# Great choral finales



## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

What are your favorite choral finales in symphonic music?

My current favorites are (with current favorite performance):

Mahler - Symphony No. 8





Mahler - Symphony No. 2 (starts at 10:00)





Scriabin - Symphony No. 1





My only very minor complaint is about Mahler 2. I find it somehow not satisfying and anti-climactic at the very end after the choir has stopped (probably because the choir part is so very powerful).


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Holst - Neptune.

Liszt - both Dante and Faust Symphonies (the latter of which shares the same text as Mahler's 8th in the finale).


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Ravel ~ Daphnis et Chloe, Danse Generale - @ ca. 2' 27''


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## Xaltotun (Sep 3, 2010)

I seem to remember that guy Beethoven writing something like this in one of his symphonies...

Also, Bruckner's _Te Deum_ ends with a brilliant mixture of hope and fear! _"Non confundar in aeternum...!"_


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Mahler 4 by far.
Myaskovsky 6 as runner-up.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Wow, good choices! I'd mention the 9th symphony by that deaf guy just as my personal preference. I've spent more time with it than any other choral finale.


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

I'm going to a performance of Mahler 2, can't wait!
More recommendations please!


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## Jared (Jul 9, 2012)

DeepR said:


> I'm going to a performance of Mahler 2, can't wait!
> More recommendations please!


you lucky, lucky man! where & when? who is performing?

although it's not one of my favourite works in it's entirety, I think the final movement to Rossini's Stabat Mater is beautifully moving...


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

Jared said:


> you lucky, lucky man! where & when? who is performing?
> 
> although it's not one of my favourite works in it's entirety, I think the final movement to Rossini's Stabat Mater is beautifully moving...


Here in the Netherlands. It will be performed by a regional orchestra in a concert building about 300 meters from where I live. So I hope it's good. It's still many months away though.


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## Lunasong (Mar 15, 2011)

Been there, done that.

Incredible experience. Definitely a performance for you to look forward to.


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## Norse (May 10, 2010)

Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky cantata (based on the film score) has a mighty choral finale. One of my favorites.


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

I was humming/hearing the music of Mahler 8 finale in my head and later I realised I mixed it up with the finale of Mahler 2.

Here's what happened in my head:

- Pause the Mahler 2 video in the opening post at exactly 11:16.
- Play the Malher 8 finale, at exactly 4:11, press play on the Mahler 2 video and stop the the Mahler 8 video.


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## Krisena (Jul 21, 2012)

Chorale at the end of _Wachet auf, ruft und die Stimme_, BWV 140.


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## Jeremy Marchant (Mar 11, 2010)

Havergal Brian's _Gothic _symphony has the choral finale to end all choral finales. At 70 minutes, it's twice the length of the previous three movements combined and is scored for the largest forces demanded by any remotely mainstream composer.


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