint influence of Ravel, but also of Purcell.
Quote from: 71 dB on May 27, 2012, 03:00:42 AM#1 => Muti
#3 => Tennstedt
#4 => Tennstedt
#5 => Maazel
Songs? Not sure if I am into those...
I see you have been in the bargain bin! I like Tennstedt's 3, but Mahler's longest work took me years to come to terms with. I'd suggest the 2nd conducted by Klemperer (EMI ) as an essential beginner purchase.
I am not usually into songs (lieder, if you like), but the Wunderhorn set is highly melodic and varied, and very accessible.
Thanks for letting me blither on like this :)
Quote from: eyeresist on May 26, 2012, 04:08:09 AM
If you love Elgar, you'll love this:
[ASIN]B000004CVV[/ASIN]
I couldn't praise this album enough.
Quote from: eyeresist on May 27, 2012, 03:25:11 AM
Mine neither :D
You are right about that :( If I knew a bit more about your tastes I could recommend a bit more strategically.)
I like symphonies by Elgar, Nielsen, Taneyev and Saint-Saëns the most.
Quote from: eyeresist on May 27, 2012, 03:25:11 AMI see you have been in the bargain bin!
Not even in the bargain bin. I was kindly donated duplicates years back while unemployed.
Quote from: eyeresist on May 27, 2012, 03:25:11 AMI like Tennstedt's 3, but Mahler's longest work took me years to come to terms with. I'd suggest the 2nd conducted by Klemperer (EMI ) as an essential beginner purchase.
Ok, thanks!
Quote from: eyeresist on May 27, 2012, 03:25:11 AMI am not usually into songs (lieder, if you like), but the Wunderhorn set is highly melodic and varied, and very accessible.
Thanks for letting me blither on like this :)
No problem. ;)
I think it's fairly obvious to quite a few people that popular music (of whatever type from electronica, singer-songwriter or whatever) can be just as fulfulling as classical. Obviously the more complex the music the longer it takes to digest and assess, and with classical you sometimes need to look at more than one performance. The internet has opened up many things to many people but everybody's time is to some extent limited which can be a frustration.
I do like to explore deeper into the kinds of music I like to gain a greater understanding of what has been achieved beyond what has got all the promotion in the past. It's nice to walk down less visited paths to discover the rich variety there is. Music is both abstract and at the same time very direct and personal which makes it quite stimulating on an individual level and also extremely universal. On that level music and the internet go very together very well, and I enjoy looking at music from places previously inaccessible to me.
With Vaughan Williams I find his 8th symphony a solid work, less dependant on atmosphere than some others. The only thing is to find a performance that is convincing with the first movement, some conductors don't make that movement flow as I feel it should. I think I heard a performance with a Bournemouth orchestra that was quite good though.
Quote from: classicalgeek on May 22, 2012, 05:48:03 PM
Let's see... only ten? I think I could easily name fifty ;D
So... in rough order (and trying not to repeat composers):
Shostakovich: Symphony no. 4
Suk: 'Asrael' Symphony
Copland: Symphony no. 3
Mahler: Symphony no. 9
Vaughan Williams: Symphony no. 4
Nielsen: Symphony no. 5
Schuman: Symphony no. 3
Prokofiev: Symphony no. 6
Martinu: Symphony no. 4
Walton: Symphony no. 1
Great list - totally agree.
Vaughan Williams: Symphony 6
Copland: Symphony 3
Bax: Symphony 3
Sibelius: Symphony 7
Tubin: Symphony 4
Rosenberg: Symphony 3
Shostakovich: Symphony 4
Walton: Symphony 1
Miaskovsky: Symphony 6
Suk: Asrael Symphony
(In random order)
Quote from: 71 dB on May 27, 2012, 05:18:13 AMI like symphonies by Elgar, Nielsen, Taneyev and Saint-Saëns the most.
That's an, erm, interesting mix. No wonder I'm having trouble with recommendations :)
Quote from: starrynight on May 27, 2012, 08:56:29 AMWith Vaughan Williams I find his 8th symphony a solid work, less dependant on atmosphere than some others. The only thing is to find a performance that is convincing with the first movement, some conductors don't make that movement flow as I feel it should.
Have you tried the Bryden Thomson recording?
Quote from: eyeresist on May 27, 2012, 06:09:45 PM
Have you tried the Bryden Thomson recording?
I still need to finish listening to those....
Quote from: karlhenning on May 27, 2012, 06:38:58 PMI still need to finish listening to those....
I think 5 and 8 are the key ones from that set. Not wanting to influence your opinion or anything... :)
Quote from: eyeresist on May 27, 2012, 06:09:45 PM
That's an, erm, interesting mix. No wonder I'm having trouble with recommendations :)
Really? For the "mix" is completely natural since I enjoy the music of all these composers. I have kind of re-discovered Taneyev lately. If Shostakovich's String Quartets (have been exploring nos. 4, 7 and 8 ) leave me a bit cold (8 is the best of these), Taneyev's just blow me away! :o
Saint-Saëns' Organ Symphony is a great great firework and Elgar and Nielsen just RULE!
Just a point of information viz. the thread: Of course, Saint-Saëns's symphonies are not of the 20th century.
Carry on . . . .
Quote from: karlhenning on May 28, 2012, 05:47:34 AM
Just a point of information viz. the thread: Of course, Saint-Saëns's symphonies are not of the 20th century.
Carry on . . . .
O f c o u r s e n o t . e y e r e s i s t a s k e d w h a t I l i k e a n d I t o l d . C a r r y o n . . . .
Quote from: eyeresist on May 27, 2012, 06:09:45 PM
Have you tried the Bryden Thomson recording?
I don't remember, I did try some famous recordings but they don't always please me even if they are famous.
In no particular order..
Wm.Schuman..3rd
Hindemith..Symphony in E Flat
Shostakovich..5th and 8th
Mahler..3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th
Nielsen..5th
Roy Harris..3rd
Hi Karl!
Quote from: cliftwood on May 30, 2012, 07:24:33 AM
In no particular order..
Wm.Schuman..3rd
Hindemith..Symphony in E Flat
Shostakovich..5th and 8th
Mahler..3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th
Nielsen..5th
Roy Harris..3rd
Hi Karl!
Good to see you back! Just for that, I will give you a thumbs up to your list (while using an entirely different digit in private...)
Hoy, there, cliftwood!
Too difficult. Selecting just one per composer, I feel compelled to include Mahler 9, Sibelius 7, Strauss' Alpine, Sohstakovich 4, Vaughan-Williams 1, Elgar 1, Rachmaninoff 2, Walton 1, Honegger 3 and maybe Prokofieff 2. But then my favourites sleepers are just too many to fit in. They're my B list, but on any given day I could place at least half of them in the top 10.
In no particular order :
Langgard 2
Tournemire 1
Magnard 3
Pettersson 9
Eliasson 1
Norholm 2
Kancheli 7
Silvestrov 5
Arnold 5
Popov 1
Nosyrev (any of the 4, I can't choose).
I'm not slighting Alwyn, Bax, Diamond, Wellesz, Orthel, De Lange, Koppel and a dozen others, ma basta! This is torture...
In no particular order...
Vaughan Williams 1
Vaughan Williams 4
Braga Santos 4
Atterberg 3
Pettersson 7
Sibelius 2
Mahler 5
Suk "Asrael"
Arnold 9
Harris 3
Quote from: rw1883 on June 29, 2012, 01:51:32 PMSuk "Asrael"
Arnold 9
Both of these symphonies are extremely underrated IMHO. Very good choices. Arnold's 9th is quite enigmatic. It's got a lot of hidden details within that it definitely rewards the listener many times and the same applies with Suk's
Asrael. A turbulent work, but incredibly beautiful nevertheless.
Quote from: AnthonyAthletic on May 23, 2012, 10:00:01 AM
Bax : Symphony No.1
Gillis : Symphony No.5.5
Gorecki : Symphony No.3 'Sorrowful Songs' - [Is there only myself on the forum who loves this work]? ;D
Sauguet : Symphony No.2 'Allegorique' - [Long in length, but quality assured, a 20th Century Gem]
Shostakovich : Symphony No.5
Shostakovich : Symphony No.11
Sibelius : Symphony No.2
Suk : Asrael
Truscott : Symphony in E - [Short but desirable]
Walton : Symphony No.1
So hoping that C. V. Stanford's Symphony No.1 was 190- but alas 1870's....shame as that's a lovely work.
Disclaimer: List compiled without the aid of Rachmaninov, Elgar and even Mahler 8)
I'll have to check out Truscott (only one recording available - the one on Marco Polo??).
Love Suk's Asrael (http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/07/dip-your-ears-no-120-suks-asrael.html (http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/07/dip-your-ears-no-120-suks-asrael.html)), and I found out about the fascinating Sauguet only when I was doing research on spring-themed music. Awesome work, indeed. (http://www.listenmusicmag.com/feature/for-winters-rains-and-ruins-are-over.php (http://www.listenmusicmag.com/feature/for-winters-rains-and-ruins-are-over.php)). The Gillis I don't think I've heard yet, either... darn. Walton I heard live last night, in a surprisingly good performance under Semyon Bychkov. And Sibelius 2 has been a favorite ever since I first consciously heard it in concert that a former professor took me along to. He enjoyed the Dvorak Cello Concerto, but I was in love with Sibelius. In my own list, I'd probably have to be careful not just to plunk down Sibelius 2, 5, 6, 7 and squeeze other deserving composers out.
That's a very tough list to put together. How about my ten favorite 20th century symphony composers:
Shostakovich
Mahler
Sibelius
Vaughan Williams
Stravinsky
Prokofiev
Nielsen
Atterberg
Hovhannes
Hanson
And even here, I can't possibly keep it to ten, so...
+ Langaard
Bax
Walton
Petterson
Simpson
Arnold
Harris
Piston
Brian
Glass
Kancheli
Rautavaara
Schmidt
Maybe because it's unnumbered, I forgot to include Stravinsky's Symphony in Three Movements in my list. it definitely belongs there.
At the moment, they include (as it appears I never filled in this list, probably missing the thread :-\) in chronological order:
1922 Carl Nielsen: Symphony No. 5
1940 Stanley Bate: Symphony No. 3
1945 Herman D. Koppel: Symphony No. 3
1947 Ralph Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 6
1947 Arnold Cooke: Symphony No. 1
1948 William Wordsworth: Symphony No. 2
1949 Joly Braga Santos: Symphony No. 3
1951 Vagn Holmboe: Symphony No. 8 'Sinfonia boreale'
1952 Camargo Guarnieri: Symphony No. 3
1954 Eduard Tubin: Symphony No. 6
Quote from: Christo on February 03, 2013, 01:00:37 PM
At the moment, they include (as it appears I never filled in this list, probably missing the thread :-\) in chronological order:
1922 Carl Nielsen: Symphony No. 5
1940 Stanley Bate: Symphony No. 3
1945 Herman D. Koppel: Symphony No. 3
1947 Ralph Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 6
1947 Arnold Cooke: Symphony No. 1
1948 William Wordsworth: Symphony No. 2
1949 Joly Braga Santos: Symphony No. 3
1951 Vagn Holmboe: Symphony No. 8 'Sinfonia boreale'
1952 Camargo Guarnieri: Symphony No. 3
1954 Eduard Tubin: Symphony No. 6
I'm still new to Mr. Bate and have never heard the Wordsworth. I'd have picked the Braga Santos 4th, but I do like the 3rd as well. I like all the other works very much (though I do wonder if the Bis Holmboe recordings could be bettered.)
Confining myself to works not already mentioned (I think)
Sessions 3
Bax 6
Lajtha 5
Honegger 4
Bliss
Dukas
Arnold 5 (oops, already taken...I'l have to go for No. 2).
Bax 6
Alwyn 4
Antheil 6
Chavez 4
Diamond 4
Santoro 1
Helps 1
Schmidt 3
Shapero
Randall Thompson 2
Walton 2
Wiren 2
not one for "top 10" lists, but here are some favourite symphonies (some in all but name)—
Stravinsky - Symphony in C
Lutoslawski - Symphony No. 3
Carter - Symphonia
Rochberg - Symphony No. 1 (original version)
Barber - Symphony No. 1
Nørgård - Symphony No. 7
Kagel - 3 études
Messiaen - Éclairs sur l'au-dela
Tippett - Symphony No. 2
Janáček - Sinfonietta
Penderecki - Symphony No. 1
Vaughan Williams - Symphony No. 5 (i sometimes forget this piece was actually composed in the twentieth century, lol)
Lindberg - Kraft
Webern - Symphony (no idea how i forgot this the first time)
etc
it was hard to think of symphonies i really enjoyed, wound up trawling through my list of music in search of others that i knew ought to be there
expanding the field to the supposedly-dead genre of orchestral music in general, i have only good things to say about Cage's 103, Lachenmann's orchestral de-constructions and virtually anything by Xenakis.
Britten: Sinfonia da Requiem
Barber: No. 1
Elgar: No. 2
Glass: Symphony No. 3
Gorecki: No. 3
Ives: No. 4
Prokofiev: Symphony No. 6
Schnittke: No. 4
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 15
Vaughan-Williams: No. 9
I decided to only allow one piece per composer.
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on February 03, 2013, 04:45:47 PM
Glass: Symphony No. 3
Love the slow movement of that symphony. I think I've called the slow movement the "dark matter" version of Pachelbel's Canon, that is, it's what Pachelbel's Canon would have sounded like if it had gone over to the dark side and been composed of exactly the opposite ideas and feelings.
I haven't made a list in this thread yet! Which is odd because everyone else seems to have made at least three.
Standard SelectionsElgar 2
Martinu 2
Martinu 4
Rachmaninov 2
Shostakovich 6
Shostakovich 10
Sibelius 5
Sibelius 6
Sibelius 7
Vaughan Williams 5
Slightly Sequestered SidesAtterberg 3
Atterberg 8
Braga Santos 4
Glass 3
George Lloyd 5
Rontgen 10
Roussel 3
Szymanowski 4
Thompson 2
Wiren 2
Composers whose symphony cycles I very much need to hear in full: Aho, Arnold, Bax, Diamond, Holmboe, H.D. Koppel, Nielsen, Piston, Prokofiev, Rautavaara, Shostakovich, Tubin, Vaughan Williams
mahler 5
mahler 9
sibelius 3
nielsen 3
ives 2
vaughan williams 3
piston 4
shostakovich 8
bernstein 3
arnold 7
OK, let's try this for fun (one work per composer and in no particular order):
Sibelius: Symphony No.7
Shostakovich: Symphony No.10
Elgar: Symphony No.1
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No.7
Mahler: Symphony No.10 (perf.v.)
R. Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie
Korngold: Sinfonietta
Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie
Hindemith: Symphony Mathis der Maler
Schreker: Kammersymphonie
Quote from: Daverz on February 03, 2013, 01:24:31 PM
I'm still new to Mr. Bate and have never heard the Wordsworth. I'd have picked the Braga Santos 4th, but I do like the 3rd as well. I like all the other works very much (though I do wonder if the Bis Holmboe recordings could be bettered.)
Kindred spirits then. :-) I learnt to know Braga Santos when I picked the Third Symphony from the sales back in 1999, the Portugalcom cd, performed by the LSO under Cassuto. That version is even better than his remake for Marco Polo and it came as a revelation. That's why, because of course the Fourth is more epic and will have even wider appeal (again I have both versions, also the Romanian performance with choral finale).
Today my list could be somewhat different, though, and include a series that to my delight have also been mentioned here before (but I missed Berkeley, Goossens, Orthel, Englund and Vaksk so far, didn't I?), again in chronological order, but by nine 'new' composers (compared with my first list) :-)
Matthijs Vermeulen: Symphony No. 2 'Prélude à la nouvelle journée'
Havergal Brian: Symphony No. 1 'Gothic'
Eugene Goossens: Symphony No. 1
Léon Orthel: Piccola Sinfonia (No. 2)
Lennox Berkeley: Symphony No. 2
Michael Tippett: Symphony No. 2
Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10 (heard it live last summer and loved it, again)
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 9
Einar Englund: Symphony No. 4 'Nostalgic'
Malcolm Arnold: Symphony No. 9
Pēteris Vasks: Symphony No. 3 (out of competition; wrong century) 8)
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 22, 2012, 01:46:27 PM
Please excuse me if this has been done before but here's my list (in no particular order), but as usual, this list is always subject to change:):
1. Shostakovich: Symphony No. 8
2. Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 5
3. Sibelius: Symphony No. 6
4. Milhaud: Symphony No. 6
5. Pettersson: Symphony No. 7
6. Casella: Sinfonia "Symphony No. 3"
7. W. Schuman: Symphony No. 3
8. Honegger: Symphony No. 3 "Liturgique"
9. Tippett: Symphony No. 2
10. Myaskovsky: Symphony No. 24
A list I'm still satisfied with. It shall remain unchanged.
Quote from: Mirror Image on February 04, 2013, 09:15:30 AM
A list I'm still satisfied with. It shall remain unchanged.
But I changed my mind a bit. :) They are now:
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 6
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 3 'A Pastoral Symphony'
Ludvig Irgens-Jensen: Symphony in D minor
Arthur Honegger: Symphony No. 3 'Liturgique'
Edmund Rubbra: Symphony No. 5
Douglas Lilborn: Symphony No. 2
Alan Rawsthorne: Symphony No. 1
Bohuslav Martinů: Symphony No. 6 'Fantaisies symphoniques'
Robert Simpson: Symphony No. 9
John Kinsella: Symphony No. 3 'Joie de Vivre'
Went through the whole thread building a listening list, which got quite large. First the stuff I have no recording of that I noted for investigation:
Nørgård - Symphony No. 7
Kancheli 7
Nosyrev (any of the 4, I can't choose).
Eliasson 1
Tournemire 1
Nosyrev (any of the 4, I can't choose).
Pijper Symphony no. 1
Langgaard: Sinfonia interna; No. 2
Pfitzner
Terterian 3 & 4
Sauguet : Symphony No.2
Truscott : Symphony in E
George Lloyd Symphony #4 & 5
Vasks 1
Dopper 7
Casella No.3
Villa-Lobos 10
Léon Orthel: Piccola Sinfonia (No. 2)
Kagel - 3 études
Now the listening list, either works that I haven't listened to yet, can't remember an impression of, or would like to refresh my impression.
Schnittke 1, 2 & 4 (I'll have to gird the loins.)
Weill 2
Norgard 3 & 5
Stephen Albert
Brian 16
Tippett 4 (Don't think I had a good time. Re-evaluate)
Rautavaara Symphony #3 (how did it go?)
Lajtha Symphony no. 8 (big fan, but don't think I've listened to this one much)
Lutoslawski Symphony no. 3 (not generally a style I like; listen more closely)
Sessions Symphony no. 7 (Of course, I like Sessions, but which one was this exactly?)
Langgaard 4 & 10
Simpson 11
Holmboe 10
Pettersson 9 & 14 (I don't listen to my Pettersson records all that much; go figure.)
Berkeley 3 (I like Berkeley, but his music does not retain a strong profile in my memory.)
Khachaturian - Symphony No.2 (bombastic stuff?)
Vermeulen No.2 (I bought a whole box of Vermeulen, and never listen to it :( )
ENESCU: Chamber Symphony
Rubbra: Symphony No. 4 (pretty sure I like this, if it's the one I remember)
Rawsthorne: Symphony No. 1
Koppel Symphony 3 (I like all the Koppel I've heard, but can't quite place 3 in my mind.)
Prokofiev Symphony 2 (It's been a while)
Elgar/Payne 3 (I remember...Elgariness.)
Rosenberg: Symphony 3
Eugene Goossens: Symphony No. 1
Einar Englund: Symphony No. 4 'Nostalgic' (actually have probably heard this one enough, but why not again?)
Malcolm Arnold: Symphony No. 9 (rather austere for Arnold, I recall)
Pēteris Vasks: Symphony No. 3
Rontgen 10 (very recent acquisition; liked it very much on a first listen)
Popov 1 (remember it being noisy)
Silvestrov 5 (sort of spacey sub-Messiaen?)
Pettersson 9
Norholm 2 (Liked him, but can't place 2 in my mind)
Carter - Symphonia (Portentous and noisy; maybe my bad mood?)
Rochberg - Symphony No. 1 (original version) (Bombastic, but masjestic.)
Barber - Symphony No. 1
Messiaen - Éclairs sur l'au-dela
Penderecki - Symphony No. 1 (none of Penderecki's symphonies stick in my mind, though I think I've enjoyed some of them)
Lindberg - Kraft (didn't like the style; re-evaluate)
Webern - Symphony (why not)
Havergal Brian: Symphony No. 1 'Gothic' (Never really digested. Could take a while...)
Milhaud: Symphony No. 6 (I've listened to all the symphonies in order...then in reverse order! That's how enjoyable they are. But I can't place 6.)
Myaskovsky: Symphony No. 24 (Got the Svetlanov box)
Quote from: Christo on February 04, 2013, 09:56:56 AM
But I changed my mind a bit. :) They are now:
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 6
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 3 'A Pastoral Symphony'
Ludvig Irgens-Jensen: Symphony in D minor
Arthur Honegger: Symphony No. 3 'Liturgique'
Edmund Rubbra: Symphony No. 5
Douglas Lilborn: Symphony No. 2
Alan Rawsthorne: Symphony No. 1
Bohuslav Martinů: Symphony No. 6 'Fantaisies symphoniques'
Robert Simpson: Symphony No. 9
John Kinsella: Symphony No. 3 'Joie de Vivre'
Nice list! I'm particularly fond of that Rawsthorne symphony. Incredibly underrated IMHO.
Quote from: Mirror Image on February 04, 2013, 04:10:19 PM
Nice list! I'm particularly fond of that Rawsthorne symphony. Incredibly underrated IMHO.
I like his
Symphonic Studies even better - and one could consider that a symphony in one movement too. :-)
Now, let me see...
Shostakovich - Symphony No. 10
Janáček - Sinfonietta
Walton - Symphony No. 1
Sibelius - Symphony No. 5
Vaughan Williams - Symphony No. 6
Honneger - Symphony No. 3 "Liturgique"
Martinů - Symphony No. 1
Górecki - Symphony No. 3
Lutoslawski - Symphony No. 3
Mahler - Symphony No. 6
It's just a quick draft, as they come to mind. It may change if I recall pieces that I actually like more. I tried having only one symphony per composer.
I probably already posted here, but one per composer, listing chronologically:
Mahler 9
Nielsen 5
Sibelius 7
Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms
Prokofiev 6
Hartmann 6
Tippett 3
Lutoslawski 3
Henze 7
Carter Symphonia
But I'd really hate to leave off these, as they're all superb too:
Schoenberg Chamber Symphony No 1
Ives 4
Popov 1
DSCH 4
Webern
Schmidt 4
Gerhard 1
Norgard 3
Schnittke 8
And then there's a whole bunch of works just below those in my mind's eye.
I can do this if I follow the "1 per composer" rule:
Mahler 9
Shostakovich 10
Sibelius 5
Lutoslawski 3
Martinu 4
Vaughan Williams 4
Walton 1
Norgard 3
Simpson 9
Nielsen 3
Shostakovich 5
Mahler 6
Sibelius 5
VW 6
Nielsen 5
Rachmaninov 2
Honegger 3
Elgar 2
Braga Santos 4
Atterberg 3
I can't quite remember my last list, but I'll do a new one as I have a since newly discovered very important composer to include now :p
One per composer:
Mahler 7
Elgar 2
Shostakovich 5
Schnittke 4
Prokofiev 5
Tippett 1
Messiaen Turangulina
Simpson 4
Casella 3
Strauss Alpine
Vaughan Williams 6
Turangulina? I haven't heard of that Messiaen piece. ;)
Sibelius No. 6
Shostakovich No. 4 (or 5, 8, 10, 14, or 15...)
Mahler No. 7
Prokofiev No. 2
Schnittke No. 2
Messiaen Turangalîla
RVW 5
Nielsen 4 (or 2, 3, 5 or 6...)
Lutoslawski 3rd
Hartmann 5th
And the obligatory 11th choice:
Janáček Sinfonietta
Quote from: North Star on October 29, 2013, 07:19:00 AM
Turangulina? I haven't heard of that Messiaen piece. ;)
I think he saw extra orange while writing that one . . . .
Hmmm...Most of my favorite 20th-century compositions are not symphonies; the century was not known for adherence to traditional forms. ;D But here's an attempt. In alphabetical order:
Hindemith: Symphony in Eb
Mahler: #8 and #9 (probably my two favorites of his at the moment; I may have different ones tomorrow)
Nielsen: #5
Sibelius: #4 and #7
Shostakovich: #1, #4, #10
Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms (yes, that one does qualify and is perhaps my favorite of all his works whose titles include the word "symphony")
Honorable mention, in no particular order:
Hovhaness: 2 "Mysterious Mountain" and 50 "Mount St. Helens"
Webern: Symphony
Hindemith: "Mathis der Maler" and Symphonic Metamorphoses
William Schuman: 8
Ives: 2 and 4
Schoenberg: Chamber Symphonies 1 and 2
Vaughan Williams: 1 "A Sea Symphony" (This is merely the one I'm most familiar with; what I've heard of the others fascinates me, and I plan to explore them if I ever get the time.)
And all the other symphonies written after 1900 by Mahler, Nielsen, Prokofiev, Sibelius and Shostakovich. 8)
Quote from: madaboutmahler on October 29, 2013, 06:39:49 AM
Prokofiev 5
Casella 3
Those two came very close to making it into my top 10.....
Quote from: jochanaan on October 29, 2013, 10:14:25 AM
Vaughan Williams: 1 "A Sea Symphony" (This is merely the one I'm most familiar with; what I've heard of the others fascinates me, and I plan to explore them if I ever get the time.)
That situation should be rectified immediately, if not sooner! :) The
Sea Symphony is actually VW's weakest symphony IMHO and nos. 4-6 are some of the greatest pieces of music ever composed and essential listening for any classical music lover!
Well, since jochanaan "cheated", I might as well do so! ;) Here's nos. 11-20 (in no particular order):
Casella 3
Prokofiev 5
Brian 1
Holmboe 8
Copland 3
Walton 1
Barber 1
Schmidt 4
Miaskovsky 27
Scriabin 3
Quote from: North Star on October 29, 2013, 07:19:00 AM
Hartmann 5th
Rather surprising choice, Karlo! I've always thought this jaunty, neoclassical work seems out of place with the other grim, angry symphonies. It's a fine work, but is blown away but nos. 1-4 and 6 IMHO.
Quote from: kyjo on October 29, 2013, 05:43:20 PM
Rather surprising choice, Karlo! I've always thought this jaunty, neoclassical work seems out of place with the other grim, angry symphonies. It's a fine work, but is blown away but nos. 1-4 and 6 IMHO.
I personally don't think it's out-of-place at all. It's no more out of place than
Symphony No. 4 written solely for string orchestra or even
Symphony No. 1 written for voice and orchestra. Of course, the 5th is an homage to Stravinsky, so that's perfectly fine by me! :) It simply reveals another facet of this huge musical persona.
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on February 03, 2013, 04:45:47 PM
Britten: Sinfonia da Requiem
Barber: No. 1
Elgar: No. 2
Glass: Symphony No. 3
Gorecki: No. 3
Ives: No. 4
Prokofiev: Symphony No. 6
Schnittke: No. 4
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 15
Vaughan-Williams: No. 9
I decided to only allow one piece per composer.
I figure I'm still good with this list, it's only been 9 months.
Quote from: Mirror Image on October 29, 2013, 05:48:31 PM
It's no more out of place than Symphony No. 4 written solely for string orchestra or even Symphony No. 1 written for voice and orchestra.
Well, the musical style and mood of nos. 1 and 4 are largely similar to the other symphonies, regardless of their scoring.
And just because I couldn't help myself, List no. 3:
Hartmann 6
Enescu 3
Diamond 2
Magnard 4
Bantock Celtic
Suk Asrael
Bax 6
Schuman 3
Szymanowski 3
Arnold 5
(Feel free to totally ignore me if you like! ;))
Quote from: kyjo on October 30, 2013, 11:21:03 AM
And just because I couldn't help myself, List no. 3:
Hartmann 6
Enescu 3
Diamond 2
Magnard 4
Bantock Celtic
Suk Asrael
Bax 6
Schuman 3
Szymanowski 3
Arnold 5
(Feel free to totally ignore me if you like! ;))
Was very pleased to hear the Bantock 'Celtic Symphony' live a couple of months ago in London.
Some more from me:
Lilburn:Symphony 2
Tubin: Symphony 2 'Legendary'
Vaughan Williams: Symphony 2 'A London Symphony' (1913 version)
Gliere: Symphony 3 'Ilya Murometz'
Shostakovich: Symphony 11 'The Year 1905'
Kaljo Raid: Symphony 1
Devreese: Symphony 1 'Gothic'
Sauguet: Symphony 1 'Expiatoire'
Stanley Bate:Symphony 4
David Matthews: Symphony 6
Quote from: vandermolen on October 30, 2013, 02:54:43 PM
Was very pleased to hear the Bantock 'Celtic Symphony' live a couple of months ago in London.
Some more from me:
Lilburn:Symphony 2
Tubin: Symphony 2 'Legendary'
Vaughan Williams: Symphony 2 'A London Symphony' (1913 version)
Gliere: Symphony 3 'Ilya Murometz'
Shostakovich: Symphony 11 'The Year 1905'
Kaljo Raid: Symphony 1
Devreese: Symphony 1 'Gothic'
Sauguet: Symphony 1 'Expiatoire'
Stanley Bate:Symphony 4
David Matthews: Symphony 6
Nice list, Jeffrey (yeah, you weren't expecting me to say that, were you ;))! When I compile my fourth list I will probably include the Lilburn, Tubin, Gliere, and Bate (though I slightly prefer no. 3) works.
List no. 4:
Hindemith Mathis de Maler
Gliere 3
Bate 3
Arnell 3
Lilburn 2
Tubin 2
Britten Sinfonia da Requiem
Piston 2
Arthur Benjamin
Martinu 6
Quote from: kyjo on October 29, 2013, 05:21:40 PM
That situation should be rectified immediately, if not sooner! :) The Sea Symphony is actually VW's weakest symphony IMHO and nos. 4-6 are some of the greatest pieces of music ever composed and essential listening for any classical music lover!
I have heard 4 and was very impressed. I've heard the "London" Symphony over the radio.
BTW, there's a story about Sir Thomas Beecham conducting the Pastoral Symphony. At the end, before the audience could applaud or the radio announcer could say "You have been listening to..." Sir Tommy turned around and said, "A city life for me!" :laugh:
Quote from: jochanaan on October 31, 2013, 09:10:29 PM
I have heard 4 and was very impressed. I've heard the "London" Symphony over the radio.
BTW, there's a story about Sir Thomas Beecham conducting the Pastoral Symphony. At the end, before the audience could applaud or the radio announcer could say "You have been listening to..." Sir Tommy turned around and said, "A city life for me!" :laugh:
You're bound to be impressed with all the VW symphonies! Simply one of the greatest symphonic cycles ever composed. :)
Yes, I've heard that story about Beecham before. Witty chap, Beecham! ;) But I can't quite forgive him for not liking VW's music......
Ives : holidays
Schnittke : 2
Szymanowski : 4
Del Tredici : An Alice symphony
Hartmann : 6
Sibelius : 7
Tubin : 2
Terteryan : 3
Atterberg : 3
Popov : 1
Quote from: Mr Bloom on November 02, 2013, 04:51:08 AM
Ives : holidays
Schnittke : 2
Szymanowski : 4
Del Tredici : An Alice symphony
Hartmann : 6
Sibelius : 7
Tubin : 2
Terteryan : 3
Atterberg : 3
Popov : 1
Very interesting list (with which I largely concur)! I don't believe I know the Del Tredici. The Terterian is a mind-blowing work-big, loud, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink, and unlike anything else I've ever heard before. Thanks for bringing it up!
[asin]B0000030X4[/asin]
Amazon reviewer G.D. was thoroughly bowled over by the work:
The masterpiece here is the third symphony, and I have quite frankly never heard anything like it. Infused with folkloric mysticism and an obsession with "single sounds", this music is thoroughly profound and expressive, almost on the verge of self-parody, and it bears few of the formal characteristics usually associated with symphonies in terms of form. But it is a howling surge of stunning power, containing agonizing blazes of pure force, and wailing, thundering, white-hot noises achieved by orchestral effects (incorporating folk music instruments sometimes sounding like toy instruments) resembling nothing else. I have rarely, if ever, heard anything as grippingly powerful as this symphony - it is the kind of music that simply keeps you at the edge of the chair (repeatedly kicking you around) from its very opening ritualistic timpani thuds and throughout the spiraling, howling finale. Still, the first movement, for all its unbridled cacophony, retains a certain textural and sonoric consistency (interrupted by almost ethereal solo parts for folk instruments). The remarkable second movement, however, is often barely audible in its subtle but unsettling microtonal figurations (and the third is again a shrieking surge of power). It is truly, honestly a completely remarkable work, and you will probably never hear its like anywhere else.Hey John, you should definitely hear this! 8)
Quote from: kyjo on November 01, 2013, 07:59:07 AM
...Yes, I've heard that story about Beecham before. Witty chap, Beecham! ;)
I'm sure you also know the one whose punch line goes, "Try not to pay too much attention to the young lady..." :laugh:
Quote from: kyjo on November 02, 2013, 07:13:19 PM
...Hey John, you should definitely hear this! 8)
I will when I can!
Quote from: jochanaan on November 02, 2013, 07:15:21 PM
I will when I can!
Your name is John? Apologies; my post was directed at Mirror Image! :-[ :laugh: There's too many Johns around here! :D
......but still check the Terterian out, of course! $:) 8)
Quote from: kyjo on November 02, 2013, 07:22:14 PM
Your name is John? Apologies; my post was directed at Mirror Image! :-[ :laugh: There's too many Johns around here! :D
......but still check the Terterian out, of course! $:) 8)
No problem! It sounds like something I'd like--big orchestra, lots of dissonance, extreme dynamics... 8)
Quote from: kyjo on November 02, 2013, 07:13:19 PM
Very interesting list (with which I largely concur)! I don't believe I know the Del Tredici. The Terterian is a mind-blowing work-big, loud, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink, and unlike anything else I've ever heard before. Thanks for bringing it up!
[asin]B0000030X4[/asin]
Amazon reviewer G.D. was thoroughly bowled over by the work:
The masterpiece here is the third symphony, and I have quite frankly never heard anything like it. Infused with folkloric mysticism and an obsession with "single sounds", this music is thoroughly profound and expressive, almost on the verge of self-parody, and it bears few of the formal characteristics usually associated with symphonies in terms of form. But it is a howling surge of stunning power, containing agonizing blazes of pure force, and wailing, thundering, white-hot noises achieved by orchestral effects (incorporating folk music instruments sometimes sounding like toy instruments) resembling nothing else. I have rarely, if ever, heard anything as grippingly powerful as this symphony - it is the kind of music that simply keeps you at the edge of the chair (repeatedly kicking you around) from its very opening ritualistic timpani thuds and throughout the spiraling, howling finale. Still, the first movement, for all its unbridled cacophony, retains a certain textural and sonoric consistency (interrupted by almost ethereal solo parts for folk instruments). The remarkable second movement, however, is often barely audible in its subtle but unsettling microtonal figurations (and the third is again a shrieking surge of power). It is truly, honestly a completely remarkable work, and you will probably never hear its like anywhere else.
Hey John, you should definitely hear this! 8)
Coincidently, I just bought this recording as it's been under my radar for quite some time. Thanks for the reminder! :D
Quote from: Mirror Image on November 02, 2013, 09:35:28 PM
Coincidently, I just bought this recording as it's been under my radar for quite some time. Thanks for the reminder! :D
Yeah, I think you'll really like that disc! Imagine a mixture of Leifs, Schnittke, and Ligeti and you'll have a slight idea what Terterian's music is like. I've never heard more primitive-sounding music.....
Quote from: kyjo on November 02, 2013, 10:03:08 PM
Yeah, I think you'll really like that disc! Imagine a mixture of Leifs, Schnittke, and Ligeti and you'll have a slight idea what Terterian's music is like. I've never heard more primitive-sounding music.....
Sounds mouth-watering delicious already, Kyle. :) Can't wait to dig into the music. Any other Terterian recommendations or recordings of his music few and far between? I haven't really done any investigating.
Quote from: Mirror Image on November 02, 2013, 10:05:03 PM
Sounds mouth-watering delicious already, Kyle. :) Can't wait to dig into the music. Any other Terterian recommendations or recordings of his music few and far between? I haven't really done any investigating.
There are CDs on obscure labels which contain the 3rd and 6th and 7th and 8th symphonies coupled together, but they are, unfortunately, well out of print and I don't own them. :(
Quote from: kyjo on November 02, 2013, 10:09:52 PM
There are CDs on obscure labels which contain the 3rd and 6th and 7th and 8th symphonies coupled together, but they are, unfortunately, well out of print and I don't own them. :(
That's too bad, but not surprising.
From 200 Best Symphonies:
1.(5) Mahler: Symphony No. 6 in A minor
2.(14) Mahler: Symphony No. 5
3.(27) Shostakovich: Symphony No. 9 in E flat major
4.(35) Mahler: Symphony No. 9
5.(38) Shostakovich: Symphony No. 8 in C minor
6.(42) Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major
7.(45) Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10 in E minor
8.(48) Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 in D major
9.(58) Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 in D minor
10.(64) Vaughan Williams: A Pastoral Symphony (Symphony No. 3)
11.(69) Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2 in E minor
12.(74) Mahler: Symphony No.7
13.(75) Vaughan Williams: Sinfonia antartica (Symphony No. 7)
14.(78) Prokofiev: Symphony No. 1 in D major "Classical"
15.(79) Shostakovich: Symphony No.13 In B Flat Minor "Babi Yar"
16.(80) Toch: Symphony No. 6
17.(90) Shostakovich: Symphony No. 15 in A major
18.(91) Prokofiev: Symphony No. 7 in C-sharp minor
19.(92) Khachaturian: Symphony No. 3 "Symphony-Poem"
20.(94) Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 4 in F minor
Quote from: kyjo on November 02, 2013, 10:03:08 PM
Yeah, I think you'll really like that disc! Imagine a mixture of Leifs, Schnittke, and Ligeti and you'll have a slight idea what Terterian's music is like. I've never heard more primitive-sounding music.....
:D Sounds very exciting!
Quote from: kyjo on November 02, 2013, 10:03:08 PM
Yeah, I think you'll really like that disc! Imagine a mixture of Leifs, Schnittke, and Ligeti and you'll have a slight idea what Terterian's music is like. I've never heard more primitive-sounding music.....
:P So, primitive as in most highly sophisticated. :) Sounds very exciting indeed!
Yeah, definitely check it out, Daniel and Karlo! Just be prepared for an aural assault! ;D Subtlety isn't one of Terterian's strengths! ;)
BTW don't expect it to sound too much like either Leifs, Schnittke, or Ligeti. It's unlike anything else you've ever heard! Here's a live performance on YouTube: http://youtu.be/q81PlU6qw8Y
Quote from: Best Music Art on November 03, 2013, 01:58:58 AM
16.(80) Toch: Symphony No. 6
19.(92) Khachaturian: Symphony No. 3 "Symphony-Poem"
I am rather surprised by these two nominations! A friend of mine dubbed Khachaturian 3 as "the worst symphony ever written", but I prefer to look at it as great bombastic fun! :D I think his Second Symphony is a much greater work, though. It's been a while since I've heard the Toch, but I recall being more impressed by his Third and Fifth symphonies. Where can the complete list of 200 be found, per chance?
Quote from: kyjo on November 02, 2013, 07:13:19 PM
Very interesting list (with which I largely concur)! I don't believe I know the Del Tredici. The Terterian is a mind-blowing work-big, loud, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink, and unlike anything else I've ever heard before.
Thank you.
The first 3 symphonies by Terterian are quite good in their mix of primitivism and well, strange stuff. The third is probably the most brutal of the three, but also the most straight-forward. The first one, with its "ghost train" organ, jazzy electric bass guitar and armenian percussions, and its almost comical moments, is quite strange. I would say that it's "Schnittkian", but it's from 1969, and Schnittke hadn't finished his first symphony at the time.
Symphonies 4-6-7-8 are a little bit different : gone are the displays of power, they're almost spectral music. They're less accessible, but interesting nonetheless.
The fifth, his longest symphony (almost 50 minutes), is a good mix of his two manners, and probably the closest to the third one.
I've chosen the third symphony in my list because it's the one I've discovered Terterian with, but 1-2-3-4-5-7 are all good.
Quote from: Mr Bloom on November 03, 2013, 08:50:14 AM
Thank you.
The first 3 symphonies by Terterian are quite good in their mix of primitivism and well, strange stuff. The third is probably the most brutal of the three, but also the most straight-forward. The first one, with its "ghost train" organ, jazzy electric bass guitar and armenian percussions, and its almost comical moments, is quite strange. I would say that it's "Schnittkian", but it's from 1969, and Schnittke hadn't finished his first symphony at the time.
Symphonies 4-6-7-8 are a little bit different : gone are the displays of power, they're almost spectral music. They're less accessible, but interesting nonetheless.
The fifth, his longest symphony (almost 50 minutes), is a good mix of his two manners, and probably the closest to the third one.
I've chosen the third symphony in my list because it's the one I've discovered Terterian with, but 1-2-3-4-5-7 are all good.
Thank you for this interesting and informative post. :) You are lucky to have heard all of the symphonies! I see some of them are on YouTube; I'll have to check them out! I'm not much for "spectral" music, but I'll try some of his later symphonies when I get a chance.
Who are some of your favorite composers, Mr. Bloom? Mine are the ones listed under "Currently listening to" beneath my avatar.
List no. 5:
Pettersson 7
Harris 3
Moeran (G minor)
Khachaturian 2
Roussel 2
Korngold
Alwyn 3
Simpson 9
Rautavaara 7
Aho 10
My, my Kyle. You've got to put this thing out of its' misery. I know you have 20 more lists to post about, but have you ever heard of condensing? ;) ;D
Quote from: Mirror Image on November 03, 2013, 05:50:55 PM
My, my Kyle. You've got to put this thing out of its' misery. I know you have 20 more lists to post about, but have you ever heard of condensing? ;) ;D
;D
The first list I posted is my absolute top 10!
Quote from: kyjo on November 03, 2013, 06:36:21 PM
;D
The first list I posted is my absolute top 10!
Hmmm...are you positively sure about that? ;) :D
Quote from: kyjo on October 30, 2013, 11:21:03 AM
Magnard 4
Why is Magnard 3 often ignored in favour of the 4th. It's got great tunes, it should be considered cool to like it.
Quote from: starrynight on November 05, 2013, 12:59:25 PM
Why is Magnard 3 often ignored in favour of the 4th. It's got great tunes, it should be considered cool to like it.
I actually slightly prefer the Third to the Fourth, but as the Third was written in 1896, I couldn't include it on my list. :)
If it's cool to like Magnard's music, then I should be the coolest member of this forum! 8)
The 4th has a certain atmosphere because of the key or orchestration but the I find the material more interesting in the 3rd, certainly in the Plasson performances I knew from when I first heard them back in the 90s.
Quote from: starrynight on November 05, 2013, 11:26:59 PM
The 4th has a certain atmosphere because of the key or orchestration but the I find the material more interesting in the 3rd, certainly in the Plasson performances I knew from when I first heard them back in the 90s.
Yes, the Third is certainly strong on memorable thematic material. BTW I prefer Ossonce and Sanderling to Plasson in the symphonies.
Quote from: kyjo on November 03, 2013, 05:47:26 AM
I think his Second Symphony is a much greater work, though. It's been a while since I've heard the Toch, but I recall being more impressed by his Third and Fifth symphonies. Where can the complete list of 200 be found, per chance?
I also like Third and Fifth symphonies by Toch.
If you write in Google "200 best symphonies", you can easily find my list.
It's the century with the most of my favorite symphonies ever, so this is challenging:
Nielsen - 5
Mahler - 6
Langgaard - 4
Shostakovich - terribly hard choice, but let's say the 11th
Holmboe - 8
Vaughan Williams - 2
Sibelius - 2
Tubin - 2
Walton - 1
Martinu - 6
Quote from: Christo on February 03, 2013, 01:00:37 PM
At the moment, they include (as it appears I never filled in this list, probably missing the thread :-\) in chronological order:
1922 Carl Nielsen: Symphony No. 5
1940 Stanley Bate: Symphony No. 3
1945 Herman D. Koppel: Symphony No. 3
1947 Ralph Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 6
1947 Arnold Cooke: Symphony No. 1
1948 William Wordsworth: Symphony No. 2
1949 Joly Braga Santos: Symphony No. 3
1951 Vagn Holmboe: Symphony No. 8 'Sinfonia boreale'
1952 Camargo Guarnieri: Symphony No. 3
1954 Eduard Tubin: Symphony No. 6
That was six year ago, not long after having 'discovered' for myself the Koppel, Bate, Cooke and Wordsworth. I would now perhaps add:1918 Tournemire, Symphony No. 6
1922 Bliss, A Colour Symphony
1926 Brian, Symphony No. 1 'Gothic'
1937 Moeran, Symphony in G minor
1940 Ben-Haim, Symphony No. 2
1940 Goossens, Symphony No. 1
1944 Barber, Symphony No. 2
1950 Honegger, Symphony No. 5 'Di tre re'
1961 Arnold, Symphony No. 5
1971 Shostakovich, Symphony No. 15
1997 Kinsella, Symphony No. 7
Quote from: Christo on June 12, 2019, 09:56:13 PM
That was six year ago, not long after having 'discovered' for myself the Koppel, Bate, Cooke and Wordsworth. I would now perhaps add:
1918 Tournemire, Symphony No. 6
1922 Bliss, A Colour Symphony
1926 Brian, Symphony No. 1 'Gothic'
1937 Moeran, Symphony in G minor
1940 Ben-Haim, Symphony No. 2
1940 Goossens, Symphony No. 1
1944 Barber, Symphony No. 2
1950 Honegger, Symphony No. 5 'Di tre re'
1961 Arnold, Symphony No. 5
1971 Shostakovich, Symphony No. 15
1997 Kinsella, Symphony No. 7
Great choices as are Cesar's above. 'Great' in the sense that I agree with them all!
8)
Here's another list for fun:
Bate: Symphony 4
Santoro: Symphony 4
Goossens: Symphony 1
Gliere: Symphony 3
Miaskovsky: Symphony 27
Bax: Symphony 7
Ivanovs: Symphony 20
Moeran: Symphony
Tubin: Symphony 2 'Legendary'
Shostakovich: Symphony 11 'The Year 1905'