GMG Classical Music Forum

The Music Room => General Classical Music Discussion => The Polling Station => Topic started by: madaboutmahler on January 27, 2014, 09:56:10 AM

Poll
Question: You can vote for 2
Option 1: 1 in C Minor 'The Bells of Zlonice' votes: 3
Option 2: 2 in Bb major votes: 1
Option 3: 3 in Eb major votes: 2
Option 4: 4 in D Minor votes: 3
Option 5: 5 in F Major votes: 4
Option 6: 6 in D Major votes: 7
Option 7: 7 in D minor votes: 21
Option 8: 8 in G Major votes: 23
Option 9: 9 in E Minor votes: 30
Title: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: madaboutmahler on January 27, 2014, 09:56:10 AM
You have two votes!

Mine without doubt are 5 and 7. Love both so much. :)
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: Lisztianwagner on January 27, 2014, 10:09:18 AM
I vote for No. 7 and No.9.
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: amw on January 27, 2014, 12:07:23 PM
No. 5 holds a special place in my heart, being the first one I ever listened to.

For second place, "the last one I listened to" is usually a safe bet. Right now I'll go with No. 2.
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: Brian on January 27, 2014, 03:03:54 PM
Favorite to least: 8, 7, 3, 6, 2, 9, 5, 4, 1

No. 8 is one of my favorite symphonies from anybody and maybe one of the purest symphonic expressions of joy since Mozart and Haydn. No. 3 is one I like a lot more than "consensus" would hold; most of it is pretty darn amazing, and it's probably the best and most interesting of his "early" symphonies. I also have a big soft spot for No. 2, except the slow movement. I'm not nearly as big a fan of the New World symphony as most people are. It's one of the symphonies I'm least likely to play.
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: Archaic Torso of Apollo on January 27, 2014, 03:13:53 PM
6 & 7 for me. I over-listened to 9 during my formative listening years, and would be OK with never hearing it again. 8 is terrific, but I feel that 6 & 7 have a bit more depth.
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: TheGSMoeller on January 27, 2014, 03:24:33 PM
No. 8 is my favorite. Glorious, joyful, filled with memorable melodies, and of course the amazing horn trill of the finale!
Next is the 6th, what I find to have Dvorak's best third movement Scherzo. The adagio is also quite special. And the finale always has me on the edge of my seat.

Title: Re: Favourite Dvořák symphony!!
Post by: Wanderer on January 28, 2014, 03:08:16 AM
That's easy. Nos. 8 & 3.
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: mc ukrneal on January 28, 2014, 03:19:09 AM
6 and 1...oh wait...
8 and 9...errr, no....
1 and 7...shoot that's not it...
2 and 6...not quite there...
5 and 7...doh, I forgot...
2 and 4...no wait, can't be...
9 and 3...oh man...

Can I get back to you this?!?!?!
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: Brahmsian on January 28, 2014, 04:18:14 AM
4 and 8
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: Sergeant Rock on January 28, 2014, 04:20:16 AM
No. 7 and No. 8. Mrs. Rock's favorites are the two D minors.

Sarge
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: Sergeant Rock on January 28, 2014, 04:32:04 AM
It's nice to see the first four getting some love  8)


Sarge
Title: Re: Favourite Dvořák symphony!!
Post by: Brian on January 28, 2014, 08:20:21 AM
Quote from: Wanderer on January 28, 2014, 03:08:16 AM
That's easy. Nos. 8 & 3.
I kind of wish I had voted this way.
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: PaulR on January 28, 2014, 08:27:22 AM
No. 7 + No. 8
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: madaboutmahler on January 28, 2014, 10:31:35 AM
Quote from: mc ukrneal on January 28, 2014, 03:19:09 AM
5 and 7...doh, I forgot...

Can I get back to you this?!?!?!

I'd say to go with that one!!  :P

Quote from: TheGSMoeller on January 27, 2014, 03:24:33 PM
No. 8 is my favorite. Glorious, joyful, filled with memorable melodies, and of course the amazing horn trill of the finale!

Some of my earliest memories of music are being addicted to those horn trills, Greg! Absolutely brilliant, especially to see live! :D
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: Ken B on February 15, 2014, 08:17:41 AM
Confession time. I hate 8. Oh for a while it was my clear favourite. And then it began to annoy me. I have no idea why. So I went for the standard picks, 7 , 9
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: springrite on February 15, 2014, 08:19:32 AM
7 and 8
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: DavidW on February 22, 2014, 03:36:17 PM
7 and 9
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: Willow Pattern on March 19, 2014, 01:26:33 AM
I got some milage out of the Dvorak Symphonies this week - my favourites are 3 and 7
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: not edward on March 20, 2014, 03:53:34 PM
Quote from: Velimir on January 27, 2014, 03:13:53 PM
6 & 7 for me. I over-listened to 9 during my formative listening years, and would be OK with never hearing it again. 8 is terrific, but I feel that 6 & 7 have a bit more depth.
+1
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: TheGSMoeller on March 20, 2014, 03:55:56 PM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on January 27, 2014, 03:24:33 PM
No. 8 is my favorite. Glorious, joyful, filled with memorable melodies, and of course the amazing horn trill of the finale!
Next is the 6th, what I find to have Dvorak's best third movement Scherzo. The adagio is also quite special. And the finale always has me on the edge of my seat.

+1  ;D
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: Cato on March 20, 2014, 04:41:54 PM
The Fourth Symphony is a favorite of mine from waaaay back: the dance-like theme in the opening movement grafted itself onto my soul by being linked with a girl.

Long story!   :D
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: North Star on March 20, 2014, 10:51:06 PM
Nos. 8 & 9.
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: Brahmsian on March 21, 2014, 02:35:01 AM
Quote from: Cato on March 20, 2014, 04:41:54 PM
The Fourth Symphony is a favorite of mine from waaaay back: the dance-like theme in the opening movement grafted itself onto my soul by being linked with a girl.

Long story!   :D

The 4th is my favourite also, Cato.  Along with the 8th.
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: Brian on March 21, 2014, 05:03:42 AM
Quote from: Cato on March 20, 2014, 04:41:54 PM
The Fourth Symphony is a favorite of mine from waaaay back: the dance-like theme in the opening movement grafted itself onto my soul by being linked with a girl.

Long story!   :D
We have some time.  ;)
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: IfULikeMyPeruqPlizTellMe on March 21, 2014, 04:37:06 PM
8 & 9
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: Ken B on March 21, 2014, 04:40:03 PM
Quote from: IfULikeMyPeruqPlizTellMe on March 21, 2014, 04:37:06 PM
8 & 9
Honi soit ..

A Plantagenet peruke!  It seems!  ;)
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: NJ Joe on March 22, 2014, 11:07:38 AM
8 and 9 for me. I imprinted on 9 at an early age and it never gets old.

Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: Pat B on March 28, 2014, 07:27:41 PM
6 and 9.
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: BeefOven! on April 07, 2025, 08:32:26 AM
I voted 7 & 8 - 11 years late  :o
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: DavidW on April 07, 2025, 08:36:50 AM
Quote from: DavidW on February 22, 2014, 03:36:17 PM7 and 9

Hasn't changed!
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: Symphonic Addict on April 20, 2025, 10:34:41 AM
Recently I attended a live concert of his Symphony No. 8 (my second time listening to it live). The experience cemented my admiration for this unabashedly exhilarating and insistently memorable creation. I don't like (always) to overthink about music, but this symphony sounds perfect to me, and it's not the first time I have these feelings regarding Dvorak as his Cello Concerto is another work that fits that category. This gentleman was born to provide happiness to people and I'm eternally grateful for that.
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: arpeggio on April 20, 2025, 10:50:14 AM
I have performed the Seventh, Eighth and the Ninth.

For me the best was the Ninth.
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: Der lächelnde Schatten on April 20, 2025, 08:34:01 PM
The 8th gets my vote. For me, this is easily one of the great Romantic symphonies and as @Symphonic Addict points out, you simply don't have to think when you're listening to this symphony. It presents everything to the listener in such a straightforward, unfussy fashion. Beauty is at every turn in this music and this is why it's my favorite amongst the Dvořák symphonies. 
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: DaveF on April 21, 2025, 01:10:00 AM
I'd be interested to know who (there's only one) has no.2 as their favourite.  While it can't really be mine (no.8 must top them all), it's a beautiful symphony which I love to bits.
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: vandermolen on April 28, 2025, 10:27:38 PM
Quote from: Der lächelnde Schatten on April 20, 2025, 08:34:01 PMThe 8th gets my vote. For me, this is easily one of the great Romantic symphonies and as @Symphonic Addict points out, you simply don't have to think when you're listening to this symphony. It presents everything to the listener in such a straightforward, unfussy fashion. Beauty is at every turn in this music and this is why it's my favorite amongst the Dvořák symphonies. 
Mine too
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: Florestan on April 29, 2025, 02:10:53 AM
Quote from: vandermolen on April 28, 2025, 10:27:38 PMMine too

Ditto.
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: ChamberNut on April 29, 2025, 03:05:32 AM
Quote from: Brahmsian on March 21, 2014, 02:35:01 AMThe 4th is my favourite also, Cato.  Along with the 8th.

Well, times have changed a bit. 6th and 8th are clear favourites now.
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: Cato on April 29, 2025, 04:56:54 AM
Quote from: Cato on March 20, 2014, 04:41:54 PMThe Fourth Symphony is a favorite of mine from waaaay back: the dance-like theme in the opening movement grafted itself onto my soul by being linked with a girl.

Long story!   :D


The story remains as long as ever!   ;D

But the Fourth Symphony of Dvorak remains my Number One!


Quote from: DaveF on April 21, 2025, 01:10:00 AMI'd be interested to know who (there's only one) has no.2 as their favourite.  While it can't really be mine (no.8 must top them all), it's a beautiful symphony which I love to bits.


Yes, Dvorak's Second Symphony and the Third Symphony are near the top of my list.  (I might have a "tie" in certain spots!   ;)   )
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: kyjo on May 09, 2025, 05:51:15 AM
The 8th will forever have a special place in my affections, as it was the first substantial orchestral work I ever played (back when I was 13 or 14 years old). I've played it a few more times since, and its perennial freshness hasn't worn off. I agree with Cesar that it's a nearly perfect work - sunny, tuneful, concise, characterful, marvelously orchestrated, ingeniously developed, etc. I love the 7th nearly as much with its gripping drama and seriousness of purpose, but it doesn't lack in characteristically Dvorakian folksiness and good tunes either. For some reason, I've never really been too fond of the omnipresent (on concert programs) 9th - it feels strangely "simplistic" and unsatisfying to me, two adjectives I would rarely use to describe Dvorak's music. The middle symphonies (Nos. 3-6) are also very dear to me, above all the seriously underperformed and underrated 3rd. Nos. 1 and 2 contain some "dead spots" IMO but are still better works than their reputations may suggest - the scherzo of the 2nd is particularly memorable and original and could almost be a standalone work!
Title: Re: Favourite Dvorak symphony!!
Post by: foxandpeng on May 09, 2025, 06:11:15 AM
Predictably, eating Hovis bread dictated my preference. Dvorak was one of the first composers that I listened to when discovering classical music, but I confess to having lost him a long time ago in the mix and with my taste changes.