# Greatest British Symphony - Round 1: Nominations



## maestro267

This is my attempt to find the greatest British symphony according to TalkClassical members. The poll takes on two phases, or rounds. Round 1 (this one, in case you hadn't noticed) is the nominations phase. The rules are as follows

*RULES*

1. Each person can make a list of up to ten [10] of their favourite British symphonies.

2. The symphonies chosen will be awarded points in relation to their positions on the list. 1st place gets 10 pts, 2nd place 9, 3rd 8 and so on down to 10th place which will recieve 1 point.

3. If you choose to list less than 10, the points will still count as above (so if you only choose 4 symphonies, your bottom-placed work will recieve 7 points)

4. Each person can make only one list.

5. The composers have to have been born in Britain or Ireland (I'm calling it 'Greatest _British_ Symphony' for simplicity purposes), so Mendelssohn (Scottish) or Haydn (London Symphonies) don't count.

6. On 3rd December (2 wks today), the top 10 will go through to the final round (a proper poll) where you can vote for your favourite. The symphony with the most votes will win (I'll start a new topic for the final; more details will be given there)

7. I reserve the right to change/add rules as I realize them (I'm terrible for that; hopefully it won't happen, but just in case...)

---

I think that's everything. Have fun and happy nominating!


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## Fsharpmajor

We just post in the usual way and you tally them up, I expect?

I have a bunch I still haven't listened to, so this is gonna take me quite a while....


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## emiellucifuge

1. Brian - Gothic Symphony
2. Bantock - Celtic Symphony
3. Potter - Symphony 7
4. Vaughan Williams - London
5. Bliss - Colour
6. Walton - 1st
7. Elgar - 2nd
8. Bax - Symphony 7
9. Alwyn - 5
10. Bainton - 2

That will do for this particular poll, dont use this as a reference for future though.


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## emiellucifuge

Also, I think this is a great idea if enough people participate.
Despite the amount of scorn given to list threads (though surprisingly every attempt at a real discussion thread is left blank with sparse posts when list threads such as greatest pianist, fav opera singers, fav symphony are filled to page 11) I hope people will partake here, and if they do it would be great to continue this idea for other countries aswell, and maybe extend it into other genres so we can have an official talkclassical census or something of the sort.


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## Sid James

I haven't heard that many British symphonies, so my list is short. I'm quite interested in hearing some of Rubbra's symphonies, which I haven't heard yet. Of the ones I know, I can't stand Elgar (longwinded & bores me to death), but I suppose I like Bliss, Bax & Vaughan Williams, although I don't exactly love them to death. Walton is definitely my favourite, although I've only heard his 1st within recent memory.

1. Walton 1
2. Bax 7
3. Bliss Colour
4. Vaughan Williams 4
5. Vaughan Williams 8


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## Polednice

emiellucifuge said:


> Also, I think this is a great idea if enough people participate.
> Despite the amount of scorn given to list threads (though surprisingly every attempt at a real discussion thread is left blank with sparse posts when list threads such as greatest pianist, fav opera singers, fav symphony are filled to page 11) I hope people will partake here, and if they do it would be great to continue this idea for other countries aswell, and maybe extend it into other genres so we can have an official talkclassical census or something of the sort.


It wouldn't be so bad if the question was more intellectually honest - _i.e._ 'Most Popular British Symphony'. 'Greatest' is misleading  Still, I don't really care that much; the fact is that it just doesn't make sense!


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## Jules141

I haven't really heard that many symphonies outside of Elgar's and Vaughn Williams' myself, but Elgar's 1st is one of my favourite ever pieces! The last movement is just stunning. Vaughn William's 2nd (London Symphony) is my favourite of his.


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## Frasier

There are around 700 symphonies from 150 19th-21st century British/UK composers so choosing 10 would be difficult, let alone rank them according to greatness, whatever that is!


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## emiellucifuge

Well Frasier, that amount is a lot smaller than we would find for many other countries so be thankful that we begin with Britannia


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## maestro267

Fsharpmajor said:


> We just post in the usual way and you tally them up, I expect?
> 
> I have a bunch I still haven't listened to, so this is gonna take me quite a while....


That's correct. Now, to tally up the points so far. This should be fun...

Just a reminder, the closing date for nominations is *Thursday 3rd December*, sometime probably between 1300 and 1600 GMT.



> It wouldn't be so bad if the question was more intellectually honest - i.e. 'Most Popular British Symphony'. 'Greatest' is misleading Still, I don't really care that much; the fact is that it just doesn't make sense!


OK, that'll do then. Unfortunately I cannot edit the title or anything but, on thinking about it, I prefer 'Most Popular...' to 'Greatest...' Nothing is truly 'great', because there will always be someone who disagrees.


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## nimmysnv

I haven't heard that many British symphonies, so my list is short.
I'm quite interested in hearing some of Rub bra's symphonies.

Thanks.


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## Air

1. Alwyn 2
2. Walton 1
3. Tippett 4
4. Vaughan Williams 6
5. Elgar 2

5 for now.


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## Fsharpmajor

I always get frustrated making lists and give up, but since you can vote for fewer than ten symphonies in this poll, I am voting for just one: Britten's *Sinfonia da Requiem*.


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## Guest

*Favorite British Symphonies*

1. Rawsthorne no. 3 - a major work by a minor composer
2. Gerhard no. 3 - a mixed work by a transplant
3. Gerhard no. 4
4. Gerhard no. 2
5. Gerhard no. 1
6. Searle no. 5 - Searle's should be at the top, but I've substituted "favorite" for "greatest"
7. Searle no. 4
8. Searle no. 3
9. Searle no. 2
10. Searle no. 1

Too bad this wasn't a UK thread so we could count Corcoran's symphonies.


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## maestro267

NEW RULE

I forgot about the possibility of ties, so in the (very likely) event of a tie, the symphonies involved will be put to a short (1- or 2-day) vote to decide which goes through to the final.

*7 days* to get your lists in, folks.

Big thanks to all who submitted their lists so far. I'm aware that some of you don't like 'ordering' pieces of music like this, but I like challenging people, so there.


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## altiste

*Tippett*

Tippett - Symphony No.2


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## World Violist

1) Rubbra: Symphony No. 6


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## emiellucifuge

Am I really the only one on this knowledge filled forum who has been able to create a complete 10?!


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## Guest

If you had really looked at the previous posts, you would have found your answer.


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## Chi_townPhilly

The following post will consist exclusively of quotes:


emiellucifuge said:


> Am I really the only one on this knowledge filled forum who has been able to create a complete 10?!





some guy said:


> If you had really looked at the previous posts, you would have found your answer.





some guy said:


> Too bad this wasn't a UK thread so we could count Corcoran's symphonies.





maestro267 said:


> The composers have to have been born in Britain or Ireland


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## Guest

Hahaha, so it's really ME who's inattentive, then?

BUSTED!!

(I guess I should apologize to emiellucifuge, too. I'm sorry, emiellucifuge.)

The quote by maestro267 means that Gerhard is out, too. So here's my revised list:

1. Rawsthorne, #3
2. Searle, #5
3. Searle, #4
4. Searle, #3
5. Searle, #2
6. Searle, #1
7. Corcoran, #4
8. Corcoran, #3
9. Corcoran, #2
10. Britten, Sinfonia da requiem

And if that's too much Searle and Corcoran for y'all, then you can make the following substitutions:

3. Corcoran, #4
4. Britten, Sinfonia da requiem
5. Hoddinott, #5
6. Wordsworth, #3
7. Rawsthorne, #1
8. Walton, #2
9. Arnold, #7
10. Arnell, #6 "The Anvil"


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## emiellucifuge

haha its alright


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## maestro267

some guy said:


> Hahaha, so it's really ME who's inattentive, then?
> 
> BUSTED!!
> 
> (I guess I should apologize to emiellucifuge, too. I'm sorry, emiellucifuge.)
> 
> The quote by maestro267 means that Gerhard is out, too. So here's my revised list:
> 
> 1. Rawsthorne, #3
> 2. Searle, #5
> 3. Searle, #4
> 4. Searle, #3
> 5. Searle, #2
> 6. Searle, #1
> 7. Corcoran, #4
> 8. Corcoran, #3
> 9. Corcoran, #2
> 10. Britten, Sinfonia da requiem
> 
> And if that's too much Searle and Corcoran for y'all, then you can make the following substitutions:
> 
> 3. Corcoran, #4
> 4. Britten, Sinfonia da requiem
> 5. Hoddinott, #5
> 6. Wordsworth, #3
> 7. Rawsthorne, #1
> 8. Walton, #2
> 9. Arnold, #7
> 10. Arnell, #6 "The Anvil"




Confusion, so much confusion. What's your final list, then? I've already added your points from the previous list to the scoreboard, so if you have changed your list, please state clearly what your choices are. I'm the only one 'officiating' this poll; I don't have an army of hamsters working behind me here.

PS. The above comment is not to be taken as a rant or angry moment. Just a confused moment, 'tis all.


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## Elgarian

Here are the ones _I most care about_ (my interpretation of the rules), in the order in which I most care about them, here and now, today, just before lunch, with the sun shining:

1. Elgar 1 
2. Elgar/Payne 3
3. Elgar 2
4. Vaughan Williams 5
5. Parry 2 ('Cambridge')
6. Vaughan Williams 3 ('Pastoral')
7. Vaughan Williams 2 ('London')
8. Parry 3 ('English')
9. Vaughan Williams 7 ('Antartica')
10. Parry 4


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## Art Rock

1. Vaughan Williams 5
2. Vaughan Williams 3
3. Bax 6
4. Moeran
5. Bax 3
6. Bantock - Hebrides symphony
7. Bliss - Colour symphony
8. Elgar 1
9. Parry 5
10. Bantock - Celtic symphony


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## Guest

maestro267 said:


> What's your final list, then?


If you've already counted Gerhard, then leave everything as it is.

If you want to disqualify Gerhard, since he was born in Catalan, after all, then my second list is the final. (I offered the third only if you didn't want so many symphonies by so few composers.)


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## TresPicos

1) Vaughan Williams 5


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## drth15

*Greatest British Symphony*

Elgar 2
VW 2
VW 5
Walton 1


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## maestro267

some guy said:


> If you've already counted Gerhard, then leave everything as it is.
> 
> If you want to disqualify Gerhard, since he was born in Catalan, after all, then my second list is the final. (I offered the third only if you didn't want so many symphonies by so few composers.)


I'll make an exception this time. It's entirely up to you what symphonies you choose (according to the rules in #1). You could have an entire list by 1 composer if you like...

(The floodgates open...)


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## maestro267

*nominations closed*


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## BenG

emiellucifuge said:


> 1. Brian - Gothic Symphony
> 2. Bantock - Celtic Symphony
> 3. Potter - Symphony 7
> 4. Vaughan Williams - London
> 5. Bliss - Colour
> 6. Walton - 1st
> 7. Elgar - 2nd
> 8. Bax - Symphony 7
> 9. Alwyn - 5
> 10. Bainton - 2
> 
> That will do for this particular poll, dont use this as a reference for future though.


I prefer Baintons 3rd symphony actually


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## Marsilius

Elgar 1
Parry 5


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## MarkW

I assume this contest is long since over, but I'll put in votes for:

Tippett No. 2
Vaughan Williams No. 5


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## endelbendel

Vaughan Williams 4
Holst Planets
Delius Paradise Garden.


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## Art Rock

endelbendel said:


> Vaughan Williams 4
> Holst Planets
> Delius Paradise Garden.


The last two are not even symphonies.


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## ahinton

Tippett 2
Elgar 2
Rubbra 9
Simpson 9
Matthews (D) 6
Lloyd 7
Vaughan Williams 4
Vaughan Williams 6
Brian 2
Walton 1


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## Azol

My Top 10 favorites are:

*Vaughan Williams* - 1
*Vaughan Williams* - 2
*Vaughan Williams* - 3
*Vaughan Williams* - 7
*Parry* - 5
*Stanford* - 5
*Tovey* - Symphony in D Major
*Cliffe* - 1
*Bantock* - Hebridean Symphony
*Bantock* - Celtic Symphony


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## maestro267

Hmm...I can't remember this at all. How did you even find it? It hasn't been posted in for 9 years.


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## SONNET CLV

I didn't get an opportunity to participate in this thread when it began, but I probably would have thought then as I do now about first position being a toss up between Walton's First and Haydn's 104th.

Fortunately there are so many wonderful British symphonies, many already listed in this thread, that I hesitate to go on further with listing. Too, I fear, I may begin to question my own sense concerning the Walton First and The Haydn 104th, when I start to consider such works as Vaughan Williams's 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th, William Alwyn's 4th, nearly any symphony by Bax ... not to mention William Boyce's Symphony No. 1 in B flat. And what to make of Handel's Symphony that opens the oratorio Messiah? Surely that is a contender.

So, I'll add nothing more to this post but will instead continue combing through my disc collection for British symphonies I haven't visited for some while, and those I listen to quite often, to hear as many as I can before the coming of the Great Silence.


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## David Phillips

In alphabetical order -

Bax 2
Bax 4
Bax 6
Bliss Colour
Elgar 1
Elgar 2
Moeran 1
VW 2
VW 5
VW 9


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## Dorsetmike

I see no mention of William Boyce (1710-1779), were his 8 symphonies so poor, or did the poll only cover recent works?


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