# Symphonies with clear straightforward melodies and themes.



## Kajmanen (Jun 30, 2017)

I have a hard time finding much if anything where you have a strong melodic line or theme thats repeated throughout the piece but it varies a little in its chords and instrumentation in each section but you u can hear its all tied together.

Heres the best example i could find.


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

some melodious symphonies

Kurt Atterberg





Richard Strauss


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Yes, Kalinnikov! Love his music - too bad he died so young.

So obviously the 1st symphony is a must. His work is similar to Dvorak - try the 8th and 9th especially. The Borodin 2nd, Balakirev 1st, Atterberg 6th, Gliere 2nd...and many other Nationalistic symphonies from eastern Europe.


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

Kajmanen said:


> I have a hard time finding much if anything where you have a strong melodic line or theme thats repeated throughout the piece but it varies a little in its chords and instrumentation in each section but you u can hear its all tied together.
> 
> Heres the best example i could find.


I have no issue with that being your preference but the point of a symphony is development, not repetition.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Becca said:


> I have no issue with that being your preference but the point of a symphony is development, not repetition.


I don't know if it's considered development, but also mood swings, if you're a Mahler fan


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## eugeneonagain (May 14, 2017)

From the OP's previous posts in a similar vein it seems he/she has an issue with theme developments. I can relate to that in some instances. Like in Bruckner for example, when it sounds like the conductor has gone off the gents and told them to just ad-lib until he gets back. 

It takes repeated listening. I would advise Kajmanen to try shifting focus and not approach symphonies as simply 'a theme' or a simple collection of straightforward themes like film music. It's not film music or game music. As Becca noted, the very point of symphonies is extensive development.


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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

Off the top of my head, I'd suggest the following:

Tchaikovsky No.4
Sibelius No.2
Dvorak No.9
Beethoven Nos.6, 7, 8
Rimsky-Korsakov 'Scheherazade'


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Kajmanen said:


> I have a hard time finding much if anything where you have a strong melodic line or theme thats repeated throughout the piece but it varies a little in its chords and instrumentation in each section but you u can hear its all tied together.


..........

Schubert 9


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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

Another thought: Berlioz - Symphonie Fantastique. It has a theme called the 'idee fixe' which occurs in each of the movements but is altered in pitch and style in order to reflect the mood of the movement. It's easy to spot though and keeps the theme going throughout the symphony.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Tchaikovsky no.5
Beethoven no.9


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## Robert Gamble (Dec 18, 2016)

When I first got into Classical full bore late in 2016, I thought the same way. I expected a Symphony to be a piece which was coherent from start to finish with themes that carried through the whole thing. Later I realized that it might be better to think of a symphony as an EP for a modern band... 4 or so 'tracks' by the same composer that don't necessarily have a lot to do with each other but shows off a range of composing skills.

As mentioned, once you get into the 'Romantic period' you have composers who use a theme in multiple movements (often transformed to smaller or greater extent). Another example of the latter is Franck's symphony.

Sibelius No. 5 doesn't have a theme that's the same in each of the movements but it does have two very strong themes, one in the first and one in the last movement that are very memorable and powerful.


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

Robert Gamble said:


> As mentioned, once you get into the 'Romantic period' you have composers who use a theme in multiple movements (often transformed to smaller or greater extent). Another example of the latter is Franck's symphony.


That is cyclic form. In some cases, e.g. Nielsen, not only is there thematic development but there is also tonality progression.

Unfortunately I don't have easy access to it (and might mis-remember details), but Robert Simpson gave an interesting definition of symphonic form in the introduction to his 2 volume book, _The Symphony_. His summary was that symphonies were a constant development of multiple aspect including thematic and tonal. I seem to remember that there was also a third factor but with senile dementia ...  There are many works that call themselves symphonies but in the absence of all the factors, are not truly symphonic.


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## eugeneonagain (May 14, 2017)

Becca said:


> There are many works that call themselves symphonies but in the absence of all the factors, are not truly symphonic.


I'd say it's just become trickier to made rigid definitions of what a symphony is supposed to be. The 'Symphony' has gone through various iterations through the centuries. Those of Haydn and Mozart are really just orchestral, slightly larger, though identical, forms of the way a piano sonata would have been constructed, to wit: An opening movement in sonata or modified sonata form - slow movement - Minuet and trio (later scherzo) - rondo/theme and variations. There's thematic coherence in some of these works, especially late Mozart with themes being reintroduced as part of his fugal writing, especially so in the finales.

Later symphonies have altered the forms; like those of Bruckner which extend sonata form. Also the changing around of movement order, like those of Mahler. I imagine that had Wagner kept to the plan of writing those symphonies they would have veered from the standard idea of 'symphony'.

As for 'symphonic' I wouldn't want to be too rigid about it. I think Debussy's _La Mer_ is more or less a symphony, even if it wasn't given that name and the symphonic poem is to me just a symphony in compressed form.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

I believe some of the recommendations are missing the point. What Kajmanen seems to like are works in the "folk song symphony" style - where logical, rigid, Germanic style development takes a backseat to presenting good tunes. The Kalinnikov symphonies are the perfect examples of the style. Yes, he uses development, but his tunes are so strong that they carry the weight. The Sibelius 2 and Beethoven 5 are precisely the opposite: both build their structure out of small motifs. Glorious works, no doubt, but neither has the folk-tune style of Kalinnikov. Another good example would be the Ives 2nd - based on recognizable tunes throughout.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

^^

Yes I see that. I used to be in exactly the same boat, before the disonance craze. Here are some moving, harmonious melodies. Not all from Symphonies, but all tuneful


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

Vaughan Williams Pastoral Symphony, it is one of the most melodic symphonies out there


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## mathisdermaler (Mar 29, 2017)

schubert 9

the ultimate rec


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

A few additional suggestions: Saint-Saens-Symphony #3 "Organ Symphony", d'Indy-Symphony on a French Mountain Air.


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## mathisdermaler (Mar 29, 2017)

Anton Bruckner is known for having strong, memorable themes, but also extremely long periods of development... Try him at your own risk. The 4th should be most approachable for your tastes.


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## eugeneonagain (May 14, 2017)

mathisdermaler said:


> Anton Bruckner is known for having strong, memorable themes, but also extremely long periods of development... Try him at your own risk. The 4th should be most approachable for your tastes.


Not the 7th? The scherzo from that is much more approachable from a theme context. I find the 4th a bit meandering and I've probably listened to it a bout 20 times in the last 5 months (trying to get a handle on Bruckner..!).


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## Kajmanen (Jun 30, 2017)

mbhaub said:


> I believe some of the recommendations are missing the point. What Kajmanen seems to like are works in the "folk song symphony" style - where logical, rigid, Germanic style development takes a backseat to presenting good tunes. The Kalinnikov symphonies are the perfect examples of the style. Yes, he uses development, but his tunes are so strong that they carry the weight. The Sibelius 2 and Beethoven 5 are precisely the opposite: both build their structure out of small motifs. Glorious works, no doubt, but neither has the folk-tune style of Kalinnikov. Another good example would be the Ives 2nd - based on recognizable tunes throughout.


Thanks, yeah i think you might have nailed it. I was wondering if it was me who couldnt hear what I tried to explain in other people suggestions or if the suggestions just were a bit off.

Its def the folk tune style i like at the moment. The clear eloborated. Like happy and sad and beautiful at the same time. I like Vaughan Williams but he doesnt have those melodies. I feel like his symphonies are more environmental or atmospheric


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## kyjo (Jan 1, 2018)

Braga Santos' Symphony no. 4! It's instantly accessible, has themes that will get stuck in your head for days, and is just an all-around wonderfully life-enhancing work: 




I also recommend these which I think should fit your criteria:

Most of Atterberg's symphonies (esp. nos. 2, 3, 5, and 8)
Sibelius' Symphony no. 2
Hanson's Symphonies nos. 2 and 3
Kalinnikov's Symphonies nos. 1 and 2
Glazunov's Symphony no. 5
Borodin's Symphonies nos. 1 and 2
Randall Thompson's Symphony no. 2
Piston's Symphony no. 2
Raff's Symphonies nos. 5 and 9
Berwald's Symphonies nos. 1 and 3
...and, of course, the "usual suspects" by Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, etc.


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## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

Peterson-Berger Symphony nº 3 'Lappland' (so lovely)
Atterberg - Many of his symphonies, especially 2-8
Karlowicz 'Rebirth' Symphony (if I recall correctly)
Madetoja Symphony nº 2
Glière Symphony nº 3 'Ilya Murometz'
Stenhammar Symphony nº 2
Bantock A Celtic Symphony (another stunner and incredibly melodious)
Nielsen Symphony 3, 4
Borodin Symphony nº 2
Raff Symphony nº 5. In fact, many of his symphonies are so tuneful.


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## leonsm (Jan 15, 2011)

Khachaturian - Symphony no. 2
Atterberg - Symphony no. 3


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## mathisdermaler (Mar 29, 2017)

eugeneonagain said:


> Not the 7th? The scherzo from that is much more approachable from a theme context. I find the 4th a bit meandering and I've probably listened to it a bout 20 times in the last 5 months (trying to get a handle on Bruckner..!).


The 4th _is_ meandering, but knowing Kajmanens taste for the epic and sentimental, I think he might like it most. It is called the "Romantic" after all.

May I ask you a question? Have you heard the 5th? It is one of my personal favorites. Bruckner is my favorite composer but strangely (or maybe not strangely), my ranking of his symphonies is very peculiar: 9, 3, 5, 8, 6, 7, 4, 2, 1, 0, 00

How would you rank what you've heard?


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## eugeneonagain (May 14, 2017)

mathisdermaler said:


> The 4th _is_ meandering, but knowing Kajmanens taste for the epic and sentimental, I think he might like it most. It is called the "Romantic" after all.
> 
> May I ask you a question? Have you heard the 5th? It is one of my personal favorites. Bruckner is my favorite composer but strangely (or maybe not strangely), my ranking of his symphonies is very peculiar: 9, 3, 5, 8, 6, 7, 4, 2, 1, 0, 00
> 
> How would you rank what you've heard?


In my youth I particularly avoided Bruckner because I preferred French music and I found his music achingly boring; I thought of it as second-rate Wagner. I've grown more accepting of it recently and have been going through the Symphonies.

Up to now I can't even remember anything I've listened to (multiple times) in the first three. The 4th has more interest, so moving chronologically it has been my first foothold. It's amazing the sound he gets out of what is a pretty regular orchestra. I had been reading about all the revisions and the 'problem' and finally got sick of comparing revisions.

After getting bogged down I decided to jump forward and listened to the 7th, which I have enjoyed more than any of the others; especially the rousing scherzo.
At the moment I am on number 8, but I keep listening to other stuff in-between (I'm listening to D'Indy's string quartet 3 while typing this!).

So I suppose on your recommendation I should try the 5th, but Bruckner is your favourite composer and I suspect that what draws Bruckner fans to Bruckner is the same thing that drives me away? I will still try it though.


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## KJ von NNJ (Oct 13, 2017)

I would suggest some symphonic poems or overtures. Dvorak (all of them), Liszt (Les Preludes), Bax (Tintagel), Tchaikovsky (1812 Overture) Beethoven (pretty much all of them), Mozart (The Marriner set on EMI). Wagner orchestral music and overtures. Try the EMI Tennstedt BPO set for the Wagner. Avoid the operas unless you find yourself loving them.
As far as symphonies go, Beethoven's Pastoral 6th. That's if you are not in a hurry and you want to hear something beautiful. Lots of great folk-like tunes permeating this symphony. Beethoven 7 would be a good one too. It's exciting and beautiful. Great from start to finish. 
Schubert and Dvorak tend to be quite repetitious and they both had a marvelous gift for melodic invention, so I would suggest Schubert and Dvorak's 9th symphonies. Also Dvorak's 8th symphony because it is super-songful, exciting and expressive.
Other Schubert orchestral music to consider would be the 5th symphony and the Rosamunde Overture.
There are at least nine Mozart symphonies that I would go for, 21, 25, 29, 31, 35, 36, 38, 40 and 41. If repetition pleases you, get versions that have all the repeats. Gardiner, Mackerras and Abbado BPO. If this is not necessary, there are dozens of great recordings to choose from where certain movements may be considerably shorter that will satisfy the listener either way
Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky is a good one to check out (Ravel orchestration).

There is tons of melody in so much of this music. Some composers just may seem a bit more tougher to figure out for some listeners. I had to listen to lots of stuff quite a few times before I could hear the melody. When this happens it's a Eureka moment. You wonder how you missed it before. The music is not hip and lots of it is complicated. Some of the most seemingly complicated music is filled with the greatest melodies! This ain't rock n' roll, thats for sure. But once you get it, if you like it, it might become your opinion that it is better than any other music you will ever hear in your lifetime. Happy listening!


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## Kajmanen (Jun 30, 2017)

Arent there any Symphonies with less boombastic up and down dynamics? its like they did this because they could Cole up with any good melodies. 

Arthur Bliss Colours Symphony and Kalinnikovs are nice.


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

Kajmanen said:


> Arent there any Symphonies with less boombastic up and down dynamics? its like they did this because they could Cole up with any good melodies.


Presuming that you meant 'couldn't come up with any good melodies' - what makes you think that symphonies need only be about melodies?


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

Kajmanen said:


> Arent there any Symphonies with less boombastic up and down dynamics? its like they did this because they could Cole up with any good melodies. Arthur Bliss Colours Symphony and Kalinnikovs are nice.


are you a beginner who is trying to find your way into classical? Arthur Bliss Color Symphony is the symphony that actually got me into classical. It is beautiful, melodic and complex at the same time. I can tell you what my next step on the road was: Bruckner. He is melodic enough. Simply take one symphony, for example the 4th or 7th and listen to it several times. If you want to try him, try either Skrowaczewski or Celibidache interpretations. My next step after Bruckner was Mahler and Prokofiev and then Sibelius, Beethoven, Schubert, Tchaikovski, Shostakovich etc. It is often only a matter of training your brain to enjoy the particular music. And for that, you need to discard your previous prejudices and expectations of how the music should sound. At first, I had a problem with Beethoven, because his music was not melodic enough. Now I know better. Before you spoil yourself with other faster interpretations, try Celibidache's Beethoven


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

seriously, give Bruckner a try. How this is not melodious?


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## EchoEcho (Jan 31, 2016)

Sounds like you're not a huge fan of the symphonic form. I don't blame you... the form has been stretched and stretched and stretched to the point where it is an ordeal for the casual listener.

Some people say "I'll sleep when I'm dead!". They could just as easily say "I'll listen to symphonies when I'm dead". :devil:

Try Villa-Lobos' Choros and Bachianas Brasileiras. Revelatory!


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## Kajmanen (Jun 30, 2017)

More suggestions are welcome.


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## leonsm (Jan 15, 2011)

Kajmanen said:


> More suggestions are welcome.


Did you manage to listen to everyone?

Just kidding. A couple of other suggestions: Brahms 1, 3 & 4; Dvorak 7; Schumann 3; Magnard 4.


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## Tallisman (May 7, 2017)

Another one of these... I'm afraid pretty much all the good symphonies are characterised by a lack of 'straightforward', non-developmental form. Development and harmonic complexity are the kinds of characteristics that define a good symphony for a lot of people. If this is not the same for you, I'd try some Philip Glass, whose symphonies tend not to go anywhere too weird and stay in the comfortable zone of repetition of a nice, 'haunting' theme.


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

Kajmanen said:


> More suggestions are welcome.


you can try all Sibelius symphonies and Glazunov symphonies. But as others have pointed out, if you are looking for straight-forward melodies that repeat over and over, you might be better served by movie soundtracks. Symphonies are a little more complex than that, and are, admittedly, harder to get into.


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## Tallisman (May 7, 2017)

Jacck said:


> you can try all Sibelius symphonies


Rather an insult to Sibelius, no?


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

Tallisman said:


> Rather an insult to Sibelius, no?


Sibelius can be quite melodious at times, for example here


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## Lisztian (Oct 10, 2011)

Not a symphony, but try Liszt's Les Preludes. It's straightforward, uses the same theme in different guises, and is attractive music.


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## Kajmanen (Jun 30, 2017)

Found some interest in Atterbergs 2nd 2nd movement. Other ones ive tried just dont have much interest in the chord progressions and melodies. Just too similiar to each other and too meandering. Seems classical music suffers from the same as every other genre out there wich is genericness. 

This far nothing hasnt beaten kallinikov.


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

Kajmanen, that is not true. Classical music is not generic. Each great composer has his unique style and language. Shostakovich sounds different from Schubert, and they both sound different from Sibelius, Beethoven etc. Then try something else than symphonies, some melodic chamber music or concertos and come to symphonies later


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

and has already Má vlast been suggested? It is one of those pieces with immediate appeal




another symphonist you might try is Myaskovsky, he wrote a lot of symphonies and I myself have not heard all


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## Kajmanen (Jun 30, 2017)

Jacck said:


> Kajmanen, that is not true. Classical music is not generic. Each great composer has his unique style and language. Shostakovich sounds different from Schubert, and they both sound different from Sibelius, Beethoven etc. Then try something else than symphonies, some melodic chamber music or concertos and come to symphonies later


Im not saying classical music is generic, im just saying it suffers from genericness aswell, as with every other genre. You can cherrypick all you want. Theres generic pieces from every period from every composier/musician etc.

I wish I wrote down every symphony or movement from a symphony I found average/generic but the fact of the matter is you tend to forget the crap and move on.


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## ameeryaqoob (Mar 19, 2018)

Pretty unrelated, but the theme from the Kalinnikov symphony you posted is similar to the B section theme from Holst's Jupiter. The first 6 or so notes are exactly the same


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## Kajmanen (Jun 30, 2017)

Jacck said:


> and has already Má vlast been suggested? It is one of those pieces with immediate appeal
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Im already familiar with this one but it is indeed a fine one. I like it.


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## Kajmanen (Jun 30, 2017)

Bump!

Please post more suggestions.


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

Kajmanen said:


> Arent there any Symphonies with less boombastic up and down dynamics? its like they did this because they could come up with any good melodies.


It makes you wonder sometimes whether many composers of the 20th/21st centuries could/can compose a memorable melody because what passes for melody is often just snippets or is so subtle as to be IMO useless. And as far as I'm concerned, symphonies should have obvious melody -they did for almost two centuries- otherwise there is no focus for the music, just a lot of aimless music wandering around to satisfy some whim of the composer, the listener be damned.

If you want to avoid bombast, concentrate on the Adagios/Andantes:

Check out the Noskowsky Symphony #1 (1875) Adagio. It particularly satisfies the request of your OP having a recurring melody throughout that is beautifully developed:






My recent favorite (thanks to a mention by Woodduck) is the Svendsen Symphony #1 (1867) Andante (at 9:40): Wonderful opening that I swear could have been by Brahms:






And just to show that it was actually possible to write a melodic symphony in the mid 20th century, there is the Adagio of the Myaskovsky Symphony #27 (1949). The final 5 minutes is sublime:


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Not a symphony, but Christopher Rouse's Flute Concerto would certainly qualify. Here's the Elegia. A very powerful movement. There's a story behind this that it's probably better not to know.


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## eugeneonagain (May 14, 2017)

Hilding Rosenberg - 3rd Symphony, 3rd movement, allegro con fuoco. Or the 2nd movement from his 6th symphony.


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

try Zemlinsky


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## Kajmanen (Jun 30, 2017)

Bump!

More suggestions are welcome. Most have been good this far.


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## Fabulin (Jun 10, 2019)

Emilie Mayer - Symphonies 1,2, 4, and 7 have been recorded so far.
Noskowski - Symphony No. 2 as well
Mendelssohn - Symphony No. 4

If you stray into opera, try Turandot


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## JAS (Mar 6, 2013)

Wilhelm Stenhammar, Symphony #1. (Not my favorite performance, but it will have to do to provide a free link):






I might also recommend Dvorak's 6th Symphony:


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

I was looking for the same sort as in the thread title over a decade ago. This one to me had the most straight forward themes in the first and 3rd movements.


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

Dvorak: Symphony No. 8

...and a couple of non-symphony pieces: Dvorak's Humoresque No. 7 and Grieg's "The Last Spring" (Elegiac Melody No. 2)


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## 1996D (Dec 18, 2018)

Do you mean a slower tempo throughout, a lack of counterpoint, or just pure simplicity? Rhythmical music seems to have gone out of fashion in classical music because modern pop music has perfected rhythm, as to make it the most pleasing it can be, and this has made faster rhythmical tempos in symphonies and chamber music sound archaic and impotent.

It's unfortunate that 3/4 of every classical and romantic symphony seems to be fast and rhythmic, and not melodious. Often the Adagios and Andantes are what people listen to.


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

KenOC said:


> Not a symphony, but Christopher Rouse's Flute Concerto would certainly qualify. Here's the Elegia. A very powerful movement. There's a story behind this that it's probably better not to know.


Indeed, an infamous story that still makes me shudder.


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Sounds to me like what you want is "Bolero." 

Or "Le Tombeau de Couperin."


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## Kajmanen (Jun 30, 2017)

bumping this again.

More suggestions?  (im not an avid classical music listener thats why)


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## Ethereality (Apr 6, 2019)

Would've been one of my first choices:


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## Botschaft (Aug 4, 2017)

Just listen to Beethoven like the rest.


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## Ethereality (Apr 6, 2019)

Botschaft said:


> Just listen to Wagner like the rest.


Fixed...........


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## HansZimmer (11 mo ago)

Kajmanen said:


> I have a hard time finding much if anything where you have a strong melodic line or theme thats repeated throughout the piece but it varies a little in its chords and instrumentation in each section but you u can hear its all tied together.
> 
> Heres the best example i could find.


If I understood your question correctly, you are not asking for simphonies which have the same theme in every movement, but simhonies witch have movements with a clear melodic pattern.

If you like classical music with a clear melodic pattern you should listen to rondos.

This piace of Mozart is an example.






In classical incidental music you can find short pieces with a clear melodic pattern.

This piece of Beethoven is an example.






Finally, classical pieces for films and videogames are usually rondos (or something similar).


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## Ariasexta (Jul 3, 2010)

For orthodox classical music, Beethoven is pretty straight forward, also is Tchaikovsky`s. For non orthodox western symphonies, try some japanese game symphonies too. I have YS series BGM music and there are many symphonic pieces, awesome.


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## Roger Knox (Jul 19, 2017)

You don't give us enough to go on. Just saying "Send me more" repeatedly is rude in my opinion.


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