# The Five Symphony No.5 Challenge



## 20centrfuge (Apr 13, 2007)

The 5 SYMPHONY NO.5 CHALLENGE (POST BEETHOVEN)

5: Beethoven's Fifth is considered a keystone of classical music by the world at large. And many composers since Beethoven have paid homage to Beethoven by making their own No. 5 a cut above their other symphonies.

5: For any composer to write a symphony is a monumental achievement. But to write five, one more than even Brahms wrote, makes one a SYMPHONIST.

*5: The challenge for EVERY one on this thread is to know at least 5 Symphony no.5's on this list. If you already know 5, get to know at least one more!

In your post, indicate which ones you already knew and which one(s) you'll be exploring. Any discussion is appreciated...Which symphonies have made a big impact on you?*

POST BEETHOVEN SYMPHONISTS WHO WROTE A "SYMPHONY NO. 5"

Tchaikovsky (182)
Mahler (145)
Bruckner (100)
Schubert (97)
Sibelius (97)
Shostakovich (95)
Prokofiev (70)
Nielsen (43)
Vaughan Williams (31)
Dvořák (27)
Mendelssohn (15)
Martinů (10)
Honegger (9)
Arnold (7)
Hartmann (4)
Henze (4)
Schuman (4)
Antheil (3)
Bax (3)
Spohr (3)
Silvestrov (2)
Sessions
Diamond
Ruders 
Nørgård
Maxwell Davies
Rautavaara 
Segerstam
Others I'm sure I missed

(Parentheses Indicate how many different recordings were available when I looked on arkivmusic.com recently)

PS Yes, I understand there are composers of symphonies who didn't number them in the traditional sense. They weren't included, for the sake of simplicity. Feel free to include them in your comments.


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## scratchgolf (Nov 15, 2013)

Fantastic thread. I will explore a few of those unfamiliar words soon, but I'm quite confident in Mahler, Bruckner, Schubert, Sibelius, Dvorak, and Mendelssohn being nearly unquestionable to the discerning ear.


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## 20centrfuge (Apr 13, 2007)

I know these really well:

Tchaikovsky
Mahler
Shostakovich
Sibelius
Prokofiev

And I know Nielsen and Bruckner fairly well.

I'm going to explore:
Maxwell Davies
Vaughn Williams
Honegger
and a few more


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## scratchgolf (Nov 15, 2013)

I don't think I can bear RVW when the weather is cold. Tchaikovsky and Glazunov, on the other hand, are quite nice in the winter months. I'll plan accordingly.


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

From my recording catalog (with a few additions)...

William Alwyn
Malcolm Arnold
Carlos Chavez
Roy Harris
George Lloyd
Peter Mennin
Hubert Parry
Wallter Piston
Andrzej Panufnik
Edmund Rubbra
Robert Simpson
Eduard Tubin
Heitor Villa-Lobos


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## eugeneonagain (May 14, 2017)

I don't know about knowing all these 'well', but I've listened to:

Tchaikovsky (might well be the first 5th I listened to).
Shostakovich
Mahler
Prokofiev
Vaughan Williams
I know Schubert's, but I consider it a Mozart pastiche.

I only recently listened to Bruckner's so I don't have much of a view of it as yet. I wasn't blown away and can't recall any 'moments' from it.

It's possible I've listened to other fifth symphonies in the past, but just don't recall doing so.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

I know Beethoven, Schubert, Prokofiev, Nielsen, Shostakovich, Mahler, Bruckner, Honneger, Martinu,Tchaikovsky, Glazunov, probably more.

Schubert 5 is not a Mozart pastiche. The melody and many of the harmonic shifts, the pacing, none of it is Mozartian. Only a superficial smoothness could cause one to have that impression.


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## Portamento (Dec 8, 2016)

20centrfuge said:


> Tchaikovsky (182)
> Mahler (145)
> Bruckner (100)
> Schubert (97)
> ...


Toch (3)
Persichetti (2)
Schnittke (2)
Guarnieri
Piston
Ustvolskaya

I'll be hearing the Antheil today.


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## musicrom (Dec 29, 2013)

I know - Tchaikovsky, Mahler, Bruckner, Sibelius, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Mendelssohn - well enough to be able to recognize them at almost any point in the music.

I have definitely heard - Schubert, Dvořák - and might be able to recognize them at some points.

I have definitely heard - Nielsen - but would probably not be able to recognize it.

I might have heard a few of the other ones listed, but would almost certainly not be able to identify them. Some that you didn't list that I know: Glazunov and Lloyd.

I will take a listen to Schubert, Dvorak, and Nielsen again, and will try to get to know Martinu's 5th.


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## eugeneonagain (May 14, 2017)

clavichorder said:


> Schubert 5 is not a Mozart pastiche. The melody and many of the harmonic shifts, the pacing, none of it is Mozartian. Only a superficial smoothness could cause one to have that impression.


None of the melodic or harmonic shifts are Mozartian?! Of course and grass isn't green. The bits that are not like Mozart are either like Beethoven or Haydn.

I'm not saying it isn't good to listen to, but it is what it is.


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## Xaltotun (Sep 3, 2010)

Tchaikovsky: Really like it. Stubborn, almost simplistic, grit-your-teeth-and-fight symphony. Heroic, which I always love.
Mahler: One of my Mahler favourites. Infinite listening value, it remains ever interesting.
Bruckner: My favourite symphony in the world.
Schubert: The cutest symphony I know, it makes me smile!
Sibelius: Wow! I listen to this more than any other work by Sibelius. Like Mahler, infinite listening value.
Shostakovich: Really like this one. Heroic or faux-heroic? Doesn't matter, being something-like-heroic is enough!
Prokofiev: Have been trying to get into this but hasn't clicked thus far.
Nielsen: It puzzles me.
Dvořák: Mellow and soft but not sugary. Fresh like a spring day. Maybe not super deep but I love it.
Mendelssohn: Triumphant and jubilant, a bit like a national anthem. I'm perhaps a bit ashamed that I like it so much!


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Mahler is my favorite 5th. Others close behind are: Shostakovich, Vaughan Williams, Sibelius, Nielsen, Bruckner and Prokofiev.


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## rw181383 (Aug 4, 2017)

Xaltotun said:


> Bruckner: My favourite symphony in the world.


YES!!! I'm with you all the way!


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## jdec (Mar 23, 2013)

I know really well and like a lot the following ones (specially love the red ones)

Tchaikovsky (182)
Mahler (145)
Bruckner (100)
Schubert (97) very charming but don't love all of it (I don't consider it a Mozart pastiche either)
Sibelius (97)
Shostakovich (95)
Prokofiev (70)
Nielsen (43)
Mendelssohn (15)

I have listened to these but don't know them as well as the above ones:

Vaughan Williams (31)
Dvořák (27)
Arnold (7)

I might explore these:

Martinů (10)
Honegger (9)
Schuman (4)


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## 20centrfuge (Apr 13, 2007)

I think Sibelius 5 is his masterpiece. I sometimes think God put Sibelius on earth specifically so he could compose No.5.

Prokofiev also had a special place in his heart for his No.5. He made sure it was his Opus 100 (a very grand number) and I believe he saved up themes he had developed possibly much earlier to compose one of his masterpieces.

Tchaikovsky 5, IMO, is his greatest symphony as well. It carries weight but has heart melting lyricism as well as heroic moments.

I'm listening to Bruckner 5 now. I've never been a huge Bruckner fan, and admittedly have only really listened to a few of his works. But this piece is changing my whole perspective on Bruckner. I can see why people have recently said it is their favorite. It is making a big impact on me right now.


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## scratchgolf (Nov 15, 2013)

20centrfuge said:


> I think Sibelius 5 is his masterpiece. I sometimes think God put Sibelius on earth specifically so he could compose No.5.
> 
> Prokofiev also had a special place in his heart for his No.5. He made sure it was his Opus 100 (a very grand number) and I believe he saved up themes he had developed possibly much earlier to compose one of his masterpieces.
> 
> ...


Bravo! May I humbly suggest Celibidache as a free option for Bruckner 5? In return I accept your glowing review of Prokofiev 5 as an invitation. Do you have a preferred version? One on youtube?


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## 20centrfuge (Apr 13, 2007)

Excellent! I will check out that Celibidache recording. Thanks scratchgolf!

For Prokofiev you have to check out Levine with Chicago


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## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

There are so many amazing fifth ones:


Symphonies I know very well:

Schubert, Mendelssohn, Bruckner (favorite), Saint-Saëns (including his early two unnumbered examples 'Urbs Roma' and Symphony in A minor, the famous 'Organ' symphony would be his Nr 5), Tchaikovsky (favorite), Dvorák, Mahler, Nielsen (favorite), Glazunov, Sibelius (favorite), Vaughan Williams (favorite), Atterberg (favorite), Martinu (favorite), Prokofiev (favorite), Tubin (favorite), Shostakovich (favorite), Simpson, Arnold (favorite), Yoshimatsu.


Symphonies I've listened to but not enough:

Spohr, Raff, Rubinstein, Parry, Huber, Stanford, Weingartner, Ropartz, Gretchaninov, Peterson-Berger, Tournemire, Alfvén, Melartin, Miaskovsky, Malipiero, Bax, Villa-Lobos, Honegger, Milhaud, Langgaard, Piston, Lyatoshinsky, Hindemith's Symphony in B flat for concert band (it would be his Nr. 5), Hanson, Chávez, Rubbra, Shebalin, Alwyn, Creston, Schuman, Hovhaness, Englund, Pettersson, Lloyd, Weinberg, Mennin, Braga Santos, Rautavaara, Penderecki, Schnittke, Sallinen.


Symphonies I haven't listened to, but I want to explore:

Glass (Louis), Brun, Wellesz, Antheil, Krenek, Toch, Ivanovs, Guarnieri, Kabelác, Panufnik, Diamond, Henze, Norgard, Silvestrov, Aho, Sumera.


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