# Please Recommend a Symphony



## joshzuck (Apr 28, 2011)

I enjoy listening to classical symphonies in which many instruments are being played at the same time. Please recommend one or more symphonies, including the composer of the symphony, that are of this type. (Please don’t include symphonies composed by Beethoven)
Thank you, in advance.


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

http://www.talkclassical.com/12443-tc-150-most-recommended.html


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

joshzuck said:


> I enjoy listening to classical symphonies in which many instruments are being played at the same time. Please recommend one or more symphonies, including the composer of the symphony, that are of this type. (Please don't include symphonies composed by Beethoven)
> Thank you, in advance.


LvB is Early Romantic.

Try Haydn, his London Symphonies.:tiphat:


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## Stasou (Apr 23, 2011)

When you say "classical," do you mean to refer to the long period of time spanning from medieval music to contemporary classical music, or to the much smaller period of time between the baroque and romantic eras?


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

Franz Schubert- Symphonies 8 & 9
Hector Berlioz- Symphonie Fantastique
Johannes Brahms- Symphonies 1-4
Anton Bruckner- Symphonies 7 - 9
Gustav Mahler- Symphony no. 1 & 5
Tchaikovsky- Symphonies 5 & 6

You might also check into symphonic works beyond the traditional symphony structure:

Mussorgsky- Night on Bald Mountain and Pictures at an Exhibition
Stravinsky- The Rite of Spring
Rimsky-Korsakov- Scheherazade


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Not mentioned yet, and certainly suited:
Mendelssohn - 3 (Scottish) and 4 (Italian).


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

joshzuck said:


> ...Please don't include symphonies composed by Beethoven...


Why not? Because you've heard them all? Or because you don't like them? Can you give us more information? Thanks...


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

Vaneyes said:


> LvB is Early Romantic.
> 
> Try Haydn, his London Symphonies.:tiphat:


LvB is most DEFINITELY late Classical. Although he pioneered some stylistic musical aspects later taken-up by Romantic composers, Beethoven is undoubtedly a Classical composer.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Delicious Manager said:


> LvB is most DEFINITELY late Classical. Although he pioneered some stylistic musical aspects later taken-up by Romantic composers, Beethoven is undoubtedly a Classical composer.


Oh no, not this hot potato again. This issue has been debated to no end on other threads. From what I can remember, the general consensus was the Beethoven was a transitional figure between the Classical and Romantic eras. In a (contradictory) way, he was neither but also both.

Anyhow, I'm interested in whether Joshzuck actually likes Beethoven's symphonies or not, as it is unclear reading his opening post...


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## haydnfan (Apr 13, 2011)

For classical era, I second Vaneyes suggestion, Haydn wanted his symphonies played by huge forces. For classical as in cm I'll throw in the huge symphony of a 1,000 bloat monsters: Mahler's 8th and Havergal Brian's Gothic Symphony. If those don't have enough instruments, voices, etc I don't know what would!


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## Serge (Mar 25, 2010)

Trying to read too much into a query like this one can certainly wreck your brain. Nicely done, sir: I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

And so here’s my recommendation:

Prokofiev – Symphony No. 1.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

Actually, all symphonies are full of many instruments playing at the same time. 
This is true of orchestral music in general. Some symphonies,such as those of Haydn and Mozart, call for small orchestras, although they were occaisionally performed with much bigger ones as oone post here pointed out.
Others,such as those of Mahler and other composers of the 20th century and and late 19th call for huge ones, with much larger woodwind and brass sections ,a lot of strings, and a much wider variety of different instruments,including percussion.
In a symphony though, not all instruments play at the same time; and there are passages where there may be only strings playing, and not all the woodwind and brass ec. ,and sometimes only woodwinds and brass, or even with one instrument playing alone for a brief time.


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## Pieck (Jan 12, 2011)

Isnt it weird judging a symphony by the size of the orchestra it's written for?


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Pieck said:


> Isnt it weird judging a symphony by the size of the orchestra it's written for?


Not at all, that's why there are musicologists as well as transcriptions.


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## haydnfan (Apr 13, 2011)

I don't see anything judgmental about wanting works for large orchestral forces. If I wanted string quartet recordings would that make me judgmental of other chamber ensembles?


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