# Favorite Symphonies of each key



## obwan

Okay list your 24 favorite Symphonies 1 from each key. 

I'll Start:
C-Minor: Beethoven # 5
Eflat-Major: Mozart #39


I'm only listing 2 right now to start cuz i can't recall all that many key signatures right now but I will come back later.


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## Olias

C Major - Beethoven 1 or Mozart 36 or 41
C Minor - Beethoven 5
C# Minor - Mahler 5
Db Major - ???
D Major - Haydn 104
D Minor - TOO MANY CHOICES (Beethoven 9, Dvorak 7, Shostakovich 5, Mendelssohn 5, and Franck)
Eb Major - Beethoven 3
Eb Minor - ???
E Major - ???
E Minor - Dvorak 9 or Brahms 4
F Major - Beethoven 6 or 8
F Minor - Shostakovich 1
F# Major - ???
F# Minor - Haydn 45
G Major - Dvorak 8
G Minor - Mozart 40
Ab Major - ???
Ab Minor - ???
A Major - Beethoven 7
A Minor - ??
Bb Major - Beethoven 4, Schumann 1, Schubert 5
Bb Minor - ???
B Major - ???
B Minor - Tchaikovsky 6


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## Klavierspieler

C Major - Schumann 2
C Minor - Beethoven 5
C# Minor - ???
Db Major - ???
D Major - Prokofiev 1
D Minor - Beethoven 9 or Schumann 4
Eb Major - Schumann 3
Eb Minor - ???
E Major - ???
E Minor - Dvorak 9
F Major - Beethoven 6 or 8
F Minor - ???
F# Major - ???
F# Minor - ???
G Major - ???
G Minor - ???
Ab Major - Elgar 1
Ab Minor - ???
A Major - Beethoven 7
A Minor - Mendelssohn 3
Bb Major - Schumann 1
Bb Minor - ???
B Major - ???
B Minor - Schubert 8


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## Jeremy Marchant

F sharp minor - Mahler 10
B flat minor - Brian 8, Shostakovich 13, Walton 1
E flat minor - Prokofiev 6


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## Art Rock

1 C major: Shostakovich 7
2 C minor: Saint-Saens 3
3 C sharp minor: Bax 5
4 D flat major: Myaskovsky 25
5 D major: Mahler 9
6 D minor: Bruckner 9
7 E flat major: Sibelius 5
8 E flat minor: Myaskovsky 6
9 E major: Bruckner 7
10 E minor: Dvorak 9
11 F major: Beethoven 6
12 F minor: Shostakovich 1
13 G flat major / F sharp major: Korngold 1
14 F sharp minor: Mahler 10
15 G major: Mahler 4
16 G minor: Nielsen 1
17 A flat major: Elgar 1
18 A flat minor / G sharp minor: Myaskovsky 17
19 A major: Mendelssohn 4
20 A minor: Mendelssohn 3
21 B flat major: Prokofiev 5
22 B flat minor: Shostakovich 13
23 B major: Haydn 46
24 B minor: Schubert 8

Using this wiki entry as a guide.


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## violadude

1 C major: Sibelius 7
2 C minor: Mahler 2
3 C sharp minor: Mahler 5
4 D flat major: Rangstrom 3
5 D major: Mahler 9
6 D minor: Bruckner 9
7 E flat major: Mozart 39
8 E flat minor: Prokofiev 6
9 E major: Bruckner 7
10 E minor: Brahms 4
11 F major: Beethoven 6
12 F minor: Shostakovich 1
13 G flat major / F sharp major: Turangalila Symphony
14 F sharp minor: Mahler 10
15 G major: Mahler 4
16 G minor: Mozart 40
17 A flat major: Elgar 1
18 A flat minor / G sharp minor: 
19 A major: Bruckner 6
20 A minor: Sibelius 4
21 B flat major: Prokofiev 5
22 B flat minor: Shostakovich 13
23 B major: Shostakovich 2
24 B minor: Tchaikovsky 6


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## Xaltotun

1 C major: Schubert 9th
2 C minor: Mahler 2
3 C sharp minor: Mahler 5
4 D flat major: -
5 D major: Sibelius 2
6 D minor: Mahler 3
7 E flat major: Beethoven 3
8 E flat minor: -
9 E major: Bruckner 7
10 E minor: Mahler 7
11 F major: Brahms 3
12 F minor: Tchaikovsky 4
13 G flat major / F sharp major: -
14 F sharp minor: -
15 G major: -
16 G minor: Shostakovich 11
17 A flat major: -
18 A flat minor / G sharp minor: -
19 A major: Bruckner 6
20 A minor: Sibelius 4
21 B flat major: Bruckner 5
22 B flat minor: -
23 B major: -
24 B minor: Tchaikovsky 6


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## Chi_townPhilly

*At the risk of a digression...*



Olias said:


> C# Minor - Mahler 5


I share your (collective) love of Mahler 5. I have four versions of this piece, and (which is more to the immediate point) the study-score of this work. To categorize it in a particular key obscures the fact that the piece is one of the great shifting tonality works in the repertoire. [I might immoderately call it the greatest one.]

Movement 1: C# Minor
Movement 2: A Minor
Movement 3: D Major
Movement 4: F Major
Movement 5: D


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## Xaltotun

It's THE Mahler symphony that always leaves me guessing and puzzled. When I put it on, I never know what kind of reaction I'll get. With all the rest of them, I always know what I'll be getting. That's what I love about it!


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Schittke: Symphony no. 1


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

What is this thread? The "Well Tempered Symphony" or something?


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## Pizzicato

C Major - Mozart Symphony No 41 'Jupiter'
C Minor - Beethoven Symphony No 5
C Sharp Minor - ???
D Flat Major - ???
D Major - Haydn Symphony No 104 'London'
D Minor - Beethoven Symphony No 9 'Choral'
E Flat Major - Mozart Symphony No 1
E Flat Minor - ???
E Major - ???
E Minor - Haydn Symphony No 44 'Trauer'
F Major - Mozart Symphony No 6
F Minor - Tchaikovsky Symphony No 4
F Sharp Major - ???
F Sharp Minor - Haydn Symphony No 45 'Farewell'
G Major - Haydn Symphony No 100 'Military'
G Minor - Mozart Symphony No 40
A Flat Major - ???
A Major - Beethoven Symphony No 7
A Minor - ???
B Flat Major - ???
B Flat Minor - ???
B Major - ???
B Minor - Franz Schubert Symphony No 8 'Unfinished'


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## Klavierspieler

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Schittke: Symphony no. 1


Wow, that took me sooo long to figure out.


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## Tristan

Alright, I will try this. I think I can name one for every key except G-sharp minor and D-flat major, as I don't think I have ever come across a symphony in either of these keys. 

A major: Beethoven Symphony No. 7
A minor: Mahler Symphony No. 6
B major: Haydn Symphony No. 46
B minor: Borodin Symphony No. 2
C major: Shostakovich Symphony No. 7
C minor: Mahler Symphony No. 2
D major: Mahler Symphony No. 1
D minor: Shostakovich Symphony No. 5
E major: Scriabin Symphony No. 1
E minor: Rachmaninov Symphony No. 2
F major: Beethoven Symphony No. 6
F minor: Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4
G major: Dvorak Symphony No. 8
G minor: Mozart Symphony No. 40
Db major: (never heard one in this key)
C# minor: Prokofiev Symphony No. 7
Eb major: Mahler Symphony No. 8
Eb minor: Prokofiev Symphony No. 6
F# major: Mahler Symphony No. 10
F# minor: Haydn Symphony No. 45
Ab major: Elgar Symphony No. 1
G# minor: (never heard one in this key)
Bb major: Beethoven Symphony No. 4
Bb minor: Shostakovich Symphony No. 13


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## realdealblues

C Major - Beethoven 1
C Minor - Mahler 2
C# Minor - Mahler 5
Db Major - Haven't Heard Any
D Major - Mahler 9
D Minor - Mahler 3
Eb Major - Bruckner 4
Eb Minor - Prokofiev 6
E Major - Bruckner 7
E Minor - Mahler 7
F Major - Beethoven 8
F Minor - Tchaikovsky 4
F# Major - Haven't Heard Any
F# Minor - Mahler 10 (Unfinished)
G Major - Mahler 4
G Minor - Mozart 40
Ab Major - Elgar 1
Ab Minor - Haven't Heard Any
A Major - Beethoven 7
A Minor - Mahler 6
Bb Major - Schumann 1
Bb Minor - Shostakovich 13
B Major - Haydn 46
B Minor - Schubert 8 (Unfinished)


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## Mahlerian

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_symphonies_in_D-flat_major
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_symphonies_in_G-sharp_minor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_symphonies_in_A-flat_minor

I wouldn't have been able to think of any of these either.



> F# Minor - Mahler 10 (Unfinished)


No, Tristan has it right, it's F-sharp _major_. The first movement's first theme (after the intro) is in the major, which is generally how the tonality of the symphony is decided.


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## Tristan

Sometimes I wonder if Mahler's Symphony No. 10 may often erroneously be labeled as being in F# minor because people saw the key and thought, "The crazy uncommon key of F-sharp major? No way can that be right! It must mean F-sharp minor". Similarly, Shostakovich's Symphony No. 2 in B major is often erroneous called "Symphony No. 2 in B-flat major".


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## TudorMihai

Tristan said:


> "The crazy uncommon key of F-sharp major? No way can that be right! It must mean F-sharp minor".


True, the F-sharp major is a very rare key for a symphonic work. Virtually, the only symphony that I know to be in F-sharp major is Korngold's only symphony.


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## Hausmusik

C Major - Mozart 41 (runner up: Schubert 9)
C Minor - Bruckner 8
C# Minor - Mahler 5
Db Major - 
D Major - Mahler 9 and Brahms 2 (tie)
D Minor - Dvorak 7 (runners up: Shosty 5, Beethoven 9, Bruckner 9)
Eb Major - Beethoven 3 (runners up: Sibelius 5, Bruckner 4)
Eb Minor - 
E Major - 
E Minor - Brahms 4
F Major - Brahms 3
F Minor - Tchaikovsky 4
F# Major - 
F# Minor - Haydn "Farewell"
G Major - nearly all of my favorite Haydn symphonies are in this key (Oxford, Military, Le soir, etc.)
G Minor - Mozart 40
Ab Major - 
Ab Minor - 
A Major - Beethoven 7
A Minor - Mahler 6
Bb Major - Beethoven 4
Bb Minor - 
B Major - Haydn 46
B Minor - Tchaikovsky 6


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## GSchiappe

Interesting topic
These are my favourites:

C Major - Sibelius 7th
C Minor - Bruckner 8th
C# Minor - Prokofiev 7th
Db Major - Myaskovsky 25th (is thre any other in this key?)
D Major - Brahms 2nd
D Minor - Beethoven 9th
Eb Major - Beethoven 3rd
Eb Minor - Prokofiev 6th
E Major - Bruckner 7th
E Minor - Brahms 4th
F Major - Beethoven 6th
F Minor - Tchaikovsky 4th
F# Major - Mahler 10th
F# Minor - Haydn "Farewell"
G Major - Dvorak 8th
G Minor - Shostakovich 11th
Ab Major - Elgar 1st
Ab Minor - ?
A Major - Bruckner 6th
A Minor - Sibelius 4th
Bb Major - Bruckner 5th
Bb Minor - Shostakovich 13th
B Major - Haydn 46th
B Minor - Schubert 8th


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## Aries

C major - Shostakovic 7 (2nd: Schubert 9)
D major - Mahler 9 (2nd: Sibelius 2)
E♭ major - Bruckner 4 (2nd: Shostakovic 3, 3rd: Beethoven 3)
E major - Bruckner 7
F major - Beethoven 6
G major - Dvorak 8
A major - Bruckner 6 (2nd: Beethoven 7)
B♭ major - Bruckner 5 (2nd: Prokofiev 5)
B major - Shostakovic 2

C minor - Bruckner 8
D minor - Bruckner 9
E♭ minor - Prokofiev 6
E minor - Tchaikovsky 5
F minor - Tchaikovsky 4 (2nd: Scherber 2)
F♯ minor - Haydn 45
G minor - Haydn 39
A minor - Mahler 6
B minor - Tchaikovsky 6 (2nd: Furtwängler 1, 3rd: Schubert 8)
C♭ minor - Mahler 5


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## musicrom

C Major - Mozart 41
C Minor - Beethoven 5
C# Minor - Mahler 5
Db Major - Hanson 2, I guess
D Major - Sibelius 2
D Minor - Shostakovich 5
Eb Major - Beethoven 3
Eb Minor - Myaskovsky 6 and Prokofiev 6 are on my to-listen list, so I guess one of those since I can't find any others
E Major - Bruckner 7
E Minor - Tchaikovsky 5
F Major - Beethoven 6
F Minor - Tchaikovsky 4
F# Major - Mahler 10
F# Minor - Rimsky-Korsakov 2 (Antar)
G Major - Haydn 8
G Minor - Mozart 40
Ab Major - Elgar 1, I guess
Ab Minor - Cuclin 11, I guess... I _think_ I've listened to it
A Major - Shostakovich 15
A Minor - Mahler 6
Bb Major - Mendelssohn 2
Bb Minor - Walton 1
B Major - I don't believe I know any...
B Minor - Borodin 2


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## MoonlightSonata

C: Mozart 41
c: Beethoven 5
D♭: IDK
c#: Mahler 5
D: Mahler 9
d: Beethoven 9
E♭: Probably Beethoven 5
e♭: IDK
E: Bruckner 7
e: Tchaikovsky 5
F: Beethoven 6
f: IDK
F#: IDK
f#:Haydn 45
G: Dvorak 8
g: Mozart 40
A♭: Elgar 1
g#: IDK
A: Beethoven 7
a: Proabably Mahler 6
B♭: can't decide
b♭: IDK
B: IDK
b: Tchaikovsky 6


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## Delicious Manager

A-flat major: Elgar No 1
A-flat minor/G-sharp minor: Myaskovsky No 17
A major: Beethoven No 7
A minor: Weinberg No 6
C major: Franz Schmidt No 4
C minor: Shostakovich No 4
C-sharp minor: Prokofiev No 7
D-flat major: Rangström No 3
D major: Mozart No 38 (_Prague_)
D minor: Bruckner No 9
E-flat major: Beethoven No 3 (_Eroica_)
E-flat minor: Prokofiev No 6
E major: Sullivan _Irish_ Symphony
E minor: Shostakovich No 10
F major: Beethoven 6 (_Pastoral_)
F minor: Weinberg No 5
G-flat major/F-sharp major: Korngold
F-sharp minor: Mahler No 10
G major: Mahler No 4
G minor: Moeran
B-flat major: Szymanowski No 2
B-flat minor: Shostakovich No 13 (_Babiy Yar_)
B major: Korngold Sinfonietta
B minor: Tchaikovsky No 6 (_Pathétique_)


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## Rhombic

C Major - Balakirev 1
C Minor - Beethoven 5
C# Minor - Mahler 5
Db Major - Myaskovsky 25
D Major - Mahler 1, Brahms 2 or Myaskovsky 5
D Minor - Beethoven 9
Eb Major - Hindemith
Eb Minor - Myaskovsky 6
E Major - Hans Rott
E Minor - Rachmaninov 2
F Major - Beethoven 8
F Minor - Haydn 49
F# Major - none that I recall
F# Minor - Glazunov 2, maybe
G Major - Dvorak 8
G Minor - Kalinnikov 1
Ab Major - no idea
Ab Minor - same as above
A Major - Beethoven 7
A Minor - Sibelius 4
Bb Major - Beethoven 4
Bb Minor - Shostakovich 13 (Babi Yar)
B Major - Shostakovich 2
B Minor - Borodin 2, Myaskovsky 7, Lyatoshynsky 3


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## Rhombic

MoonlightSonata said:


> E♭: Probably Beethoven 5


Ummmm...? ... ...


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## hpowders

Still waiting for Schönberg to do the definitive E Flat Minor Symphony. Subtitled "Ver-clef-ta Nacht"?


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## Mahlerian

hpowders said:


> Still waiting for Schönberg to do the definitive E Flat Minor Symphony. Subtitled "Ver-clef-ta Nacht"?


That's the key of the Second Chamber Symphony, actually...


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## Vlad

You guys clearly listen to music on a whole other level than I do!


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## EdwardBast

Here are some in less-used keys that are worth hearing, for those who want to complete a list: 

G# minor — Myaskovsky 17 — Traditional 4 movement, cyclically unified, great slow movement
Db major — Myaskovsky 25 — Relatively placid late work. 
F# minor — Myaskovsky 21 — Wonderful single movement symphony
B major — Haydn 46 — This one is remarkable on several accounts. Cyclically unified, palindromic scherzo.
Eb minor — Prokofiev 6


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## 20centrfuge

obwan said:


> Okay list your 24 favorite Symphonies 1 from each key.


I love threads like this because they force you to go exploring, and listening. Thanks!


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## D Smith

20centrfuge said:


> I love threads like this because they force you to go exploring, and listening. Thanks!


I agree with this sentiment. I'm going to be looking for some Myaskovsky now to fill out my list!


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## HIDEKI SUKENOBU

Olias said:


> C Major - Beethoven 1 or Mozart 36 or 41
> 
> C Major: Schubert's #7
> C Minor - Beethoven #5
> C# Minor - Mahler #5
> Db Major - ???
> D Major - Haydn #104
> D Minor - TOO MANY CHOICES, there could be but I love Beethoven #9 or Shostakovich #5.
> Eb Major - Beethoven 3
> Eb Minor - ???
> E Major - ???
> E Minor - Tchaikovsky's #5 or Brahms #4
> F Major - Beethoven 8
> F Minor -
> F# Major - ???
> F# Minor -
> G Major - Haydn's #101
> G Minor - Mozart 25
> Ab Major - ???
> Ab Minor - ???
> A Major - Beethoven #7
> A Minor - ??
> Bb Major - Beethoven 4
> Bb Minor - ???
> B Major - ???
> B Minor - Tchaikovsky 6


Very good idea. I'll participate the trial:
Firstly C major: Schumann's #2, especially that elegiac movement!
C minor: Mahler's #2
C# major, that is D flat major: Of course this choice is illegal, but I'd like to listen to Beethoven's #6 piano concerto, if finished.
C# minor: Mahler's #5
D major: Haydn's #104 "London"
D minor: Mahler's #9
Es major: Mahler's #8, but only the 1st part is enough.
Es minor: Prokofiev's #6, but is there any other answer? I can't find somethiing else, sorry.
E major: Why can't I find any symphony in this tonality? There're many other style instances; ex. _Francks' Violin Sonata _
E minor: On the contrary, there're many possibilities. At least I want to take the 3 symphonies: Brahms' #4, Tchaikovsky's #5, and Dvorak's #9(From the New World)
F major: Brahms' #3
F minor: I don't like this tonality, but if forced, I would name Tchaikovsky's #4
F#major: Is there any symphony written in this tonality? Regrettably I know none.
F#minor: The same thing. You would find something in _Haydn_'s work. But I've never listened to it.
G major: Mahler's #4
G minor: Mozart's #25
G# major: Is there any symphony written in this tonality? Regrettably I know none.
G# minor: The same thing.
A major: Beethoven's #7
A minor: Mahler's #6
B flat major: Schubert's #5
B flat minor: If this was the occasion you could name in other genres, I'd choose _Tchaikovsky's #1 Piano Concerto_.
B major: Again I don't know any work of piece in this tonality. A very enjoyable tonality I think.
B minor: I know this is not a symphony, but I cannot help mentioning J.S.B.'s Suite #2.

To write music in 24 tonalities is in this way very, very difficult task. But _For Well-tempered Clavier_, J.S.B. did it. How incredible and wonderful! This is all I can do, today.


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## Rhombic

I'd like to change my vote for my favourite E major symphony to Myaskovsky's Ninth: a beautiful work that I've listened to (while reading the score, IMSLP).


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## EdwardBast

Rhombic said:


> I'd like to change my vote for my favourite E major symphony to Myaskovsky's Ninth: a beautiful work that I've listened to (while reading the score, IMSLP).


It is an absolutely wonderful work and among my favorites by Myaskovsky - but it is actually in the more mundane key of E minor. Like Tchaikovsky's, Rachmaninoff's, and Shostakovich's symphonies in this key, it too does _end_ in E major. In fact, I printed out and bound a score of it for myself from that very source. Perhaps there was a misprint of the title on one of the files?


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## hpowders

My favorite F Major is Beethoven's Pastoral. C Major, Schumann's Second. C# minor, Mahler's Fifth.

I'm not much into symphonies, preferring more intimate forms.


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