# Favorite Orchestral Works By...?



## Queen of the Nerds

In this thread I will give the prompt, "Your favorite orchestral work by [composer's name here] and why?" and then YOU answer! Here is the first week's list of composers:
Saturday/Sunday- Mozart
Monday- Beethoven
Tuesday- Bach
Wednesday- Haydn
Thursday- Tchaikovsky
Friday- Mendelssohn
Saturday- Stravinsky
Please respond!


----------



## donnie a

Symphony No. 40 in G Minor (Favorite recording Barenboim & ECO)


----------



## Bulldog

Great Mass in C minor/Leppard/EMI


----------



## Guest

The Magic Flute - the work that helped drive my interest in classical music. It is also the one opera that I can say is among my favorite works. I appreciate others, but this is the only one I truly enjoy. And my favorite recording remains Otto Klemperer's on EMI.


----------



## Weston

Mozart: Symphony No. 39 in E-flat major, but only if the third movement menuetto is played fast enough as in Harnoncourt's version at around 20:45 in the link.


----------



## dgee

Probably Symphony 40 because it's basically perfect all the way through and it the finale is inspired and so much fun. How much music is that much fun AND interesting AND inspired? (A: not much)


----------



## MoonlightSonata

I'm with the other two who say Symphony 40: a wonderful work.


----------



## Art Rock

Mozart: clarinet concerto. Wonderful melodies, that beautiful clarinet sound, my favourite concerto for any instrument by any composer.


----------



## donnie a

Beethoven: Symphony No. 8 (Yes, really!)


----------



## michaels

Monday, 
5th
Recording --> Carlos Kleiber/Wiener Philharmoniker


----------



## Manxfeeder

Beethoven, Ninth Symphony. I like its message.


----------



## Haydn man

Beethoven Emperor Concerto
I think it just shades out the Pastoral symphony


----------



## omega

*Beethoven*
_Symphony No. 7_


----------



## arpeggio

I have no idea why my favorite orchestral work is Walton's _Variation on a Theme by Hindemith_.


----------



## hpowders

Monday is Beethoven day. The Diabelli Variations as performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy.


----------



## Guest

Hmmm, there is an embarrassment of riches from Beethoven. It really is hard to peg down a favorite. I love the 7th symphony, the 4th piano concerto, the 5th piano concerto, the violin concerto . . .

Alright - I'll go with the 5th piano concerto, primarily for the adagio. I really enjoy the Sudbin/Vanska recording on BIS.


----------



## MoonlightSonata

I think I have to go for the 9th symphony, that wonderful, innovative work.


----------



## MoonlightSonata

Oops, it's Tuesday today. Bach. Hmm...
I give up. It's a draw between the Brandenburg Concerti and the Orchestral Suite #3.


----------



## Art Rock

I missed Monday (Beethoven's 6 th symphony), for Tuesday it is Bach. Hmmm, my favourite composer, but that is for his passions, cantatas, organ works, piano or harpsichord works, and chamber music, rather than his orchestral output. OK, suite 3.


----------



## elgar's ghost

Beethoven - Symphony 3
Bach - A Musical Offering. If this isn't allowed then I'll pick the Brandenburgs.


----------



## Guest

Bach - hmm. I love his Goldberg Variations most of all, but then those aren't orchestral works. Alright, then - I am going to cheat and say his Violin Concertos (all of them). My favorite recording still is Andrew Manze's on Harmonia Mundi.


----------



## donnie a

Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 3


----------



## shadowdancer

Bach: Mass in B Minor. Reference recording: Otto Kemplerer, New Philharmonia Orchestra


----------



## michaels

Bach for Tuesday - I'm going with Mass in Bm
Not settled on a favorite recording yet.


----------



## 20centrfuge

Tuesday- Bach: Solo Partitas for Violin


----------



## MoonlightSonata

Ooh. Haydn today.
Clock Symphony.


----------



## Bayreuth

Haydn. Hmm, tough one... I'd say Symphony no. 95 (Beecham, of course)


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Haydn: Symphony no. 52. I absolutely love it! So far none of his other symphonies I've heard have impressed me quite as much.


----------



## Art Rock

Haydn is a composer that I like to listen to, but without any really outstanding compositions in the orchestral genre for me (my favourites would be his late string quartets). I pick the trumpet concerto.


----------



## elgar's ghost

Haydn - Seven Last Words (Orchestral version).


----------



## donnie a

SweetJesus said:


> Haydn. Hmm, tough one... I'd say Symphony no. 95 (Beecham, of course)


Now I'm tempted to say No. 95 too (haven't heard the Beecham though!), but I guess I'll go with my original choice, Symphony No. 94.


----------



## Guest

My biggest question is whether "orchestral" is being defined in the strictest sense of the word, or if it can also include orchestral with voice - as in masses, oratorios, etc. If it is the latter, then my choice is easily Haydn's Creation.


----------



## Queen of the Nerds

DrMike said:


> My biggest question is whether "orchestral" is being defined in the strictest sense of the word, or if it can also include orchestral with voice - as in masses, oratorios, etc. If it is the latter, then my choice is easily Haydn's Creation.


It's the latter. As long as it's not opera (definitely NOT orchestral), I'm fine.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Romeo and Juliet fantasy overture and Symphony no. 1!

The Romeo and Juliet particularly by Celibidache even though it's rrreeeeaaaaallllyyyy sssslllllloooooooooowwww


----------



## MoonlightSonata

Tchaikovsky today, then.
If concerti count, then the First Piano Concerto.
If not, Romeo and Juliet.


----------



## elgar's ghost

Tchaikovsky - Symphony no. 4


----------



## Art Rock

Tchaikovsky? Violin concerto.


----------



## donnie a

Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4


----------



## Guest

Maybe it is cliche, but I am going with Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony, performed by Mravinsky/Leningrad on DG. That being said, I also love his piano concerto, violin concerto, Nutcracker, Serenade for Strings, Romeo & Juliet Overture, etc.


----------



## Skilmarilion

DrMike said:


> Maybe it is cliche, but I am going with Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony, performed by Mravinsky/Leningrad on DG. That being said, I also love his *piano concerto*...


I love his 2nd piano concerto also. 

But yeah, I'm partial to the 6th symphony, to put it very mildly.


----------



## MoonlightSonata

Mendelssohn today, so I'll say _A Midsummer Night's Dream_.


----------



## Queen of the Nerds

MoonlightSonata said:


> Mendelssohn today, so I'll say _A Midsummer Night's Dream_.


Wait. Today's Thursday-
Oh. Time zones are different in the USA and New Zealand. Oops.


----------



## MoonlightSonata

Queen of the Nerds said:


> Wait. Today's Thursday-
> Oh. Time zones are different in the USA and New Zealand. Oops.


Hence I get to say things like 'happy new year' and 'merry Christmas' before everyone else. There are advantages. :lol:


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Mendelssohn day! String Symphony no. 7!


----------



## donnie a

Violin Concerto in E minor. If ever there was a perfect piece of music... so lyrical, pure, and satisfying. I never get tired of hearing it.


----------



## elgar's ghost

Mendelssohn - Incidental music from A Midsummer Night's Dream.


----------



## csacks

Friday, Mendelssohn´s day. It is hard to decide in-between so many great composition. I will go just for the one that I prefer more. It is the 4th symphony, by von Karajan and BPO.


----------



## Art Rock

Mendelssohn - Violin concerto
(but the Scottish symphony is also a favourite)


----------



## Guest

I struggle with Mendelssohn - I want to like him more, but there is really only one work of his that I frequently queue up, and so that gets my pick here - his Violin Concerto, specifically, the performance by Heifetz with Munch and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.


----------



## Guest

*Duplicate post*


----------



## Skilmarilion

DrMike said:


> I struggle with Mendelssohn - I want to like him more..


The chamber music has a lot of fans, it seems, although you may have explored this area already. The 2nd (C minor) piano trio is one of his most extraordinary achievements for me.

On topic: It's the 3rd symphony and the violin concerto in a tie.


----------



## Avey

Nothing new; putting my lot in with the concerto. The thing never gets old.


----------



## donnie a

Stravinsky day... Pretty hard to choose here, but I'll go with the Firebird Suite (1919 version).


----------



## Art Rock

Stravinsky - Le sacre du printemps.


----------



## MoonlightSonata

Ooh, Stravinsky for Saturday. I'm going to be hopelessly unoriginal and say the _Rite_.


----------



## MoonlightSonata

So now what? It's Sunday here in New Zealand.

I'll be a revolutionary and suggest Ravel as the next composer, in which case I will say _Daphnis et Chloe_.


----------



## Vaneyes




----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Ravel: Ma Mere l'Oye (full ballet score)


----------



## Queen of the Nerds

Today and tomorrow are Saint-Saens days...


----------



## Queen of the Nerds

art rock said:


> mendelssohn - violin concerto
> (but the scottish symphony is also a favourite)


thank you!!! Someone agrees with me!!!


----------



## Haydn man

Yesterday was Mozart day
Piano Concerto 23


----------



## Queen of the Nerds

Today is Handel day.


----------



## donnie a

Messiah.

However, right now enjoying the keyboard suites played by Ragna Schirmer.


----------



## PetrB

The first movement of Lukas Foss ~ Baroque Variations
I. On a Handel Larghetto


----------



## MoonlightSonata

I've missed Saint-Saens and Mozart, so here are my two:
Danse Macabre
Messiah


----------



## Haydn man

Yes I have missed a few of these days and so failed to nominate some favourites
Today is Thursday so I can Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
Or as a certain Homer Simpson would say 'Thursday is Pork Chop night'
So take your pick


----------

