Symphonies in One Movement

[Tapiola]

Thanks for the compliment, Panjandrum. i was thinking of getting them highlighted.

Yes, I listened to the three CoTW Sibelius programmes back to back this morning, having missed yesterday's and Monday's when they were broadcast. Some interesting information about the 8th, though still a very mysterious story.

I'm very pleased that Tapiola was played on Monday's programme in the classic performance by Karajan with the Philharmonia.

[Roehre]

There are quite a lot of 1 (and 2-) movement symphonies:

one movement ones (not mentioned before on this thread) are e.g.:
Shostakovitch 2 and 3
Hartmann 2
Pijper 1 and 3
Schmidt 4
Schumann 4
tippett 4
Keuris
O.Ketting 1 and 4
Vogt
Goehr opus 29
Wesley
Britten Sinfonia da Requiem
Vermeulen 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7

Two mvt symphonies;
Mahler 8
Mendelssohn 3 (Scottish)
Tippett 3 (IIRC)
Schönberg 2
Hartmann 3, 6, 7 and 8

[maestro267]

I always thought Britten's 'Sinfonia da Requiem' and Schumann 4 were three- and four-movement symphonies, but with no breaks in the music.

[Roehre]

I always thought Britten's 'Sinfonia da Requiem' and Schumann 4 were three- and four-movement symphonies, but with no breaks in the music.

For both it is possible to defend that these are multimovement works (Schumann could be called a 6 mvt symphony in this respect), but that's exactly what 3VS mentions in his M22.

[3rd Viennese School]

Schumann 4- 4 mvts played without a break

Schuman 3- 4 mvts (Passacalia, Fugue, Aria, Toccata)

Mendlesohn 3 Scottish - 4 mvts . All played without a break

(How many mvts in Mendlesohn 2 Lobgesang ?!! 4 mvts with mvt 4 actually being a multi mvt cantata?)

Per Norgard 2- 1 mvt (I think)

Forgot about Shostakovich! 1 mvt symphonies with a 6 minute choral section at the end.

3VS

[Suffolkcoastal]

For Schuman 3 the four sections divided between two movements are I Passacaglia - Fugue II Chorale - Toccata. Most of the material is derived from the opening passacaglia theme, so thematically you could almost class it as a one movement symphony. His 6th & 9th symphonies could more clearly be classed as one movement symphonies the 9th in particular shows considerable integration in its 3 continuous sections.

[Lion-of-Vienna]

Richard Strauss attached the term to two of his tone poems, one of which I'm particularly fond of...

Which one would that be, Symphonia Domestica?

[Byas'd Opinion]

Vagn Holmboe's Seventh could be considered either as a series of movements linked by recurring link music, or as a single movement variant on rondo form. The composer explicitly calls it "Symphony in One Movement". His Sixth is in two movements. A very neglected composer in my opinion: I've been impressed by almost everything I've heard by him.

[Suffolkcoastal]

As many MBs will know, I'm a great Holmboe fan. A very significant composer who has fallen totally out of favour (along with countless others) with the new R3 regime. All 13 symphonies are fine works, in fact they constitute one of the most consistantly impressive symphonic cycles of the 20th century IMO.

[Lion-of-Vienna]

All 13 symphonies are fine works, in fact they constitute one of the most consistantly impressive symphonic cycles of the 20th century IMO.

I wholeheartedly agree. You could say the same about his string quartets and chamber concertos.

[Roehre]

As many MBs will know, I'm a great Holmboe fan. A very significant composer who has fallen totally out of favour (along with countless others) with the new R3 regime. All 13 symphonies are fine works, in fact they constitute one of the most consistantly impressive symphonic cycles of the 20th century IMO.

Wholeheartedly seconded