# Your Desert Island Symphony



## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

I'm not sure if this topic has been done before as I'm too lazy to check, but if you were only allowed one symphony to accompany you to the desert island, what would it be? If you want to elaborate on your choice, then please do so as a reasoning behind your choice is always "value added". Have fun!

My pick: *Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74, "Pathétique"*










Why not Mahler, Sibelius, Bruckner or Shostakovich? The reason is simple: this is one symphony I could listen to any time of the day or at any given moment and feel completely fulfilled both emotionally and intellectually. I always find myself hearing new things in this symphony and discovering a new layer or texture that I hadn't heard before. Also, just the emotional pull this work has on me is immense. I feel like in this symphony that I've arrived at my own life's conclusion. Powerful stuff.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Mahler - Das Lied von der Erde for me. My all-time favourite piece of music, one that I never tire of. It also has sufficient changes in mood to keep it fresh from here to eternity.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

*PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) 
SYMPHONY IN B MINOR OP.58, "MANFRED" (1885)*








(^Isn't it cool? I dunno, I just felt like doing it.)​


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

Art Rock said:


> Mahler - Das Lied von der Erde for me. My all-time favourite piece of music, one that I never tire of. It also has sufficient changes in mood to keep it fresh from here to eternity.


Excellent choice, Art Rock. I LOVE and adore _Das Lied_. I could've picked it myself. On a separate note: what's your favorite recording of this work? Mine would be Baker/King/Haitink, but I do love so many other performances.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

My Desert Island Symphony (Orchestra) is the Vienna Philharmonic (I hope they would enjoy the vacation).

In case it's not allowed, Mahler 3 would be my choice. The whole world is contained within.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Neo Romanza said:


> On a separate note: what's your favorite recording of this work? Mine would be Baker/King/Haitink, but I do love so many other performances.


Yes, there are many awesome ones. I'd probably pick Ludwig/Wuderlich Klemperer, but Ludwig/Kollo/Karajan would be a strong contender as well (as would a handful of others, including the Baker/King/Haitink you mentioned). I prefer the tenor/alto version over the alternative tenor/baritone, but for that version Fischer-Dieskau/King/Bernstein would probably be my first choice.


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

My desert island Symphony would be a collage symphony combined by myself using my postmodernist artistic freedom:

*The Desert Island Symphony no. 1*

I Mahler 3rd
II Beethoven 6th Pastoral
III Tchaikovsky 6th, Pathétique
IV Sibelius 5th

Sorry, I had to cheat!


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Waehnen said:


> I Mahler 3rd
> II Beethoven 6th Pastoral
> III Tchaikovsky 6th, Pathétique
> IV Sibelius 5th


V Beethoven 6th Pastoral
(just as a bonus)


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Personally, I would take Beethoven's 9th. If I'm on a desert island, I'll want hope and transcendence, and that one tends to push those buttons, at least for me.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Odd choice w/ Beethoven’s first!


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

Another impossible question for me.

However, as a band junkie I can answer the question: Hindemith _Symphony in Bb for band._


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

There are three for me: the Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique, Mahler's 4th, and Shostakovich's 10th.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

Bulldog said:


> There are three for me: the Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique, Mahler's 4th, and Shostakovich's 10th.


You can only take one! That's the whole premise of the thread.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

Art Rock said:


> Yes, there are many awesome ones. I'd probably pick Ludwig/Wuderlich Klemperer, but Ludwig/Kollo/Karajan would be a strong contender as well (as would a handful of others, including the Baker/King/Haitink you mentioned). I prefer the tenor/alto version over the alternative tenor/baritone, but for that version Fischer-Dieskau/King/Bernstein would probably be my first choice.


I agree the alto/tenor version is my favorite. Oh man, Ludwig/Wuderlich/Klemperer is a bona fide classic! Love it.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

Waehnen said:


> My desert island Symphony would be collage symphony combined by myself using my postmodernist artistic freedom:
> 
> *The Desert Island Symphony no. 1*
> 
> ...


Only one choice! NO CHEATING!!! That's the challenge of this thread. I mean I could pick 50 symphonies that I'd take to the desert island with me, but you can only have ONE in this scenario.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Neo Romanza said:


> You can only take one! That's the whole premise of the thread.


I didn't pay any attention to that rule - sue me.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

Bulldog said:


> I didn't pay any attention to that rule - sue me.


Okay, well pick one and one only.


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

Neo Romanza said:


> Only one choice! NO CHEATING!!! That's the challenge of this thread. I mean I could pick 50 symphonies that I'd take to the desert island with me, but you can only have ONE in this scenario.


OK! Then I would choose Sibelius 5th. It is the most modern Sibelius symphony with tremendous orchestration. It is also the most uplifting piece of music I know. For the gratefulness of life on a desert island, that would be my choice. I cannot live without Sibelius melodic and harmonic and rhythmic language either.


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## KevinJS (Sep 24, 2021)

Creative ways to break the rules of the thread #2

Mahler 3 - Specifically Chailly/Concertgebouw, so that I can accidentally take some Bach as well, or maybe the rules allow us to take lots of music, but only one symphony?


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

Bruckner 8

Followed closely by Beethoven 9 and Mahler 9


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## vtpoet (Jan 17, 2019)

I join Hurwitz in thinking that Sibelius's Lemminkäinen Suite is actually a symphony. That's the one I'd choose.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Beethoven's Ninth!

I hope I can also take Wagner's Ring and a few other operas.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

SixFootScowl said:


> I hope I can also take Wagner's Ring and a few other operas.


Maybe they'll wash up in a bottle.


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## vtpoet (Jan 17, 2019)

Manxfeeder said:


> Maybe they'll wash up in a bottle.


That would be a waste of Scotch.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Neo Romanza said:


> Okay, well pick one and one only.


Out of respect for the fact that you initiated this thread - Shostakovich's 10th symphony.


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## advokat (Aug 16, 2020)

Tchaikovsky No. 6

The competition was:
Brahms 4
Bruckner 8
Beethoven 7

(this is called a clever cheating).


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Today Shostakovich 7th! Tomorrow? Who knows.


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## KevinW (Nov 21, 2021)

Can you make up a symphony of yourself by putting different movements of different symphonies together? :lol:


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## RobertJTh (Sep 19, 2021)

Bruckner 6


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## KevinJS (Sep 24, 2021)

KevinW said:


> Can you make up a symphony of yourself by putting different movements of different symphonies together? :lol:


No. It has already been tried. I'm sure there's a thread somewhere about building your own symphony. Listen to all of them before you get marooned.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

KevinW said:


> Can you make up a symphony of yourself by putting different movements of different symphonies together? :lol:


Might be easier if we can take one standard CD filled with symphonic works. Ha ha, I'll put a bunch of Mp3 files instead of burning a music disk, that way I can fit a lot of symphonies.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

KevinW said:


> Can you make up a symphony of yourself by putting different movements of different symphonies together? :lol:


Well, Berio's Sinfonia has part of Mahler's 2nd symphony in the middle of it. I guess that counts as a two-fer.


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## KevinW (Nov 21, 2021)

Brahms Symphony No. 4.


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## KevinW (Nov 21, 2021)

Top 5:
Mozart No. 41
Beethoven No. 3
Mahler No. 4
Mahler No. 8 (Not a fan of it, but since there are over 1000 people in the recording so I can feel less lonely...)
Brahms No. 4

Music team:
Desert composer: Mozart
Desert conductor: Klemperer 
Desert orchestra: Chicago Symphony
Would be better if I can build up a music hall on the island. :lol: Build a new capital of music outside Vienna.


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## KevinJS (Sep 24, 2021)

KevinW said:


> Top 5:
> Mozart No. 41
> Beethoven No. 3
> Mahler No. 4
> ...


Interesting thought, which I've often considered when these desert island threads come up, in the light of something I read when I was a kid and never forgot.

Reading this excerpt from 2001: A Space Odyssey, there's potential for feeling more lonely, not less. Just a thought. Apologies to the OP for side-tracking.


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## KevinW (Nov 21, 2021)

KevinJS said:


> Interesting thought, which I've often considered when these desert island threads come up, in the light of something I read when I was a kid and never forgot.
> 
> Reading this excerpt from 2001: A Space Odyssey, there's potential for feeling more lonely, not less. Just a thought. Apologies to the OP for side-tracking.
> 
> View attachment 162375


Maybe shutting off Hal completely wasn't a good idea.


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## KevinW (Nov 21, 2021)

Yes, sometimes music will exacerbate the loneliness. It depends on different people, however. I am in my winter vacation and I live alone in a house for most of the time and rarely call my parents and classmates, but I never feel lonely with the accompany of music. I can talk with the host, but I don't often do that. David Bowman should have listened to Mozart or Mahler--Mozart is what could change his mood, and Mahler's music can remind him of the life on earth. Also, any idea why Kubrick put the Blue Danube in the movie?


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## John Zito (Sep 11, 2021)

Knee-jerk, I'd pick the Solti/Chicago recording of Tchaikovsky 5.


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## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

Neo Romanza said:


> but if you were only allowed one symphony to accompany you to the desert island, what would it be?


Does this desert island have a concert hall? And will 80+ musicians travel to it?
Is the accompanying symphony a manuscript ... or a vinyl LP record ... or a CD album?

Music that one likes at age 30 may not be the same music one loves at age 50. One's taste could alter over time, so, if on a desert island for 25 years, then one is 'stuck' with whichever musical work one liked most at the time of entry onto the island.

No island for me. My treasured symphony might get blown into the water by ocean breeze. Besides, I don't want sand between my toes.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

KevinW said:


> Music team:
> Desert composer: Mozart
> Desert conductor: Klemperer
> Desert orchestra: Chicago Symphony


Desert music:


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## christomacin (Oct 21, 2017)

Art Rock said:


> Mahler - Das Lied von der Erde for me. My all-time favourite piece of music, one that I never tire of. It also has sufficient changes in mood to keep it fresh from here to eternity.


I think a lot of people undervalue this work and forget that for a long time after his death before the Mahler Revival this was the main work keeping his name alive. Many later "song cycle" symphonies are clearly indebted to it as well.


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

HenryPenfold said:


> I simply cannot make a final choice. I'd have to give a shortlist and let someone decide for me. Castaway on a desert island, I'd have to accept the decision, no choice!!!
> 
> Bliss - A Colour Symphony
> Bruckner 8
> ...


If I have to choose just one, then Bruckner 3


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Art Rock said:


> I don't think you get to choose a new one every day.....


RogerX gets rescued from the first island and then marooned again at a second island with the other symphony. One per island. Maybe I can be marooned a dozen or so times so i can fit in a lot of symphonies. As soon as I tire of one, new island.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

HenryPenfold said:


> If I have to choose just one, then Bruckner 3


No just pick four different islands and you can spend some time with each symphony.


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## christomacin (Oct 21, 2017)

SixFootScowl said:


> No just pick four different islands and you can spend some time with each symphony.


An archipelago of symphonies would be ideal.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

SixFootScowl said:


> RogerX gets rescued from the first island and then marooned again at a second island with the other symphony. One per island. Maybe I can be marooned a dozen or so times so i can fit in a lot of symphonies. As soon as I tire of one, new island.


You've goy it in one. :tiphat:
Happy New Year .


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## Bruce Morrison (Mar 8, 2010)

It would have to be the Bruckner 8th. The recording I would probably choose is Karajan's final recording with the Vienna PO. But in some moods, I would want the amazing Celibidache live performance with the Munich PO on EMI, which lasts a mind-boggling 100 minutes plus!


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## Alinde (Feb 8, 2020)

Beethoven's 6th is my current choice.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

Art Rock said:


> Mahler - Das Lied von der Erde for me. My all-time favourite piece of music, one that I never tire of. It also has sufficient changes in mood to keep it fresh from here to eternity.


Ah, but what performance would of _Das Lied_ would you take to the desert island?


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

If I were going to a desert island this week, say Thursday, I'd take Bruckner 9. 😁


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

Candidates include:
Bruckner 8
Schubert 9
Beethoven 7, 9
Mahler 2, 6, DLVDE


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Right now my desert island symphony is Rachmaninoff #2.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

SixFootScowl said:


> Right now my desert island symphony is Rachmaninoff #2.


But what recording of it, Scowl?


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

On this moment in time: 
Sibelius: Kullervo-
Benjamin Appl (baritone), Helena Juntunen (soprano)
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra & Lund Male Chorus, Thomas Dausgaard


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Neo Romanza said:


> But what recording of it, Scowl?


I am not qualified to judge that, but one of my favorites is Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Also Pavel Kogan and the Moscow State Symphony. Kogan came as a Rachmaninoff orchestral set in a download for 8 hours of music.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

Rogerx said:


> On this moment in time:
> Sibelius: Kullervo-
> Benjamin Appl (baritone), Helena Juntunen (soprano)
> BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra & Lund Male Chorus, Thomas Dausgaard


You're still obsessed with this recording, eh? Well, I don't blame you! It's one of the finest recordings of _Kullervo_ I know. It's certainly up there with my reference recording of Berglund/Bournemouth SO on EMI (Warner).


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

The "Jupiter", for the sake of that miraculous finale.


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## prlj (10 mo ago)

*Beethoven 9 Cleveland/Szell*

Is it the best Beethoven 9? No. Does it have historical significance? No. Best sounding? No.

But it's been in my veins ever since I first listened to it back in the late 80's. That's my desert island symphony + recording.


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

Xisten267 said:


> Beethoven's Ninth! I'm obsessed by it and it has been like this for more than a decade now. Deep expression, fire, details, sublimity, influence, power, originality, optimism: this life-affirming masterpiece has got it all, and I want to hear it in the desert island.
> 
> Toscanini/NBCSO is my favorite recording.


Nothing changed in one year - my choice is still Beethoven's Ninth.

If there's a second island and I can choose a second symphony to bring to it, my choice will probably be Bruckner's 8th with Furtwängler/VPO, 1944 version.


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## RobertJTh (Sep 19, 2021)

Only one symphony? I could go for Mahler 3, since that offers the most meat for one's money. But instead I'll choose Bruckner's 6th. I'd never get tired of it.



Neo Romanza said:


> Ah, but what performance would of _Das Lied_ would you take to the desert island?


I'd like to hear that from Art as well.
I never cared much fro the famous Klemperer. Of course the singing are magical, but the recording (with the Ludwig parts recorded only after the death of Wunderlich!) makes an extremely artificial impression on me. I think this is a work that benefits most from the spontaneity of a live performance.
My own favorite is Horenstein, with Alfreda Hodgson in stunning form, challenging Ludwig in the final song. Or, in the 2 males version, Kletzki with DFD in much better form than under Bernstein.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

RobertJTh said:


> Only one symphony? I could go for Mahler 3, since that offers the most meat for one's money. But instead I'll choose Bruckner's 6th. I'd never get tired of it.
> 
> 
> I'd like to hear that from Art as well.
> ...


I love the Klemperer _Das Lied_. I think it's one of the finest performances of the work available and the fact that I now own the Warner/Tower Records Japan hybrid SACD set of all Klemperer's Mahler on EMI makes it even more special for me. The remastering is incredible. As much I love the Klemperer, it wouldn't be my top choice, however. The King/Baker/Haitink on Philips is the one I'd take to the desert island.

It will be interesting to read which recording Art Rock takes to the desert island. I'm not sure I own as many _Das Lied_ recordings as he does, but I own 21 of them in total.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Neo Romanza said:


> Ah, but what performance would of _Das Lied_ would you take to the desert island?





RobertJTh said:


> I'd like to hear that from Art as well.





Neo Romanza said:


> It will be interesting to read which recording Art Rock takes to the desert island. I'm not sure I own as many _Das Lied_ recordings as he does, but I own 21 of them in total.


Klemperer / Wunderlich / Ludwig. Boring choice, I know. Among the more recent recordings, I would pick Oue / Villars / DeYoung.
For the version with baritone instead of alto, Bernstein / King / Fischer-Dieskau.


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## RobertJTh (Sep 19, 2021)

Art Rock said:


> Klemperer / Wunderlich / Ludwig. Boring choice, I know. Among the more recent recordings, I would pick Oue / Villars / DeYoung.
> For the version with baritone instead of alto, Bernstein / King / Fischer-Dieskau.


I think the valuation of DLvdE recordings depends on how you regard it, as a top heavy piece, with the great tenor opening song as the highlight (then of course Wunderlich should be one's first choice), or as a composition that works towards the great finale - and then stuff becomes slightly more complex, with several soloists doing an excellent job in that movement. I personally find Ludwig, as radiant as she is, a tad cool. It fits Klemperer's interpretation as a glove though. I like Baker slightly more, she seems more involved with the text, but Haitink is his usual boring self, I find him tolerable in the "cooler" Mahler works, but not in an emotionally charged piece like DLvdE. That leaves me with Hodgson and DFD. Hodgson, never a world-class vocalist, was born to sing this work. The closing pages, in a perfect symbiosis with Horenstein, are even more emotionally devastating than those of Ferrier/Walter. It was one of Horenstein's last recordings - so there's a parallel with Ferrier as well.
There's a curious "remake" with the same soloists, Mitchinson and Hodgson, made a couple of years later, after Horenstein's death, and conducted by Gibson. Very good as well.
As for DFD - again I think he was better in the recording with Kletzki. More subtle, in fresher voice, with his famous "word-painting" in optima forma. Take the first climax of "Das Abschied" - no-one sings "Liebes-trunk'ne Welt!" with more intensity, and perfectly supported by the conductor and orchestra. In the Bernstein version it seems a passing moment, but with Kletzki it becomes the highlight of the entire piece.
So I'd love to hear what you think of these versions? Horenstein is on BBC Legends, Gibson came on a cheap Classics for Pleasure CD, Kletzki on EMI/Warner.


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## MatthewWeflen (Jan 24, 2019)

It would either be Beethoven 6 or 9. Both of them are worlds in themselves. I would probably go with 6, because of its positive effect on my mood. But this is a very difficult decision because of the sonic variety and level of quality within 9.

I am very happy these are hypotheticals, because I would very much not want to do without Sibelius' symphonic output. Or Brahms.


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## solutio (2 mo ago)

Mahler 9 by Bernstein and the Berliner Philharmoniker 1979


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## Bkeske (Feb 27, 2019)

Sibelius #2, by Szell/RCO


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

solutio said:


> Mahler 9 by Bernstein and the Berliner Philharmoniker 1979


Buy the Bernstein DVD, makes it even more exciting.


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## solutio (2 mo ago)

Rogerx said:


> Buy the Bernstein DVD, makes it even more exciting.


Thanks for the tip! But what is DVD??? 😝

No doubt: Bernstein-Wiener-Mahler is a dreamteam, especially in the symphony 5 or in Das Lied. But I think some of his best desert island Mahler moments Bernstein had as guest conductor with other orchestras: Symphony 2 with LSO 1974 or the Symphony 9 with the Berliner 1979.

Maybe it worked better there because Bernstein wasn't constantly distracted by a camera to produce a DVD... 😆


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

solutio said:


> Thanks for the tip! But what is DVD??? 😝
> 
> No doubt: Bernstein-Wiener-Mahler is a dreamteam, especially in the symphony 5 or in Das Lied. But I think some of his best desert island Mahler moments Bernstein had as guest conductor with other orchestras: Symphony 2 with LSO 1974 or the Symphony 9 with the Berliner 1979.
> 
> Maybe it worked better there because Bernstein wasn't constantly distracted by a camera to produce a DVD... 😆




Outstanding..


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## muxamed (Feb 20, 2010)

Art Rock said:


> Klemperer / Wunderlich / Ludwig. Boring choice, I know. Among the more recent recordings, I would pick Oue / Villars / DeYoung.
> For the version with baritone instead of alto, Bernstein / King / Fischer-Dieskau.


There is nothing "boring" with that choice . Das Lied is one of my favorite pieces of music too and I also adore Klemperer's rendition.


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## muxamed (Feb 20, 2010)

Right now my favorite symphonic work is Mahler's symphony no 9. My favorite recording is the one with Karel Ancerl and Czech Philharmonic on Supraphon. Wonderful playing from the orchestra and fine conducting that (IMHO) captures the soul of this symphony.


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

My choice would be Mahler 2 - a symphony I never tire of hearing plus the studio recording from Klemperer (EMI) is the only disc my Mother bought as a gift for me, 32 years ago.
Stretching a point perhaps but the OP states only one symphony but doesn't suggest I can't take _all_ my 32 different recordings of this one symphony .


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## Philidor (11 mo ago)

I hope that there will be some electrical power and adequate playback equipment on the desert island.

Then: Gustav Mahler, Symphony No. 9 D major

Among my favourite recordings are:

Bruno Walter, Columbia SO, 1961
Ancerl, Czech PO, 1966
Horenstein, LSO, 1966
Bernstein, BPO, 1979
Abbado, BPO, 1999
Rattle, BPO, 2007
Haitink, Bavarian Radio SO, 2011

Karajan's well-known recordings didn't touch me.


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## RobertJTh (Sep 19, 2021)

Philidor said:


> I hope that there will be some electrical power and adequate playback equipment on the desert island.


We hardcore CM lovers just play all our favorite symphonies in our heads.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

Art Rock said:


> Klemperer / Wunderlich / Ludwig. Boring choice, I know. Among the more recent recordings, I would pick Oue / Villars / DeYoung.
> For the version with baritone instead of alto, Bernstein / King / Fischer-Dieskau.


The Klemperer is an outstanding choice! It's certainly in my 'Top 3'. My other choices would be Baker/King/Haitink and the more recent Connolly/Smith/Jurowski. But, honestly, there are so many fine performances that have been issued through the years.


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## Roger Knox (Jul 19, 2017)

RobertJTh said:


> We hardcore CM lovers just play all our favorite symphonies in our heads.


Or in 4-hand piano arrangements.


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## Roger Knox (Jul 19, 2017)

Roger Knox said:


> Or in 4-hand piano arrangements.


Based on the number of listens over five years, Franz Schmidt's Symphony No. 2 is my choice -- it's held up very well. This work has lots of warmth and feeling not to mention variety and great moments. The Scherzo does go on a bit, so I'd dance a jig in the desert sand when it comes on -- no one ever said that on this bloody desert island you have to sit still while listening! (Might even prance naked if no one's peeking ...) The Vienna Philharmonic/Bychko recording on Sony is my favorite.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

Roger Knox said:


> Based on the number of listens over five years, Franz Schmidt's Symphony No. 2 is my choice -- it's held up very well. This work has lots of warmth and feeling not to mention variety and great moments. The Scherzo does go on a bit, so I'd dance a jig in the desert sand when it comes on -- no one ever said that on this bloody desert island you have to sit still while listening! (Might even prance naked if no one's peeking ...) The Vienna Philharmonic/Bychko recording on Sony is my favorite.


I love Schmidt's 2nd, too, but please keep your clothes on.


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## Roger Knox (Jul 19, 2017)

Neo Romanza said:


> I love Schmidt's 2nd, too, but please keep your clothes on.


All right. I realize this issue has been discussed thoroughly on another thread.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

Mahler's Third Symphony by Honeck.
Second choice: Mahler's Ninth Symphony by Karajan.
Third choice: Beethoven's Third by Honeck


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## TwoFlutesOneTrumpet (Aug 31, 2011)

Right now it would be Beethoven's 3rd performed by the PSO conducted by Manfred Honeck.


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## Lisztianwagner (2 mo ago)

It's really hard to choose just one symphony; but provably my choice would be Beethoven 9th (from the Karajan '63 cycle).


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

Lisztianwagner said:


> It's really hard to choose just one symphony; but provably my choice would be Beethoven 9th (from the Karajan '63 cycle).


A great choice! I don't listen to Beethoven too often (and when I do, it's usually the last SQs), but Karajan's 60s cycle is my favorite symphony cycle. The interpretations are passionate and have an intensity to them. Also with the recent remastering, the performances sound even better than ever.


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## Lisztianwagner (2 mo ago)

Neo Romanza said:


> A great choice! I don't listen to Beethoven too often (and when I do, it's usually the last SQs), but Karajan's 60s cycle is my favorite symphony cycle. The interpretations are passionate and have an intensity to them. Also with the recent remastering, the performances sound even better than ever.


Completely agree, Beethoven's symphonies are very powerful, evocative compositions, and Karajan was always able to bring out the right emotional intensity and beauty from them, especially in his 60s cycle. There are many other great interpretations, but none captures me like Karajan's. 

By the way, I agree about the late SQ too, such impressive works!


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## Bourdon (Jan 4, 2019)

Mozart symphony 41


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## verandai (Dec 10, 2021)

At the moment it would be Mahler's 8th symphony. Some years ago (before I fell in love with the 8th), it would have been the 9th of Dvorak.

If I'm asked again in a couple of years, it may have changed again


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

verandai said:


> At the moment it would be Mahler's 8th symphony. Some years ago (before I fell in love with the 8th), it would have been the 9th of Dvorak.
> 
> If I'm asked again in a couple of years, it may have changed again


Do you have a favorite recording for Mahler's 8th?


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## verandai (Dec 10, 2021)

Xisten267 said:


> Do you have a favorite recording for Mahler's 8th?


So far it is Tennstedt with London PO, but there are still many other recordings open for me, which I want to listen to! For example, I haven't listened to a Boulez recording yet. Maybe I'll find another recording that I like even more!

I've already wrote it in another thread - I completed one big point of my "bucket list" - I was at a live performance in the state opera in Budapest! Regarding the musical performance, I liked the recording better that I mentioned above - but it was still an amazing experience!


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