# Your favorite symphonic slow movement ?



## laurie (Jan 12, 2017)

The slow movement of any symphony is usually my favorite part, & the movement that can make or break a symphony for me. What are* your* personal favorites, the ones you can (& do!) listen to over & over on their own? 
Without a doubt, my favorite is the middle movement of Sibelius No. 3 ~ I_ never _tire of hearing that beautiful, almost hypnotic music!


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## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

I have many favorite slow movements, for example:

Bruckner - Symphonies 7, 8, 9: Monumental and breathtaking, some of the most moving music is founded in these movements.

Mahler - Symphony 6: This is a very strong candidate. I think it's the best slow movement written by Mahler, something that is beyond me.

Rodrigo - Concierto de Aranjuez: This achingly beautiful slow movement can't go unnoticed.

Atterberg: He was a master of slow movements, especially in the symphonies 4, 5, 6 and 8 and his Piano concerto. Just mesmerizing.

Shostakovich - Symphonies 5, 8 and 10, Passacaglia from his Violin concerto 1.

Prokofiev - Symphony 5 (it's quite terrific).

Tchaikovsky: Symphonies 1 (gorgeous in a high level) and 5.

Saint-Saëns: Piano concerto 5

Beethoven: Piano concerto 5

Ravel: Piano concerto in G (truly magical and ethereal)

Vaughan Williams: Symphonies 2 and 5

Now I remember those ones, but I know there are more for coming.


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## laurie (Jan 12, 2017)

MusicSybarite said:


> Rodrigo - Concierto de Aranjuez: This achingly beautiful slow movement can't go unnoticed.


Oh! I don't know how I forgot this one .... this is one of my favorite pieces, & helped get me into classical music when I heard ( & fell in love with!) Miles Davis' version on his Sketches of Spain album ...


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Schumann symphony number 2


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## leonsm (Jan 15, 2011)

Bruckner 3,8,9, Mahler 6, Saint-Saens 3, Beethoven 3, Villa-Lobos 3, Shostakovich 5, Brahms 3,


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

Bruckner's 7th
Vaughan Williams' 2nd (London) but specifically the 1913 version. RVW cut out some of the best parts in the 1920 & 1933/36 revisions.
Nielsen's 3rd (Espansiva)
Rubbra's 5th


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## Heliogabo (Dec 29, 2014)

Beethoven's 3rd and 7th
Mahler's 5th and 10 th
Brahms 3rd


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

Beethoven 7th (technically its an Allegretto but its the slowest movement in the symphony).

Mozart's Clarinet Concerto

Dvorak 9th

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## Capeditiea (Feb 23, 2018)

i tend to listen to the full works twice in a row while i am listening on my mp3 player. 
1. Mahler's 10th, which i repeatedly listen to almost once a week. then once in a while i will have a Mahler Marathon. :3 where i end up listening to this twice. 
2. Yamada's Symphony in F Major second movement, 
3. (and since concertos can be considered) Dvorak's Cello Concerto No. 1 second movement, 
4. Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2 second movement


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

Bruckner is full of delighful slow movements, especially in the ultra-slow Celibidache interpretation
Mahler, Symphony No. 3 (6th movement)
Saint-Saens Symphony 3 - this is one of my most favorite symphonies, full of delightful slow parts (and the amazing deep organ sounds)
Sibelius Symphony 2, last movement. This has to be my most favorite ending to any symphony.
Dvořák Symphony No.9, "From the New World" - II. Largo


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Beethoven: Symphonies 3 & 9, Quartet Op. 127, Sonatas Opp. 109, 111
Mahler: Smphony 4, and Andante Symphony 9, and Der Abschied


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## Judith (Nov 11, 2015)

Have a few


Tchaikovsky Symphony no 1
Schumann Symphony no 2
Brahms Symphony no 3
Mahler Symphony no 1
Beethoven Symphony no 7

These are what come to mind but there are many others


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## Portamento (Dec 8, 2016)

Schnittke no. 8, mvt.II. Really quite depressing...

Hear it if you haven't!


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Adagio Mahler 10. Profoundly moving. Devastating in its impact on me. Written with another world in mind, I believe.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Mahler 5th addagietto. /Gustav Mahler - Adagietto | Leonard Bernstein.






Edward Elgar - Enigma Variations - Nimrod | Leonard Bernstein


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Just in Beethoven: The finest symphonic slow movements are the funeral march in the Eroica, the Allegretto in No. 7, and the slow movement of the 9th. But it's hard to beat the concerto slow movements in the Violin Concerto and in the Piano concertos Nos. 4 and 5.

Well, Ludwig's fast movements aren't anything to sneeze at either!


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

Most of my favorites were mentioned, including Bruckner 8, which to me is the summit. I'd like to add the slow parts in the first half of Sibelius 7 (the "sunrise").

Some lesser known slow movements I like:

Von Hausegger - Nature Symphony (I do love this symphony; it gets better every time!)




Starts at 18:30 and ends in a great funeral march.

Myaskovsky 27





Silvestrov 5 




The whole thing is like a slow movement but there's a particularly gorgeous part near the end. I suggest to start listening around 35:00 and wait for it.


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

DeepR said:


> Most of my favorites were mentioned, including Bruckner 8, which to me is the summit. I'd like to add the slow parts in the first half of Sibelius 7 (the "sunrise").
> 
> Some lesser known slow movements I like:
> 
> ...


recognition for Myaskovsky 27th-marvellous.........

a lot of my nominations have already been mentioned but can I also include the second movement of Martinu's 2nd Symphony.


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## jdec (Mar 23, 2013)

Several of my favorite ones have already been mentioned, like Mahler's 6th, 4th, 5th, Bruckner's 8th, Dvorak's 9th, Saint-Saëns 3rd, Elgar's Nimrod, Beethoven's 7th, 9th, 3rd, Tchaikosky's 5th, etc.

I'll add the slow movements of Brahm's 4th, Rachmaninov's 2nd, Shostakovich's 7th (Bernstein/CSO).


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## Tchaikov6 (Mar 30, 2016)

Martinu third symphony 

Prokofiev Violin concerto 2

Mahler symphony 9 (first and last movements)


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## Totenfeier (Mar 11, 2016)

Beethoven: 3, 6, 7, 9

Bruckner: 6, 7, 8, 9

Mahler: 3rd (6); 4th (3); 6th (Andante); 9th (4); 10th (1)


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## juliante (Jun 7, 2013)

The slow movement of Elgar 2. Gorgeous piece of music. Described by The Guardian online:

"This music glows with a strange, veiled radiance that is one of the most special sounds a late-romantic composer ever conjured from the orchestra. There's a particular passage of unsettling visionary power (you hear it twice in the movement) in which Elgar simultaneously dissolves and recomposes his orchestra. A long-breathed melody happens somewhere in the strings and woodwinds - even in the score it's difficult to see precisely how and where the tune is being played, such is the richness of Elgar's orchestral writing - but surrounding it is a gossamer tracery of harp lines and of divided violin, viola, and cello parts that glitter and shimmer. The noble outline of the melody is transformed into a much more ambiguous dream-state by an astonishing feat of orchestral imagination, in which colour and timbre become a way of feeling. It's as sensuous a soundworld as Wagner found in Parsifal, it's as precisely heard and ethereally effective as anything in Debussy."

Love that piece. Sorry I know this is not eligible - but why exclude chamber music where you have slow movements such as in Ravels Piano Trio


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## lucasbiblio (Feb 23, 2018)

Beethoven, first movement of sonata no. 14 and symphonys no. 6 & 7.

J. S. Bach, aria of goldberg variations witch harpsichord.

Vivaldi, winter of the four seasons.


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## Pat Fairlea (Dec 9, 2015)

Sibelius has been mentioned. I'll put in a vote for the slow movement of his 5th Symphony (usual 1919 version). It tends to be overlooked and overwhelmed by the complexity of the 1st and the sheer magnificence of the 3rd movements, but there's a blend of gentle charm and sweeping expansiveness that deserves more of a listen. And a nice pre-figuring of the 'Swan' theme from the 3rd movement.


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

1) Brahms: Symphony 3. the second movement andante
2) Brahms: Symphony 4, also the second movement andante 
3) Rachmaninoff: Symphony 2, the third movement adagio


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

Myaskovsky: Symphony no. XXVII (as mentioned), but also his Symphonies nos. II, V, XV, XVI, XVII, XX, XXV (first movement), Piano Sonata no. IV
Glazunov: Symphonies nos. II, IV (first movement), VII, VIII
Bax: Symphonies nos. II, III, VI, VII
Parry: Symphony no. IV
Tchaikovsky: Symphony no. V, Piano Concerto no. II, Manfred
Franck: Symphony in D
Shostakovich: Symphony no. VIII (Mov't I: Adagio - Allegro non troppo)
Gliere: Symphonies nos. II & III
Lyatoshynsky: Symphonies I & III
Balakirev: Symphony no. I
Paderewski: Piano Sonata (how about that for Poland's Third Prime Minister)
Melartin: Symphony no. IV
Atterberg: Symphonies nos. II (Not strictly a slow movement, but quite valid) & VI
Sibelius: Symphonies I & II, Lemminkäinen
Bruckner: Symphonies VI, VII, VIII, IX
Mahler: Symphonies VI, IX
Stanford: Symphony no. V
Elgar: Symphony no. II
Dvorak: Symphonies III & IX
Tubin: Symphony no. IV
Tuukkanen, Kalervo: Symphony no. III "The Sea"


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Off the top of my head

Beethoven 7
Mahler 6
Brahms 3
Bruckner 7


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## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

juliante said:


> The slow movement of Elgar 2. Gorgeous piece of music. Described by The Guardian online:
> 
> "This music glows with a strange, veiled radiance that is one of the most special sounds a late-romantic composer ever conjured from the orchestra. There's a particular passage of unsettling visionary power (you hear it twice in the movement) in which Elgar simultaneously dissolves and recomposes his orchestra. A long-breathed melody happens somewhere in the strings and woodwinds - even in the score it's difficult to see precisely how and where the tune is being played, such is the richness of Elgar's orchestral writing - but surrounding it is a gossamer tracery of harp lines and of divided violin, viola, and cello parts that glitter and shimmer. The noble outline of the melody is transformed into a much more ambiguous dream-state by an astonishing feat of orchestral imagination, in which colour and timbre become a way of feeling. It's as sensuous a soundworld as Wagner found in Parsifal, it's as precisely heard and ethereally effective as anything in Debussy."
> 
> Love that piece. Sorry I know this is not eligible - but why exclude chamber music where you have slow movements such as in Ravels Piano Trio


I need to revisit this symphony, one of the best ones written by a British composer for sure.


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## Anankasmo (Jun 23, 2017)

Love this one. It is so aweinspiring and those organ chords are beautifully worked into the orchestral palette.


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

Click on page two, and it keeps throwing up page one


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## Tallisman (May 7, 2017)

Bruckner is indeed the summit, as DeepR says. Though I think I like the 7th's adagio more than the 8th's. 
Mahler 4
The andante from Mozart's 40th is divine


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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

A couple not yet mentioned (not surprised really):
Khachaturian - Symphony No.2, 3rd movement
Shostakovich - Symphony No.13, 3rd movement 'In the Store'


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

Bruckner's 7th, Beethoven's 9th, Vaughan Williams' 2nd and just about every single one of Mahler.


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## Beet131 (Mar 24, 2018)

Saint-Saens - Poco Adagio from Symphony No. 3, "Organ"
Mahler - "Adagietto" from Symphony No. 5
Beethoven - Adagio Molto E Cantabile from Symphony No. 9
Beethoven - Allegretto from Symphony No. 7
Schumann - Adagio Espressivo from Symphony No. 2
Brahms - Poco Allegretto from Symphony No. 3
Mahler - Andante Moderato from Symphony No. 6
Mahler - 3rd Mov't "Ruhevoll" from Symphony No. 4
Rachmaninoff - Adagio from Symphony No. 2
Shostakovich - Largo from Symphony No. 5
Dvorak - Largo from Symphony No. 9
Tchaikovsky - Andante Cantabile from Symphony No. 5


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## T Son of Ander (Aug 25, 2015)

Lots of great ones mentioned, but a few of my fav's not mentioned: the opening slow movement of Haydn's 34, and the middle movements of Mozart's last several piano concerti are absolutely incredible. If I had to pick one, though, it's probably the slow movement of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto 2, the uncut version.


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## Aiwendil (Apr 1, 2018)

The slow movement of Mozart's 40th symphony is one of my favorites that I don't think has been mentioned.


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

Often forgotten, one of the most beautiful of symphonic movements: Love Scene from Berlioz Romeo and Juliet Dramatic Symphony:






And not far behind, his Symphonie Fantastique 3rd Movement (Adagio):


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## Gaspard de la Nuit (Oct 20, 2014)

I'm generally not into mid-romantic or schumann but he wrote a good one with the 2nd symphony, people mentioned Tchaikovsky 5 and Brahms 3 and I agree with those two. Very passionate.

I guess it's not a symphony...but people have been mentioning Vaughan Williams. The slow movement of his F minor tuba concerto is very soulful. I would say it's my #1 of any slow-movement in symphonic anything.

I don't if the famous movement from Beethoven 7 counts as a slow movement but if it does, yeah. Not that I ever listen to Beethoven because I don't but y'know.

Howard Hanson has some good slow movement in his first 3 symphonies. Check 'em out.


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## janxharris (May 24, 2010)

I am surprised that Sibelius's 4th Symphony (3rd Movement) hasn't been mentioned:


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

When I think of my favorite slow movements works that are not from symphonys first come to mind: 

- Final movement of J.S. Bach St. Matthew Passion
- Middle movement of Bartok Piano Concerto No. 2
- Middle movement of Ravel Piano Concerto in G

From an actual symphony my favorite at the moment might be the second movement of Prokofiev Symphony No. 2


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## Templeton (Dec 20, 2014)

Becca said:


> Bruckner's 7th
> Vaughan Williams' 2nd (London) but specifically the 1913 version. RVW cut out some of the best parts in the 1920 & 1933/36 revisions.
> Nielsen's 3rd (Espansiva)
> Rubbra's 5th


Thanks very much for this, one of my favourite works but was unaware of the alternative version. I have just downloaded it and am very much looking forward to hearing it.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Mahler 5 (well, any Mahler slow movement really)

Honourable mention for Dvorak 9.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

I'm impressed by all those who can remember and list their favourites from a given perspective. I recognise and agree with much posted here but I don't think I could reliably come up with my own list. The slow movement of Franck's symphony is one that I haven't seen mentioned yet but it has to be played right!


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## Mal (Jan 1, 2016)

Favourite? Last one I heard! So all of the above sometimes, but also, off the top of my head:
Mendelssohn Symphony n°3 op.56 "Scottish", opening adagio









1st movement: Allegro moderato - Part1: exposition is fairly slow, but if you insist on real slow:
14:51 2nd movement-Andante con moto


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## BiscuityBoyle (Feb 5, 2018)

The incredible andante from Prokofiev's third (though it's not even the best movement of that symphony!)


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

Atterberg - Symphony No. 4 deserves another mention. It's just so beautiful. Andante at 6:00: 





A beautiful romantic slow movement from a lesser known composer: Carl Reinecke - Piano Concerto No. 3. Largo at 16:14: 




And my favorite slow movement of any (romantic) piano concerto, the Andante from Scriabin's Piano Concerto at 7:52:


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## manyene (Feb 7, 2015)

All the slow movements in Melartin and Atterberg Symphonies, notably the first's 5th and the second's 8th.


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

DeepR said:


> Atterberg - Symphony No. 4 deserves another mention. It's just so beautiful. Andante at 6:00:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The Reinecke is a standout comparable to that from top tier composers.


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## id0ntmatter (May 8, 2018)

The second movement of Niels Gade's Symphony in C Minor (or was it A Minor?) is so good. I love the passage in F Sharp Minor that just takes you by surprise.


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