# Symphonies in Three Movements



## itywltmt (May 29, 2011)

En français
Related: http://www.talkclassical.com/15986-greatness-francks-symphony-tragedy.html










After the numbers *2,* *4* and *9*, a post about the number *3* - as in the _number of movements in our featured symphonies_.

Symphonies traditionally follow a 4-movement pattern: *sonata *(variations of the ABA form) - *slow *- *dance *- *finale*. *Josef Haydn*, who pretty much established the standard for the classical symphony, essentially followed this pattern for all of his symphonies… _starting with his 30th_. For the first 29 symphonies, almost half divert from this form, with (by my count) 13 having only three movements (see, for example, http://alambix.uquebec.ca/musique//catal/haydn/hayfj01a.html)

Of *Mozart*'s 41 numbered symphonies (ignoring the dozens of other like-works), 14 of them only have 3 movements including one of his most famous, the _Prague _Symphony (His no. 38). This symphony opens our playlist.

Considered as one of the finest French symphonic works of the late Romantic period, *Cesar Franck*'s Symphony _in D Minor_ is also a three-movement opus. Of the four symphonies of *Igor Stravinsky*, his 1945 contribution is in three movements. Commissioned by the Philharmonic Symphony Society of New York, it was premièred by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra under Stravinsky on January 24, 1946. The Symphony in Three Movements is considered as Stravinsky's first major composition after emigrating to the United States.

The final work in our playlist isn't "officially" titled a symphony, but *Schumann *thought at one point that it should be considered as his second symphony. The _Ouverture, Scherzo und Finale_ (Translation: Overture, Scherzo and Finale) in E major was written in 1841.

Happy Listening

*PLAYLIST DETAILS*​
*Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)*
Symphony no. 38, in D Major, K. 508 "Prague"
Pražský komorní orchestr conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras

*César FRANCK (1822-1890)*
_Symphonie en ré mineur_, FWV 48
Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest conducted by Karel Ančerl

*Igor STRAVINSKY (1882-1971)*
_Symphony in Three Movements_ (1942-45)
The Columbia Symphony Orchestra conducted by Igor Stravinsky

*Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)*
_Ouverture, Scherzo und Finale_, in E major, op. 52
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig conducted by Franz Konwitschny

Playlist URL: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBD03E2FB52E2B6D4

*June 22nd , 2012, "I Think You Will Love This Music Too" will be adding a new montage "Prime Numbers" to its Pod-O-Matic Podcast. Read our English and French commentaries June 22 on the ITYWLTMT Blogspot blog.*


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