Top Ten Symphonies

[AjAjAjH]

Just picked up on this thread here's my 10:-

Bruckner 8 (top by 100 miles)
Mahler 9
Dvorak 9
Beethoven 7
Brahms 2
Shostakovich 8
Tchaikovsky 5
Sibelius 2
Elgar 2
Suk 'Asrael'

Apart from the Bruckner these are in no particular order and limiting myself to 10 different composers. Like others it could change rapidly particularly after hearing Berlioz 'Harold in Italy' live for the first time last night.

[Mahlerei]

There are three fine symphonies from Alfredo Casella :)

[LeMartinPecheur]

Yes...but...
In Italy, a symphony has always been a small-scale thing. Can anyone think of an Italian symphony (apart from the one by that 19th century German)?

Thanks EA for the support: while my post was indeed mainly an attempt at "good natured ribbing" I did feel that in a fuzzy but nonetheless real way, 'sinfonia' isn't an exact translation of "symphony", let alone "Sinfonie", whatever the etymologcal tie-up.

[Roehre]

Can anyone think of an Italian symphony (apart from the one by that 19th century German)?

d'Indy's Italian symphony? (pre-dating his Symphonie cévénole [his un-offical no.1, "sur une mélodie montagnard"] op.25)

[mercia]

Malipiero's Sinfonias?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te39zjAyIOQ

[Suffolkcoastal]

Malipiero's Sinfonias?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te39zjAyIOQ

I've already mentioned them #104

[Dave2002]

Martucci may have been influential once, and wrote a few symphonies.

[Suffolkcoastal]

Martucci composed two symphonies, as I mentioned earlier on this thread, I like them both and they certainly worth more than the occasional revival.

[aeolium]

What about Muzio Clementi -he wrote some good symphonies? And although wiki describes him as an 'English' composer, he's no more English than Handel or Mendelssohn.

[Suffolkcoastal]

True, there are the earlier shorter symphonies Clementi wrote in the 1780's and the 4 larger symphonies in the period 1810-1830, plus the D major Symphony of Cherubini though he was resident in France. I always think it was a great pity that Cherubini only composed this one symphony as it is a very fine work.

[Roehre]

What about Muzio Clementi -he wrote some good symphonies? And although wiki describes him as an 'English' composer, he's no more English than Handel or Mendelssohn.

But contrary to both Handel and Mendelssohn he did compose a "Great national" symphony (the officially numbered 3 in G-major) essentially based on God save the King (appearing in one way or another in all its four movements)

[3rd Viennese School]

Prokofiev Symphony Concerto is actually a concerto! Listen and you will see.
(Or should that be hear?)

Aint done my list yet.

3VS

[antongould]

It would seem the ballot box is as good as closed and thanks to all the 38 who cast their votes.
Sorry to upset some and I understand that not all chose the same way and that all views are transitory etc. but at those 38 moments in time the top 10 symphonic composers were seen to be

Mahler
Beethoven
Bruckner
Vaughan Williams
Shostakovich
Elgar
Sibelius
Brahms
Mozart
Tchaikovsky

and top 10 symphonies


Bruckner 8
Elgar 1
Mahler 2
Vaughan Williams 5
Beethoven 7
Beethoven 3
Elgar 2
Mahler 9
Beethoven 9
Schubert 9

Thanks to all for the interest shown.

[antongould]

It would seem the ballot box is as good as closed and thanks to all the 38 who cast their votes.
Sorry to upset some and I understand that not all chose the same way and that all views are transitory etc. but at those 38 moments in time the top 10 symphonic composers were seen to be

Mahler
Beethoven
Bruckner
Vaughan Williams
Shostakovich
Elgar
Sibelius
Brahms
Mozart
Tchaikovsky

and top 10 symphonies


Bruckner 8
Elgar 1
Mahler 2
Vaughan Williams 5
Beethoven 7
Beethoven 3
Elgar 2
Mahler 9
Beethoven 9
Schubert 9

Thanks to all for the interest shown.

With the comings, returnings and leavings in the forum would this, I wonder - perhaps no one else will - if this still represents us .......

[Beef Oven!]

With the comings, returnings and leavings in the forum would this, I wonder - perhaps no one else will - if this still represents us .......

Interesting question. How can we find out?