What’s Your Favourite Symphony?

[ahinton]

... sez who? And on what authority, pray???

I presume that it is on the authority of the topic "What's Your Favourite Symphony?", not "What Are Your Favourite Symphonies?"...

[gurnemanz]

Given that everyone is going to have a list of many "favourites", the thread surely only has any point if you are forced to be ruthless and pick only one. The choice is likely to be influenced not only by the intrinsic qualities of the work but by extrinsic factors and subjective preference which make it special. My choice above of Shosty 15 was based not only on the merits of the work itself (considerable) but hearing it for the first time in a live concert. It was the Leipzig Radio Orchestra under Herbert Kegel in November 1972. I was only 23 and I was hearing the last symphonic utterance of the greatest living composer, in the company of hundreds of other people going through the same experience (including the young woman who was going to be my wife - and still is). It was a momentous evening and Googling around I have discovered that a recording exists but it is frustratingly no longer available.

[Bryn]

Given that everyone is going to have a list of many "favourites", the thread surely only has any point if you are forced to be ruthless and pick only one. The choice is likely to be influenced not only by the intrinsic qualities of the work but by extrinsic factors and subjective preference which make it special. My choice above of Shosty 15 was based not only on the merits of the work itself (considerable) but hearing it for the first time in a live concert. It was the Leipzig Radio Orchestra under Herbert Kegel in November 1972. I was only 23 and I was hearing the last symphonic utterance of the greatest living composer, in the company of hundreds of other people going through the same experience (including the young woman who was going to be my wife - and still is). It was a momentous evening and Googling around I have discovered that a recording exists but it is frustratingly no longer available.

You gotta know where to look, innit? Around £38 including p&p for the 6 CD set seems not too unreasonable.

[teamsaint]

You gotta know where to look, innit? Around £38 including p&p for the 6 CD set seems not too unreasonable.

Is that the one in the Sanderling/Kegel set , available on Ebay ?

[Bryn]

Is that the one in the Sanderling/Kegel set , available on Ebay ?

You're right, and a close look at the back of the box image suggests the recording of the 15th is most likely the BSO/Sanderling, not the Kegel. Oops. The timing is within 4 seconds of that cited for the single disc issue of the BSO/Sanderling.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Once you divert from the OP, it's OT.

[Beef Oven!]

" ..........in the company of hundreds of other people going through the same experience (including the young woman who was going to be my wife - and still is) ...."

Go on, get on with it! Tie the knot. What are you waiting for?

[teamsaint]

You're right, and a close look at the back of the box image suggests the recording of the 15th is most likely the BSO/Sanderling, not the Kegel. Oops. The timing is within 4 seconds of that cited for the single disc issue of the BSO/Sanderling.

Ah, shame then . I did have a good look, and really couldn't be sure , but i'm sure your judgement is better than mine on this.

Really hope Gurney can find a copy or at least a download.

[Bryn]

Ah, shame then . I did have a good look, and really couldn't be sure , but i'm sure your judgement is better than mine on this.

Really hope Gurney can find a copy or at least a download.

I have, however tracked down an alternative possibility which I have PMed gurnemanz the relevant URL of.

[teamsaint]

I have, however tracked down an alternative possibility which I have PMed gurnemanz the relevant URL of.

Excellent.

Do let us in on the secret when Gurney has it in the bag !!

[Bryn]

Excellent.

Do let us in on the secret when Gurney has it in the bag !!

Unfortunately the lower priced copies are restricted to delivery within the country the vendors are based in. Could get quite pricey unless one has a contact within the delivery zone.

[Tony Halstead]

Go on, get on with it! Tie the knot. What are you waiting for?

Agreed! Wow, a 46 year courtship...? For goodness sake, get on with it!

[silvestrione]

Silvetrione - interested to know, do you think there is a better reading of Tippett 2 than the Colin Davis one? Thanks.

No, not for me, BUT I have yet to purchase the Brabbins. I used to have Hickox, but, as I have said elsewhere, I don't think he gets his BSO players to successfully render the contrasts between the two groups of material in the first movement. There is a fine BBC SO version conducted by Tippett, which I presume came with the Music Magazine and will be hard to come by, but his third movement is earth-bound whereas Davis is light on his feet.

I have an off-air with Knussen and the BBC SO which is also excellent! I think Knussen is really keen on the work, because he was down to conduct it at Snape, but was indisposed (Edward Gardiner conducted a lovely performance instead), but made sure it was on his Proms programme the next year, to make up for it.

[jayne lee wilson]

Agreed! Wow, a 46 year courtship...? For goodness sake, get on with it!

I think Gurnemanz's comment is more a case of syntactical ambiguity than Matrimonium Interruptus...

[Bryn]

No, not for me, BUT I have yet to purchase the Brabbins. I used to have Hickox, but, as I have said elsewhere, I don't think he gets his BSO players to successfully render the contrasts between the two groups of material in the first movement. There is a fine BBC SO version conducted by Tippett, which I presume came with the Music Magazine and will be hard to come by, but his third movement is earth-bound whereas Davis is light on his feet.

I have an off-air with Knussen and the BBC SO which is also excellent! I think Knussen is really keen on the work, because he was down to conduct it at Snape, but was indisposed (Edward Gardiner conducted a lovely performance instead), but made sure it was on his Proms programme the next year, to make up for it.

Check out the Brabbins on the iPlayer. From the lack of applause at the end I would surmise that last Tuesday's Afternoon on 3 broadcast was the recording issued by Hyperion. If you do listen to the Brabbins via the iPlayer, do not fail to listen to the work which follows it.