Favourite symphony no. 9

[Lisztianwagner]

I absolutely love Mahler No.9, such an immortal masterpiece it is! But Beethoven No.9 is my favourite work of all time (apart from Wagner's Ring); I'll go with the Beethoven.

[Cosi bel do]

Schubert - my favorite of the listed options, but I follow the new numbering and call it No. 8

A stretch to call it no. 9, yes.

Well it was my only choice here, the same comparison between symphonies no. 8 would be a little weird and only Bruckner could win

There is a Schubert symphony no. 7 though (D.729). It is  finished, just not orchestrated, and it seems conductors take little interest in performing versions by Weingartner or Newbould, though this score is much more complete than Mahler's 10th or Bruckner's 9th last movement...

[amw]

Possibly with good reason? Newbould's completion is pretty bland, not much better than Schubert's sketch with a figured bass added; Weingartner's, while more interesting musically, doesn't succeed in convincingly capturing the Schubert sound. Moreover the themes Schubert left for the allegro and finale of D729 are not of his highest quality, which (like the incomplete finale to D840 & several other works) suggests that he simply ran out of inspiration to finish the piece. Can't blame him in either case.

I recall reading that the finale of Bruckner 9 was recently discovered to be much closer to completion than previously thought, with sketches left for a concluding fugue and the biggest gap being left to the very ending (and that we can sort of deduce from every other composition by Bruckner: string tremolos, polyphonic combination of themes from the work, major key, short final chord, bam). But obviously it's not that simple as there has been a fair bit of controversy around the latest version, and there are other competing reconstructions etc, etc.

[Cosi bel do]

Possibly with good reason? Newbould's completion is pretty bland, not much better than Schubert's sketch with a figured bass added; Weingartner's, while more interesting musically, doesn't succeed in convincingly capturing the Schubert sound. Moreover the themes Schubert left for the allegro and finale of D729 are not of his highest quality, which (like the incomplete finale to D840 & several other works) suggests that he simply ran out of inspiration to finish the piece. Can't blame him in either case.

I recall reading that the finale of Bruckner 9 was recently discovered to be much closer to completion than previously thought, with sketches left for a concluding fugue and the biggest gap being left to the very ending (and that we can sort of deduce from every other composition by Bruckner: string tremolos, polyphonic combination of themes from the work, major key, short final chord, bam). But obviously it's not that simple as there has been a fair bit of controversy around the latest version, and there are other competing reconstructions etc, etc.

Yeah. And about Mahler even symphony no. 9 is unfinished in a way...
ABout Schubert, themes for D.944 are not of the highest quality either

[amw]

ABout Schubert, themes for D.944 are not of the highest quality either

That's a dirty lie and you know it. Okay, so maybe the main themes of the first and last movement are just short, repetitive rhythmic figures. And the scherzo just has this pitter-pattering pattern dominating the entire outer sections. And maybe some of the other themes in the finale are a bit too square-cut but SHUT UP.

[Jo498]

I find this one of the fascinating things about (late) Schubert: Generally hailed as one of the greatest writer of songs and songlike tunes, some of his best works like the Great C major, the Quartet D 887 and the Quintet are, at least in the outer movements usually not at all relying on pretty melodies. The most memorable tunes from the great C major are probably the trio and the introduction, although the andante is also somewhat tuneful.

[jochanaan]

Sibelius said somewhere that, with Lemminkäinen Suite & Kullervo, he essentially did write 9. 
"Actually I do have 9 symphonies, because Kullervo and Lemminkäinen contain movements in pure sonata form"

'Tis true.  And therefore his "actual" No. 9 would be the great single-movement C major.   Of course, since I tend to see Tapiola as a companion to the aforementioned C major, his full tally might be 10...

[Jay F]

Mahler - never heard it

How? Why?

[ibanezmonster]

Mahler up by 2 over Beethoven...

seeing that for me very few things in the world even approach the greatness of Mahler 9, it was sort of an easy choice.

How? Why?

Yeah, exactly... Brian needs to get to it asap.

[Mirror Image]

Bruckner - don't know it very well, except the scherzo
Mahler - never heard it

Goodness, what on earth are you waiting for?!?!?

[Karl Henning]

When I was Brian's age, I hadn't heard the Mahler Ninth, either.  (Just saying.)

[Mirror Image]

When I was Brian's age, I hadn't heard the Mahler Ninth, either.  (Just saying.)

Well, given that Brian is a Mahler fan (or that I suspect anyway), I just find it a bit surprising.

[Karl Henning]

Well, I wasn't really a Mahler Nine believer until I heard Jimmy lead the BSO in the piece here in the Hall!

[Mirror Image]

Well, I wasn't really a Mahler Nine believer until I heard Jimmy lead the BSO in the piece here in the Hall!

Ah yes, the old adage "Seeing is believing!"

[jochanaan]

How? Why?

Mahler died before a performance could be arranged.  His disciple Bruno Walter conducted the premiere.

[mszczuj]

I could live without Schostakovich's. All other are just parts of me. Voted for Beethoven of course.

[Mirror Image]

I could live without Schostakovich's. All other are just parts of me. Voted for Beethoven of course.

Considering that Shostakovich's 9th isn't on the same grand scale as the afore listed works, it doesn't surprise me. The symphony is quite satirical, but does contain some darkness. I love the work anyway and certainly consider it a feather in his cap. Anyway, great work.

[mszczuj]

Considering that Shostakovich's 9th isn't on the same grand scale as the afore listed works, it doesn't surprise me. The symphony is quite satirical, but does contain some darkness. I love the work anyway and certainly consider it a feather in his cap. Anyway, great work.

Nice music, but I have heard it probably not more than ten times. And it allways was just like listening to the music, never as living in other universe.

[Mirror Image]

Nice music, but I have heard it probably not more than ten times. And it allways was just like listening to the music, never as living in other universe.

Well, then you've completely missed the point of the work I think. After completing Symphony No. 8, Shostakovich must have been worried about what the next symphony should sound like and, more importantly, would he live long enough to complete it? His Symphony No. 9 is one of the greatest 'anti-Beethoven' symphonies ever created. If you notice, and know your history, of ninth symphonies, then you understand that there's some tragic element that, historically speaking, usually follows during the creation of such a symphony. What Shostakovich did, and quite brilliantly, I might add, is make this a lighter work and totally ignored what the Soviet artistic establishment were expecting and wanting to hear from him. Needless to say, this symphony was unpopular with Stalin and didn't really do well at its' premiere, but I think the message of the symphony is quite clear. A shame that you didn't catch any of this from this symphony.

[TheGSMoeller]

It's a shame that Prokofiev didn't write 9. So I chose Schubert's, with a 2nd movement Andante that is better than any other movement in this list.