# Which ”Classicist/classical Symphony” in C — Stravinsky or Sibelius?



## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

Both are classicist/classical or neoclassical symphonies in C, composed by contemporaries, although there is 30 years in between the compositions and Sibelius was born 17 years before Stravinsky.

Some people have pitted Sibelius (late romantic) and Stravinsky (modernist) against each other in the dramatic musical arch of the 20th Century. The composers had ambivalent attitudes towards each other. But still, both have composed a classical symphony in C.

So, which one of the symphonies would you choose? I am also interested in the reasons behind your choice but I do not want to limit the criteria. Just pick and choose between the two for whatever reason of preference!


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## mikeh375 (Sep 7, 2017)

I chose Stravinsky although I like the Sibelius too. I prefer the individual 'edge' and quirkiness in Stravinsky's harmony and line along with the more colourful scoring. I also find it at least as memorable in terms of themes as the Sibelius. The Stravinsky is of course overtly neo-classical, the Sibelius not at all, coming as it does from a different paradigm.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Sibelius's 3rd is Neoclassical?


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

Waehnen said:


> *Both are classical or neoclassical symphonies *in C, composed by contemporaries, although there is 30 years in between the compositions and Sibelius was born 22 years before Stravinsky.
> 
> Some people have pitted Sibelius (late romantic) and Stravinsky (modernist) against each other in the dramatic musical arch of the 20th Century. The composers had ambivalent attitudes towards each other. But still, *both have composed a classical symphony *in C.
> 
> So, which one of the symphonies would you choose? I am also interested in the reasons behind your choice but I do not want to limit the criteria. Just pick and choose between the two for whatever reason of preference!


As Mike points out (but putting it up front): No, they aren't and they haven't.

I like them both. If I wanted to hear Stravinsky I wouldn't be in the mood for Sibelius anyway, and if I wanted to hear Sibelius 3 the Stravinsky would never occur to me as an alternative.


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

EdwardBast said:


> As Mike points out (but putting it up front): No, they aren't and they haven't.
> 
> I like them both. If I wanted to hear Stravinsky I wouldn't be in the mood for Sibelius anyway, and if I wanted to hear Sibelius 3 the Stravinsky would never occur to me as an alternative.



Of course I know that traditionally the 1st is considered late romanticism with a very classicist even beethovenian touch (Tawaststjerna referred to the 3rd as New Classicism) and the 2nd is considered a neoclassicist work.

But essentially they are both symphonies in C, using classical methods of composing although in different ways — are they not? 

When you look at them without the contexts produced by musicology, oh yes, they both are Classicist 20th Century Symphonies is C Major!


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## Bwv 1080 (Dec 31, 2018)

Stravinsky’s Symphony in C is not in C Major


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

I enjoy both symphonies. Sibelius affects me emotionally more and brings pure musical joy. Stravinsky might be easthetically the more pleasing of the two, though. Which is kind of upside down. For me the Sibelius symphony is the more modern and expressive, Stravinsky the more conventional yet aesthetic.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

Bwv 1080 said:


> Stravinsky’s Symphony in C is not in C Major


some e minor like church mode I seem to recall reading somewhere but I have no real clue about these things.
I prefer the Stravinsky although my favorite is the more dramatic "in 3 movements".
While Sibelius 3 is unfairly treated as a "stepchild" I can understand this to a certain extent and it's not a great favorite. It lacks both the still romantic sweep of the first two (and also the 5th) and the austerity/mystery of 4,6,7. It shares the "cool", distant, "neutral" aspect of neoclassicism but lacks the "spice" and quirkiness. While quite different, much later Hindemith can be a bit similar, although the latter is duller and more earnest (in such less convincing pieces).


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

I would need a "both" option for this one. They are very different works and I love them both. One could not replace the other. That said, the Stravinsky is flawed by the first two movements belonging to a different world to the last two movements. Stravinsky started the work in Europe but fled to America before completing it. The last two movements reflect his trying to settle in to his new home.


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