# Which symphonies do you consider lean most towards impressionism?



## Hiawatha (Mar 13, 2013)

That is, in view of most regarding impressionism in music as predominantly residing outside the symphonic form?


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## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

One that comes to my mind is the No. 3 _Song of the Night_ for tenor, chorus and orchestra by Szymanowski. Really splendid.


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## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

American composer *Howard Hanson*'s *Symphony No. 2 *in D-flat major, Opus 30, W45. (1930)

The "*Romantic*".


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

The symphonies of Guy Ropartz, Maurice Emmanuel, and some Vaughan Williams (the 7th). Bax also created some moments that are certainly influenced by Debussy. Howard Hanson 2nd? The Romantic?


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## Alfacharger (Dec 6, 2013)

Roussel's 1st Symphony..

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Moeran's only Symphony..


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## SuperTonic (Jun 3, 2010)

Debussy's La Mer is basically a symphony in all but name.


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## Hiawatha (Mar 13, 2013)

Excellent responses so far - many thanks for them all.


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

Myaskovsky's one movement Tenth Symphony is a programmatic work based on Pushkin's "The Bronze Horseman," so that qualifies.


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

Siegmund von Hausegger: Nature Symphony
Erkki Melartin: Symphony IV
Janis Ivanovs: Symphony I
Bax: Spring Fire
d'Indy: Symphony III
Gavriil Popov: Symphony V


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

One tends to look to the French and English composers of the very late 1800s and early 1900s for impressionism in symphonic music, but I will name an American: Charles Ives. Though Ives's First Symphony is strictly from the Germanic Classical-Romantic school, I don't know how you could label Symphonies 2, 3, and 4 without using the term "Impressionism". This is American impressionism at its best.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

A number of modern symphonies have strong elements of impressionism in them to my ears (or in other words a bit of Debussy in their harmonic language.)

In addition to some of the works mentioned, Honegger and Copland are a couple composers that come to mind, also Rachmaninov in his Symphony 3 and Symphonic Dances. Stravinsky's symphonic works also qualify, I think.

There is also Bernard Herrmann's excellent symphony.


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## maestro267 (Jul 25, 2009)

To me, Enescu's 3rd Symphony sounds similar to some of the works mentioned here, in the ecstatic vein of, say, Szymanowski 3. So maybe that too counts.


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## Chatellerault (Apr 4, 2017)

All of Scriabin's symphonies. Marvelous impressionist orchestration.
Vaughan Williams Symphony no. 3 "Pastoral".

Although I tend not to use the word impressionism for music. It applies much better for painting.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Both Dutilleux symphonies. Vaughan Williams 3, the Pastoral.


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