# 1st Symphony of Romantic Composers



## Arsakes

Well, another tough poll. Which Romantic Composer 1st symphony is your favorite?

Sadly, I don't put Beethoven. Because it's more classic than romantic. Schubert, same reason. Mendelssohn was in his Teen age and I tried to avoid 20th century.

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Edit: as one option per poll doesn't content anyone, I provide you a poll to select more options.

@clavichorder 
OK, Included.

I voted 12 options! Guess how many votes will be there?!


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## clavichorder

These are my top in order:

Brahms 1
Mahler 1 (Titan)
Schumann 1 (Spring)
Tchaikovsky 1 (Winter Day Dreams)
Bizet Symphony in C
Bruckner 1


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## Arsakes

Thanks for your comment. It's hard to put Numberless Symphonies. Berwald has 4 and Wagner has 2 of them. I stick to numbered symphonies.

edit:

Is it Okay to exclude Schubert? Because If I want to add Schubert, I add Beethoven's 1st too.


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## clavichorder

Arsakes said:


> Thanks for your comment. It's hard to put Numberless Symphonies. Berwald has 4 and Wagner has 2 of them. I stick to numbered symphonies.


But Bizet did in fact only write 1 symphony. Does that count? Also, I forgot to mention Chausson's B flat symphony.


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## Crudblud

Mahler
Tchaikovsky
Sibelius
Glazunov
Elgar


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## clavichorder

Symphonie Fantastique! Possibly my favorite symphony of all time. Well, in that case, forget all the others.


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## Manxfeeder

That's a hard one. I wrestled with Nielsen and Sibelius, but I'd have to choose Brahms. 
But if we get to favorite 0s, I'm with Bruckner all the way.


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## clavichorder

Arsakes said:


> Thanks for your comment. It's hard to put Numberless Symphonies. Berwald has 4 and Wagner has 2 of them. I stick to numbered symphonies.
> 
> edit:
> 
> Is it Okay to exclude Schubert? Because If I want to add Schubert, I add Beethoven's 1st too.


While these are technically 19th century symphonies, I would not say they are romantic. Also, that would call for the inclusion of Mendlessohn's 1st string symphony.


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## clavichorder

Schumann's 1st is kind of underrated as is Tchaikovsky's. These are probably the most 'high spirited' symphonies of the lot, which is how a 1st should sound. Its just that we have those hulksters like Brahms 1 and Mahler 1 or the bizzaros like Symphonie Fantastique.


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## clavichorder

Another great 1st is Balakirev's. This Scherzo is extremely Russian and charming, 




Certainly one of the best "minor composer" 1st symphonies of the 19th century.


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## mmsbls

Three stand out for me - Brahms, Mahler, and Berlioz (in that order).


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## campy

I could have picked half the choices, but in the end I voted for only two: Tchaikovsky & Mahler. Mainly because I love those 1sts as much as the composers' later entries. Bizet gets honorable mention.

Dvorak's _Bells _has some excellent passages, but is weak in structure.


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## Chi_townPhilly

mmsbls said:


> Three stand out for me - Brahms, Mahler, and Berlioz (in that order).


I'm cool with that- but I'd reverse the order.

For me, _Symphonie Fantastique_ wins by a 'Secretariat-worthy' margin.

Then, Mahler's First.

I'd have to spend some time reflecting on breaking the 'photo-finish' between Brahms 1 & Schumann 1. I'm inclining to Schumann...


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## DeepR

Haven't heard them all but so far Mahler, Tchaikvosky AND... Scriabin! His first symphony is fantastic, perod.


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## Vaneyes

Tie - Schumann, Brahms, Mahler.


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## Taneyev

YES!! My absolute favorite first. That and KALINIKOV.


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## Lisztian

You forgot the Liszt's Faust Symphony. For me it's a tie between the Faust and Berlioz' Symphonie Fantastique.


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## Ondine

Brahms, Dvorak, Nielsen, Sibelius & Mahler.

Not being a Mahler fan and not having explored all his symphonic works, Titan is one of my favourites oeuvres of Classical Symphonic repertoire.


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## Bobotox

Raff and Wetz. Listened to both about 30 times. Better than the ones on the list.


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## Xaltotun

Schumann, Brahms, Sibelius, Bruckner... but I think I like Brahms the best. It's all blood, sweat and tears, trying to be worthy of Beethoven's legacy, trying to find a voice of your own, trying to be simple and profound at the same time.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Pity my favourite isn't there. 

Farrenc
Berlioz
Tchaikovsky
Mahler


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## Arsakes

Xaltotun said:


> Schumann, Brahms, Sibelius, Bruckner... but I think I like Brahms the best. It's all blood, sweat and tears, trying to be worthy of Beethoven's legacy, trying to find a voice of your own, trying to be simple and profound at the same time.


Exactly.

But I'm influenced by Dvorak's Bells for longer time than other 1st symphonies.


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## Sonata

I picked Tchaikovsky. It was a really hard decision, Sibelius #1 and Mahler #1 follow close behind.


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## gabem

that was tough! I went with berlioz but I'm very partial to brahms and mahler as well.


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## elgar's ghost

I like most on that list but it has to be Mahler for me - he really hit the ground running.


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## GraemeG

Bobotox said:


> Raff and Wetz. Listened to both about 30 times. Better than the ones on the list.


Ha, ha. Don't feed the trolls, they say!
GG


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## StlukesguildOhio

I have come to really like Berlioz... but I suspect the _Symphonie Fantastique_ is overrated... within the scope of his entire oeuvre. I have a soft spot for Tchaikovsky's _First/Winter Dreams_ as it was truly the first major Romantic era symphonic piece that I came to love. Sibelius and Nielsen are fine... but in the end it comes down to Brahms vs Mahler... a truly difficult choice. I think I'd have to go with Mahler today... but given another day I could very well chose the Brahms.


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## Sid James

*Bizet's Symphony in C* for me. One of those prototype neo-classical works from the 19th century. He would not have heard Schubert's 5th symphony when he wrote it, but I always connect the great flowing and song like melodies in this work with Schubert. Of course, Bizet was consciously going back to Mozart. The _Symphony in C_ is not easy to perform, that is maybe why orchestras avoid doing it live. Some very difficult rhythmic shifts in it, and also that gorgeous oboe solo in the slow movement, which is like opera without words. When I was at a live performance, the conductor shook the hand of the oboeist after. That's how hard that solo is, and its the emotional pivot of the work for me. But this work is also pure joy.

He did write another symphony later, called the _Roma_ symphony. & wikipedia lists a third symphony titled _Ode symphony - Vasco da GAma,_ which I have not heard.

But other favourite firsts include Liszt's _Faust,_ Berlioz's _Fantastique _(but I love its 'sequel,' _Harold in Italy _equally), Mahler, Sibelius, Brahms (& Mendelssohn's - a 'ripper' of a work, equally brilliant as the more famous _Octet for strings _from his same period, done in his teenage years). . .


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## Couchie

Wagner's is the best because ho-hum here we have another elegant but mediocre beethoven wannabe and then a few operas later, BAM, and the whole world is like HOLY ******* **** WHAT JUST HAPPENED and then Wagner became the greatest composer ever, unlike Brahms.


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## peeyaj

Berlioz' Symphony Fantastique is my third favorite among the Romantic era symphonies. The first one is Schubert's Great C Major and the Unfinished. It's that awesome.


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## appoggiatura

Rachmaninoff's 1st is genius!


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## Wandering

I sort of think this pole is a little odd. It seems that both Schubert and Beethoven get left out simply because they were unfortunately bridges during their careers, which is contrary to the fact that it was, in reality, very fortunate that they were. It's like no Bacon on a BLT, and then going on and on about the Lettuce and Tomato.

Of the others, I'd start with Berlioz and then put Liszt a fairly close second and Mahler third; but of course Mahler opens up his own can of worms for me.


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## opus55

Brahms 1 by far


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## Andreas

Difficult to compare the efforts of a teenage Bizet with the fourtysomething Bruckner or Brahms. I'd have to go with Bizet, though. A fugato in the slow movement, don't hear that too often. And it's charming all around.


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## Carpenoctem

I'd have to go with my man Brahms. I love his 1st symphony, it's wonderful.

If the pool asked for the 2nd symphony I wouldn't even think about voting for anyone else rather than Mahler. This man wrote crazy good symphonies, it's always a joy to listen to them.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Wow, the Wagner is more popular than I imagine! A whopping three people voted for it.


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## Andreas

Just listened to Richard Strauss' first symphony in d minor. Outstanding. He was sixteen at the time.


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