# Your Favorite Dvorak Symphony



## TrazomGangflow (Sep 9, 2011)

What is your *favorite* Dvorak Symphony? (please note that I said favorite and not best as not to cause any angst)


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## TrazomGangflow (Sep 9, 2011)

My favorite is his 8th Symphony I think it has all of the beauty and emotion of the 9th and more. I also find it enjoyable that Dvorak often hints back to earlier movements in his symphonies. (Perhaps I just don't listen closely enough but I don't notice those hints with many other composers)


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

No. 5.






I've been wondering why I sometimes see Dvorák's symphony "From the New World" numbered 5 and other times 9.  His symphony "From the New World" _is_ the last one he wrote so why is it sometimes numbered 5? His fifth symphony is the F major one I have shown here.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> No. 5.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This is because the first four symphonies were not published at a certain point when the numbering came out. Something like that. Read on wiki for specifics.

7, 8, and 9, all are superb. Usually I gravitate to 7th on the whole, 8 for its incredible finale.


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

For me, #9.


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## Souhayl (Jan 17, 2012)

Of course the 9th


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## opus55 (Nov 9, 2010)

My favorite is the 7th for its beautiful, nostalgic (in my mind, at least) theme in Scherzo. I love his symphonic dances.


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## DavidMahler (Dec 28, 2009)

No. 8, but No. 9 I've heard more.


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## mmsbls (Mar 6, 2011)

Both 8 and 9 are wonderful, but I have to go with 9.


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## Trout (Apr 11, 2011)

My absolute favorite is the 7th.


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## Kopachris (May 31, 2010)

Number eight is my favorite, as well. Of course, I've listened to it dozens of times while reading.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

The 7th. Slightly darker than the 8th or 9th.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Not much to choose between the last three (although, taken as a whole cycle, I like all nine) but for me no. 7 is distinguished by its tempestuous nature in contrast to the ones that bookend it.


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

Definitely the 7th; I like its darkness. And that final movement... one of my favourite of all symphonic movements! Such fun!

I also have a soft spot for the 6th - I love the first movement, and the third is a great deal of fun, but I think the finale which mimics the finale to Brahms #2 suffers because of it.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

I also really like the scherzo of the 5th.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

My personal ranking:

1. 7
2. 8
3. 6
4. 9
5. 5
6. 4
7. 3
8. 2
9. 1


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

Good grief, its like Sophie's Choice. I just conducted the 9th with our local orchestra so I suppose that wins for me today. Tomorrow it will be the 7th, and by the weekend it will be the 8th with the 5th on Sunday.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Olias said:


> Good grief, its like Sophie's Choice. I just conducted the 9th with our local orchestra so I suppose that wins for me today. Tomorrow it will be the 7th, and by the weekend it will be the 8th with the 5th on Sunday.


Can't wait for Sunday then. I like Dvorák's fifth the best.


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Can't wait for Sunday then. I like Dvorák's fifth the best.


I love that clarinet lick at the very beginning of the symphony.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Olias said:


> I love that clarinet lick at the very beginning of the symphony.


So do I. I think this thread should have been a poll.


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## Comistra (Feb 27, 2010)

I can never decide between 9 and 7 as my favorite. If I had to choose I'd probably say 9, by a hair.

Taking a cue from emiellucifuge, a rough order for me would be:
9, 7, 5, 3, 6, 8, 2, 1, 4


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

Comistra said:


> Taking a cue from emiellucifuge, a rough order for me would be:
> 9, 7, 5, *3*, 6, 8...


Wtf is this abomination?!


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## Juan (Jan 31, 2012)

7, 8 and 9 are superb. But i will pick up number 9, all four movements are excellent.


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## pollux (Nov 11, 2011)

Definitely the 7th, it could be Brahms' 5th. The 8th has some exciting music. The 5th... I can't remember now how much I like it. And the 9th... well, I hope I won't be kicked away from this thread if I say it bores me a lot.


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

7, it's like Brahmsy.


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

Itullian said:


> 7, it's like Brahmsy.


Sshhh! Don't reveal my Brahms biases in other music! I'm supposed to be diversifying!


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## An Die Freude (Apr 23, 2011)

Polednice said:


> Wtf is this abomination?!


What's with #3 then?


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

The whole symphony is the organism; I listen to them complete, so don't pick them apart for consideration. The last seven symphonies are valuable, though 3 and 4 don't much resemble the others. I don't listen to any of them more than once a year, because I wish to avoid over-familiarity - the melodies are a bit _memory-sticky_.

In emotional effectiveness the 8th is the weakest for me of the last five; the others are strong emotion-generators, with different products. It is also important to consider conductors; for instance, Kubelik's 6th and 7th are much darker than most.

OK. Enough belaboring of the obvious; my favorite is still the 9th.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

An Die Freude said:


> What's with #3 then?


According to people who study - and write opinions about - such things, the 3rd marks the career-point where Dvorak had developed fully competent orchestrating skills. I dunno any other 'what's with'.

It is interesting (maybe only to me) that the same opinion has been expressed about Schubert's 3rd symphony.


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## Vesteralen (Jul 14, 2011)

The last minute or two of the 8th is, for me, the most exciting thing Dvoark wrote. The only other moments that approach it in his output can be found in the Cello Concerto and the Scherzo Capriccioso.

As a complete symphony, however, I've always gravitated toward the 6th. It's very rich melodically, and even less demanding than usual for this relatively undemanding composer. (The 9th is great, of course, but overfamiliarity has spoiled it a bit for me.)


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

Vesteralen said:


> The last minute or two of the 8th is, for me, the most exciting thing Dvoark wrote. The only other moments that approach it in his output can be found in the Cello Concerto and the Scherzo Capriccioso.


Have you heard the last minute of the 7th?!


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## Vesteralen (Jul 14, 2011)

Polednice said:


> Have you heard the last minute of the 7th?!


Certainly. Dvorak's output is full of both dramatic and exciting endings. I personally think of the ending of the 7th as dramatic (and great), but the ending of the 8th as exciting. Much like the ending of the first movement of the cello concerto and the scherzo capriccioso, it has brilliant passages for the brass that ramp everything up.


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

Vesteralen said:


> Certainly. Dvorak's output is full of both dramatic and exciting endings. I personally think of the ending of the 7th as dramatic (and great), but the ending of the 8th as exciting. Much like the ending of the first movement of the cello concerto and the scherzo capriccioso, it has brilliant passages for the brass that ramp everything up.


The end of the 7th reminds me of a huge Bach organ piece. The end of the 8th reminds me of an LP on a record player being sped up to 78 rpms.


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## Manok (Aug 29, 2011)

Polednice said:


> Have you heard the last minute of the 7th?!


I have heard all of the 7th and it is my favorite .


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## jdec (Mar 23, 2013)

The *9th*!

Then 8th, and then 7th and 6th.


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## Celloissimo (Mar 29, 2013)

Mine are directly in order from least favorite to most.


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## Novelette (Dec 12, 2012)

Yes, the 8th and the 7th remain my favorites.

The entirety of the eighth is wonderful.

The Scherzo of the 7th is genius.


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## Feathers (Feb 18, 2013)

Right now I actually love the last three equally, but they usually take turns being my favourite.


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## Llyranor (Dec 20, 2010)

I love the 8th and 9th, but I think I will pick 7. I adore it <3


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## MagneticGhost (Apr 7, 2013)

It's a tough decision. I love the 9th because it's the first piece I saw played live by a professional orchestra. And One of my first "cassettes".
I love the 8th because of the glorious opening theme on the cellos.

Can't separate them I'm afraid. I'm going for both of them.


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## Kivimees (Feb 16, 2013)

9 followed closely by 8.


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## Borodin (Apr 8, 2013)

7:13 - 8:13 most definitely! 




Feel the heaviness pull you in to the lush ecstasy and instrumental changes turn your head toward the flora and fauna. Takes me back to some of my walks in the woods and wilderness.


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

The Eighth.

Preferred interpretations:
1) Kertesz/London Symphony
2) Kubelik/Berlin Philharmonic
3) Dorati/London Symphony


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## leonsm (Jan 15, 2011)

The 7th is simply amazing start to finish.


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## FastkeinBrahms (Jan 9, 2021)

Dvorak's 7th almost was my introduction to classical music. I listened to the Vaclav Neumann/Chech Philharmonic recording at age 12 in 1978 on my parents' mono record player and was blown away at the dark romanticism and wild intensity of the music and playing. I asked for a Dvorak record for Christmas and got the Walter/CSO recorder of the 8th in 1978, which, with its wonderful "gesanglich" Cello opening, remains a favorite of mine to this day.


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

The third movement of the 8th is one of my all-time favorite symphonic movements. The outer scherzos sound like an exotic (Bohemian) version of a Viennese waltz. The trio has that duple meter and triple meter thing going on at the same time with a rustic melody on top. Gorgeous and perfectly composed.


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

I'll go with the 7th as well. Then 8. Then 9. And embarrassing as it is, those are the only ones I've heard...


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist said:


> I'll go with the 7th as well. Then 8. Then 9. And embarrassing as it is, those are the only ones I've heard...


Try the first movement of #1, #3, and #6 especially the third movement.


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

9 7
8
6
3
1
The rest


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

ORigel said:


> 9 7
> 8
> 6
> 3
> ...


I read this post and realised the 5th was completely missing...….I would only advise that you listen again ( politely...not looking for a debate and certainly do not want to appear argumentative)

I am also aware that I will have mentioned this already but it is worth repeating ( I think!)...the central slow movement of the 3rd is one of the highlights of Dvorak's music.....but there appears to be a commonly held misconception that prior to the 7th the merits of his symphonic works are relatively limited.


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## Skakner (Oct 8, 2020)

*8th* for me, by small margin though (to 9th).


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

Same symphonies, same comment, opposite order.


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## FastkeinBrahms (Jan 9, 2021)

The 5th is an almost-masterpiece, if it weren't for the occasionally too thick instrumentation. Petrenko conducted it with the BPO last summer, maybe a first for that orchestra. The Kertesz recording is fun to listen to.


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

FastkeinBrahms said:


> The 5th is an almost-masterpiece, if it weren't for the occasionally too thick instrumentation. Petrenko conducted it with the BPO last summer, maybe a first for that orchestra. The Kertesz recording is fun to listen to.


Interesting to learn that Petrenko has introduced this symphony to the BPO repertoire....thanks for the post!


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## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

Tough one. I would probably say 8 or 9, but really any of No. 6-9 are great, and at any one moment, any one of them, can be my favorite.

You got me thinking. I may actually pull up some Dvorak and listen, but I think I will focus on Symphonies 1-5, which I rarely play - to the point that I have little recollection or opinion on them, even though I have listened to all of his symphonies, more than once for the earlier works, and an endless number of times for 6-9. Time to dig out my Kertesz/LSO, or maybe Kubelik or Rowicki, but Kertesz was my "first" and remains my favorite.


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## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

jim prideaux said:


> Interesting to learn that Petrenko has introduced this symphony to the BPO repertoire....thanks for the post!


Can't be their first. After all the recorded traversal of all of his symphonies by Kubelik, which is a well regarded recorded set, was with the BPO. I don't know how often the BPO plays the earlier symphonies, but they are certainly in their repertoire.


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## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

haziz said:


> Tough one. I would probably say 8 or 9, but really any of No. 6-9 are great, and at any one moment, any one of them, can be my favorite.
> 
> You got me thinking. I may actually pull up some Dvorak and listen, but I think I will focus on Symphonies 1-5, which I rarely play - to the point that I have little recollection or opinion on them, even though I have listened to all of his symphonies, more than once for the earlier works, and an endless number of times for 6-9. Time to dig out my Kertesz/LSO, or maybe Kubelik or Rowicki, but Kertesz was my "first" and remains my favorite.


Playing his 5th symphony as interpreted by the LSO under Kertesz as I type this. Delightful!


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

haziz said:


> Can't be their first. After all the recorded traversal of all of his symphonies by Kubelik, which is a well regarded recorded set, was with the BPO. I don't know how often the BPO plays the earlier symphonies, but they are certainly in their repertoire.


Apologies.....overlooked the Kubelik/BPO cycle in my haste!


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## FastkeinBrahms (Jan 9, 2021)

Me too. They can't have performed it much since Kubelik, though, if at all. Karajan certainly never conducted it and Dvorak was neither Abbado's nor Rattle's kettle of fish during their BPO years.


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## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

haziz said:


> Playing his 5th symphony as interpreted by the LSO under Kertesz as I type this. Delightful!


Sampling Rowicki's performance of the same symphony, also with LSO. With Rowicki, this is much more of a rapid gallop through the countryside, although he does relax a bit in the second movement. I prefer Kertesz's rendition; he allows the music to breathe. I also briefly sampled Sejna's well regarded 1952 recording, Sorry, I continue to have issues with the recording technology of that era. It is weird, I am fine with anything from 1957 onwards, but seem to have issues with the technology from only a few years earlier, and it is not just a stereo vs. mono thing. I will proceed to the 4th symphony after I finish the Rowicki.


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## FastkeinBrahms (Jan 9, 2021)

It certainly needs supreme musical power to break the limits imposed by technology of these days. Just listened to the 1949 Walter recording of the Beethoven Triple Concerto with the NY Phil, Rose, Corigliano and Hendl: Sheer incandescent energy. Quite a distance from Dvorak's 5th, just listening to the delightful 3rd movement by Kertesz/LSO: Quite a galop, too, but perfectly balanced and almost with a swing.


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

Oslo Philharmonic conducted by Maris Jansons for the 5th...…..major recommendation!


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## John O (Jan 16, 2021)

My favourites are 6 and 7. I know 6 is not as popular as 7-9. What surprises me on this thread is nearly everyone passion for 5. I like 5 but have always thought of it as a transition piece between the early symphonies and the great ones 6-9. The use of the two themes of the slow mvt reversed in the scherzo is clever but despite the obvious excitement of the last movement I find it to forced and repetitive


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## FastkeinBrahms (Jan 9, 2021)

I am not very keen on the "What is the best/favourite/number one" etc. classical music piece. It's not a race. I agree that the 5th has weaknesses, especially in the relentless repetitive rumbling of the last movement, but I find it a refreshing change from the almost canonic group of the four last symphonies.


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