# Whose symphonies next?



## Forster (Apr 22, 2021)

For the last 15 years or so, I've been exploring the symphony - my favourite form of classical.

I have just been given a complete set of *Schubert *(Abbado/COE) but wondered, before I get deep in, what TC members would recommend as a next step.

Imagine you wanted to say to me, "Never mind Schubert, you really must listen to xxxx before you die!"

Just so you know what I already like/own, I have complete sets or substantial parts of these composers, in the order in which I explored them

*Beethoven
Shostakovich
Prokofiev
*I have all of *Haydn*'s London and Paris5 or 6 *Mozart*, including the last three
*Nielsen*'s 4 and 5
*Messiaen*'s Turangalila
*Mahler*
*Sibelius*
*Berlioz'* SF*
Roussel
**Vaughan-Williams
*
I know there are several composers who will surely be recommended, but I'm interested to see if only the obvious candidates are suggested, or whether there will be some surprises.

Thanking you in advance.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

The absence of Brahms, Bruckner, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, Schumann and Mendelssohn is by accident? If not, they are 'mandatory'.

I would also definitely try Bax (7), Magnard (4) and Schmidt (4) in your place.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

I would say that Dvorak and Tchaikovsky were pretty much "mandatory" as well......


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Yes, I edited them in before you posted.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Art Rock said:


> Yes, I edited them in before you posted.


I'll believe you....! :angel:

If you want to go off the fairway and ever so slightly into the rough with your exploration, here's a few stupendous and wonderful Symphonies not quite by the usual suspects. They're among my favourites, you too might enjoy them...?

Suk: Asrael Symphony
Martinů: all six!
Janáček: Sinfonietta (if it counts?)
Magnard: Symphony No.4
Tubin: Symphony No.2
Berwald: Symphony No.3
Holmboe: Symphony No.6
Madetoja: Symphony No.3
Schmidt: Symphony No.4
Bantock: A Celtic Symphony
Diamond: Symphony No.4
Moeran: Symphony in G minor


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Art Rock said:


> I would also definitely try Bax (7), Magnard (4) and Schmidt (4) in your place.


Just to avoid misunderstanding, the numbers refer to the total number. Good starting points would be Bax 3&6, Magnard 3&4 and Schmidt 3&4.


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## RobertJTh (Sep 19, 2021)

The easy way to answer your question would be just listing all the great stuff you don't have yet - but what's the point of that?
I think the best advice would be going at your own pace, deepening your experience with the music you already know and love while exploring new works and new composers, without the need of other people telling you what to listen to and what not.
I would ignore people who say "never mind Schubert" anyway...


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Dvorak is essential, for me.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

- BRUCKNER, maybe start with 4 to 9

- Tchaikovsky 6
- Glazunov 4
- Dvorak 7,8,9
- Scriabin 1-3
- Rachmaninov 2
- Magnard 4/Plasson
- Schmidt 4
- Langgaard 3,4,6
- Hindemith, Harmonie der Welt/Mravinsky
- Honegger 3/Baudo
- Henze 1
- Martinu 6
- Tubin 5
- Englund 2
- Nørgård 3,5,6
- Pettersson 7,8 (I personally wouldn't choose Segerstam)
- Hovhaness, many, such as Majnun
- Pärt 1
- Lutoslawski 4
- Holmboe 1, In Memoriam, 11


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## Highwayman (Jul 16, 2018)

Not particularly my favourite but I immediately think of Allan Pettersson when symphonies are mentioned.


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

Excellent suggestions.

I do not think that the following have not been mentioned:

Jaochim Raff
Zdenak Fibich
Kurt Atterberg
Howard Hanson
William Schuman
Vincent Persichetti
Peter Mennin
Roy Harris
George Lloyd
Robert Simpson
Malcolm Arnold
William Alwyn
George Rochberg
Kalivi Aho (Still active)

Following are serialist:
Roger Sessions
Benjamin Frankel
Geoffrey Serle 

There are others but the above should keep one busy. And they all are in various styles from romantic to serial.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

A few American symphonists

Ives: 4 symphonies
Bernstein: 3 symphonies
Glass: 14 symphonies
Marsalis: 3 symphonies: No. 1, Swing Symphony, and Blues Symphony.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Why not listen to the other Nielsen symphonies before moving on? There are only a total of six.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Check out the symphonies of Myaskovsky and Weinberg.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

Franck, Chausson, Bizet C major, Saint-Saens #3, Hindemith Eb major and "Mathis der Maler", Stravinsky "Symphony in C", "Symphony in 3 movements".

But it should also be a bit dependent on what you liked.


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

*DVORAK*

Or if you want to go French, Saint-Saens and Franck


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## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

Forster said:


> Imagine you wanted to say to me, "Never mind Schubert, you really must listen to xxxx before you die!" ...
> 
> I know there are several composers who will surely be recommended, but I'm interested to see if only the obvious candidates are suggested, or whether there will be some surprises.


Rather than list composers, imagine I say to you "Never mind consonant-sounding music, you should attempt to augment your aesthetic mindset by absorbing/digesting alien-sounding & seemingly uncompromising dodecaphonic compositions."

Arriving at amicable terms with so-called 'cold'/'heartless'/'souless' 12-tone soundscapes [especially those by French, Finnish and English (U.K. & U.S.A) symphonists] can open up thresholds into other aural territories which might at first appear forboding or unappetizing.

You owe it to yourself to "listen to xxxx before you die" wherein 'xxxx' represents the mathematical + computer science perspectives applied to music yielding results that reveal more than only the kinetic and/or the lyrical aspects of plebian-pleasing music.

Getting music by Xenakis during the 1990s myself, I listened to his works for over a decade before getting 'into' where he was 'at' with his music. After 2007/2008, I began revisiting lots of my albums (some of which I had listened to only once or twice) and better appreciating their contents via listening to them this time around with my post-Xenakis ears.

My current position is that the British serialists from mid-20th century are the lion's share of my favo(u)rite symphonies.
Bennett, Searle, Frankel, Gerhard, Wellesz, etc.

Having Messiaen is already a step in this direction. If you like Vaughan Williams & Shostakovich, then you might be receptive toward Frankel's symphonies (& film music). Perhaps the "surprise" is my suggestion to consider vintage orchestral film scores.
Maybe 'next' is a step away from symphonies?


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## Forster (Apr 22, 2021)

Many thanks for the replies so far.



Art Rock said:


> The absence of Brahms, Bruckner, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, Schumann and Mendelssohn is by accident?


Well that covers all the "usual suspects" I thought might crop up. No, no accident. I've sampled symphonies by all these - only Dvorak's _From the New World _is particularly familiar. I think it might be in my buried vinyl archive. That one aside, none of the others has grabbed me yet



CnC Bartok said:


> If you want to go off the fairway and ever so slightly into the rough with your exploration,


I'm very happy to go off the fairway - I was hoping someone might suggest it.



RobertJTh said:


> The easy way to answer your question would be just listing all the great stuff you don't have yet - but what's the point of that?


I thank you for your response, but "listing all the great stuff I don't have yet" is precisely the point of my enquiry.

Or rather, the specific symphony/composer you would recommend to me ahead of Schubert.



Kreisler jr said:


> Franck, Chausson, Bizet C major, Saint-Saens #3, Hindemith Eb major and "Mathis der Maler", Stravinsky "Symphony in C", "Symphony in 3 movements".
> 
> But it should also be a bit dependent on what you liked.


Well, I listed what I have explored and decided to own, and you can assume that I actually like a large part of that list. True, I'm not in love with all 10 of Mahler's, but 1,3,5,6 is a decent chunk and I'm still working on the others. Of the DSCH, I'm fond of 4,5,7,9,10,11 and 15. Of the Prokofiev, 1,2,4,5,6...I hope you get the picture.

The two Stravinsky I have, and have been listening to recently - more work to be done there. I didn't include them in my OP because...I forgot them (oops).


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## Forster (Apr 22, 2021)

Prodromides said:


> Rather than list composers, imagine I say to you "Never mind consonant-sounding music, you should attempt to augment your aesthetic mindset by absorbing/digesting alien-sounding & seemingly uncompromising dodecaphonic compositions."
> 
> Arriving at amicable terms with so-called 'cold'/'heartless'/'souless' 12-tone soundscapes [especially those by French, Finnish and English (U.K. & U.S.A) symphonists] can open up thresholds into other aural territories which might at first appear forboding or unappetizing.
> 
> ...


I appreciate the detail of your response, and your suggestions.

On the other hand, to suggest moving away from symphonies runs counter to my enquiry. I'm familiar enough with film scores to know that, generally speaking, I don't like them out of the context of the film for which they were written. But I might take you up on the British Serialists as a possible avenue. Thank you.

More generally, if it's taken me 15 years to "explore" the relatively small number of symphonies I listed in my OP, I shall be dead, buried and nought but dust by the time I get through the large number of suggestions thus far.

You know how it is - you think you've asked a question in the right way, but there's no accounting for the way the question might be read. I really do appreciate that members have offered an answer, so please don't take this the wrong way...but...

Perhaps if I extend the imaginary conversation in which you're telling me to set aside Schubert (who would surely be included in any _general survey _of the symphony, alongside those I've already listed) and listen to _THIS_- with some urgency!

"No, look, you've already wasted too much time on those old fogies...Beethoven?? Bah! And now you're going to try Schubert??? Come on man!! No time to waste...THIS is what you MUST listen to next...NOW!"

Tubin had more than one vote...and he's not Brahms or Bruckner, Tchaikovsky or Mendelssohn...perhaps I should start there?


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## Josquin13 (Nov 7, 2017)

I agree with Starthrower, why stop at Nielsen's 4th & 5th Symphonies?

Apart from the obvious choices (missing on your list), which have mostly been mentioned so far--i.e., the symphony cycles by Schumann, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, Bruckner, Saint-Saens, Scriabin, & Martinu--I would urge you to tackle Schubert's Symphonies first: Partly because he comes before these other composers in music history, but also because Schubert was Bruckner's favorite composer and a major influence on Bruckner's own symphonies (along with Wagner). Therefore, it's probably a good idea to listen to Bruckner after you've already done Schubert, so that you can recognize the importance of Schubert's influence on certain movements in Bruckner's 9 Symphonies.

On the other hand, if you're also looking for symphonies to explore that are more 'off the beaten path', or not quite standard repertory, the following symphonies have mostly not been mentioned so far,

1. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov--3 Symphonies,

--Symphony No. 1, Op. 1 (second version--revised 1883): 



--Symphony No. 2 "Antar", Op. 9--which the composer later re-designated a "Symphonic Suite": 



--Symphony No. 3, Op. 32: 




2. Reinhold Glière:

--Symphony No. 1, Op. 8 (1900):




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRhO...NcRhPlTw0N2HFc
--Symphony No. 2, Op. 25 (1907): 



--Symphony No. 3 "Ilya Muromets", Op. 42 (1908-11)--dedicated to Alexander Glazunov: 




3. Wilhelm Stenhammar--Symphonies 1 & 2:

--No. 1: 



--No. 2: 




--No. 2 (Blomstedt):



--Nos. 1 & 2 (N. Jaarvi): 




4. Charles Koechlin, Symphonies 1-4,

--Symphony No. 1 (1926)--which is an orchestration of Koechlin's earlier String Quartet No. 2: 



--Symphony No. 2 (1944): 



--The Seven Stars' Symphony (1933): 



--"Symphonie d'Hymnes": Unfortunately, only specific movements from this symphony have been recorded to date, as standalone tone poems. Here is a 1960 recording of the 1936 "Hymne à la Nuit" movement from this neglected symphony: 



. & here too is the 1933 "Hymne au soleil" movement, again recorded as a tone poem: 



.

5. Joseph-Guy Ropartz - Symphony No. 3: 




6. Arthur Honegger: Symphonies 1-5: 




7. Joonas Kokkonen - Symphonies 1-4: The following are all the recordings that have been made to date of these works,

--Symphonies nos. 1 & 2 (Oramo): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PK0e...XADP8VYFeJeCLk
--Symphonies nos. 1 & 4 (Berglund): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07Ow...xx74nps5VMPafU
--Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4 (Oramo): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGXA...pNKHuY&index=6
--Symphony No. 3 (Berglund): 



--Symphonies Nos. 1-4 (Vanska, Söderblom): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KGk...4BjzfN-ZLVESUs
--Symphony No. 4 (Kamu--to date, only released on LP): 




8. Allan Pettersson - Symphonies 4, 7, 8, & 10:

No. 4: 



No. 7: 



No. 8: 



No. 10: 




9. Vagn Holmboe,

--Symphony No. 8, "Sinfonia boreale": 



--Symphony No. 9: 



--Symphony No. 10: 



--Symphony No. 13: 




10. Vincent Persichetti - Symphony No. 9 "Janiculum": 




11. Henri Dutilleux, Symphonies 1 & 2,

--No. 1: 



--No. 2 "Le Double": 









12. Alexander Tcherepnin - Symphonies 1-4,

Symphony No. 1 & 2: 



Symphony No. 2: 



Symphony No. 3: 



Symphony Nos. 3 & 4: 




13. Witold Lutoslawski - Symphonies 1-4,

--Symphonies 1 & 4: 



--Symphonies 3 & 2: 




14. Ib Nørholm - Symphony No. 9: 




15. Einojuhani Rautavaara,
--Symphony No. 7, "Angel of Light": 



--Symphony No. 8, "The Journey": 




16. Per Nørgård - Symphonies No. 3 & 6:

--No. 3: 



--No. 6 "At the End of the Day": 




17. Oliver Knussen - Symphonies 2 & 3:
--No. 2: 



--No. 3: 




In addition, you might want to look into the symphonies of Serge Rachmaninov, Edmund Rubbra, Eduard Tubin, Malcolm Arnold, Robert Simpson, Christopher Rouse, William Schuman, Walter Piston, & Hans Werner Henze, etc..


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Obviously he's very easy to overlook, hence the dearth of recommendation here, but the 2 1/2 Symphonies by Alexander Borodin are simply wonderful.


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

Haydn-- Sturm und Drang Symphonies
Burgmuller Symphony no. 1
Ned Rorem Symphony no. 3
Schnittke Symphonies nos. 1, 2, 8
Cipriani Potter Symphony no. 6
Balakirev Symphony no. 1
Lachner Symphony no. 5
Part Symphony no. 3
Still Symphony no. 1
Kraus Symphony in C Minor


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## AndorFoldes (Aug 25, 2012)

I think you should eventually try Symphony No. 1 by Walton and Symphony No. 2 by Elgar. I don't understand why they never seem to get recommended.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

There are many good suggestions for essential symphonists in this thread (I also agree with some of the less than essential ones that got mentioned but without thinking of them as obligatory). Certainly, the symphonies of Brahms, Dvorak, Schumann, Schubert, Bruckner, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky (there are three if you count the Symphony of Psalms) and I am also inclined to include the Bizet and the Honeggers (all) and the Martinus (all) - but I also agree that there are many more worthwhile symphonies by composers who are already present in the OP list. Only the last three Mozarts? It used to be the last six (sometimes plus the 29th and 25th) - and they, at least, are among the very greatest symphonies. And there is a lot more Haydn than the London and the Paris symphonies. I feel sure that some 30 from the others is a minimum requirement. And, as others have mentioned, all of Nielsen's symphonies are essential! Lastly, I would add both the Elgar symphonies and certainly Walton's first.


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## Forster (Apr 22, 2021)

Merl said:


> Dvorak is essential, for me.





Highwayman said:


> Not particularly my favourite but I immediately think of Allan Pettersson when symphonies are mentioned.





starthrower said:


> Why not listen to the other Nielsen symphonies before moving on? There are only a total of six.





Bulldog said:


> Check out the symphonies of Myaskovsky and Weinberg.





Olias said:


> *DVORAK*
> 
> Or if you want to go French, Saint-Saens and Franck





CnC Bartok said:


> Obviously he's very easy to overlook, hence the dearth of recommendation here, but the 2 1/2 Symphonies by Alexander Borodin are simply wonderful.





AndorFoldes said:


> I think you should eventually try Symphony No. 1 by Walton and Symphony No. 2 by Elgar. I don't understand why they never seem to get recommended.


I hate to seem churlish, given the wealth of advice offered in good faith, and I have already acknowledged that I could have phrased my OP better... but I did ask, "Whose symphonies *next*?"

Long lists that aim to ensure I have been provided with a comprehensive overview of the symphony, or to ensure I've looked into all the overlooked nooks and crannies isn't what I was looking for, and I can't listen to more than one symphony at a time.

So far, the answers above have been the most fitting - just one (or two) composer(s) recommended for me to explore _next_ - though couched in cautious rather than passionate terms - except for Merl and Olias.

Thanks.


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## HerbertNorman (Jan 9, 2020)

Forster said:


> I hate to seem churlish, given the wealth of advice offered in good faith, and I have already acknowledged that I could have phrased my OP better... but I did ask, "Whose symphonies *next*?"
> 
> Long lists that aim to ensure I have been provided with a comprehensive overview of the symphony, or to ensure I've looked into all the overlooked nooks and crannies isn't what I was looking for, and I can't listen to more than one symphony at a time.
> 
> ...


I would recommend *Dvorak and then the other Nielsen symphonies* (= a good choice ,as you've already listened to two of his symphonies.)
Then I would try Mendelssohn , Brahms , Myaskovsky,...

There have been so many good recommendations in this thread , but it is one step at the time isn't it 

I have come to appreciate many composers thanks to recommendations on TC . But I would take it easy , start with one composer and work your way through his (or her) work.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

Forster said:


> I hate to seem churlish, given the wealth of advice offered in good faith, and I have already acknowledged that I could have phrased my OP better... but I did ask, "Whose symphonies *next*?"
> 
> Long lists that aim to ensure I have been provided with a comprehensive overview of the symphony, or to ensure I've looked into all the overlooked nooks and crannies isn't what I was looking for, and I can't listen to more than one symphony at a time.
> 
> ...


Next? Nielsen's 3rd. As for the rest, you have been give a huge box of chocolates that you can select from for the next year!


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

I would add Walter Piston to the list


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## Josquin13 (Nov 7, 2017)

Forster said:


> I hate to seem churlish, given the wealth of advice offered in good faith, and I have already acknowledged that I could have phrased my OP better... but I did ask, "Whose symphonies *next*?"
> 
> Long lists that aim to ensure I have been provided with a comprehensive overview of the symphony, or to ensure I've looked into all the overlooked nooks and crannies isn't what I was looking for, and I can't listen to more than one symphony at a time.
> 
> ...


That's fair. As I touched on in my previous post, there is a significant benefit to be gained by proceeding chronologically through the various periods of music, in order to better understand the development of the symphony: Such as by listening to Schubert before you get to Bruckner, for example, considering the former's huge influence on the latter (etc., etc.), as I mentioned in my previous post.

With that in mind, there appear to be some big gaps or omissions in your previous Classical era listening, & especially in regards to Haydn & Mozart, who are among the most essential & influential symphonists in music history, so that's where I think you should go next,

By listening to the following symphonies in the following order,

--Haydn Symphonies Nos. 6 "Le Matin", 7 "Le Midi, & 8 "Le Soir": 




Next, Haydn's "Sturm und Drang" Symphonies:

--Bruggen: 



--Pinnock: https://www.classicstoday.com/review/review-5326/

--& make sure to hear Haydn's Symphonies Nos. 49 "La Passione", & 44 "Mourning":

--Marriner No. 49: 



--Lubbock No. 49: 



--Marriner No. 44: 




Next, I'd recommend that you hear the rest of his Haydn's Symphonies Nos. 82-104, the ones you've not listened to yet, since these are among the greatest symphonies ever penned,

Again, here are some suggested excellent recordings,

--Kuijken, Paris Symphonies (period): 



. 
--Alternative listening, Bruggen, Paris Symphonies (period): 




--Bruggen, Symphonies Nos. 90, 91, 92 "Oxford": 




--Davis, London Symphonies: 



--Bruggen, London Symphonies (period): 




Next, I'd suggest that you finish with the following masterful symphonies by Mozart,

--Symphony No. 25: 



--Symphony No. 31 "Paris"--one of my personal favorites: 



--Symphonies Nos. 35-41 in their entirety, & make sure that you spend time with Symphony No.38 "Prague", which is wonderful: 



.


















Vegh, Symphonies Nos. 40, 41 "Jupiter":

















Then, I'd suggest that you tackle Schubert next (though it would help to review Beethoven's 9 first, since he, Haydn, & Mozart had a profound influence on Schubert & that is evident in Schubert's Symphonies), & in the following order, if you don't wish to hear them all, initially,

3rd: 



4th: 



5th: 



6th: 



8th "Unfinished": 



9th "The Great": 




Once that's done, you're now ready to listen to the Romantic, & then late/post Romantic symphonists (that you've not heard yet), before tackling the important early modern and then post-WWII symphonists of the 20th century.

I hope that addresses your question better.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

^ Looking at those Haydn recommendations reminds me that Giovanni Antonini is recording many of them in a slowly growing collection (he's up to Vol 10 or 11 now) including many of the Sturm und Drang symphonies and excellent accounts of 6, 7 and 8. His approach is closer to Pinnock than to Bruggen but sometimes even more zesty than Pinnock. I really like those that I have heard so far. Harnoncourt also made some good Haydn records.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Rachmaninoff (3) but 5 if you count Symphonic Dances and The Bells.

Saint-Saens (5)


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## golfer72 (Jan 27, 2018)

Parry especially the third


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## Bruckner Anton (Mar 10, 2016)

If I could only name a single symphonist to replace the great Schubert in your list, it must be Brahms. Please pick up Brahms immediately if you enjoy symphonies.


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## Forster (Apr 22, 2021)

Josquin13 said:


> That's fair. As I touched on in my previous post, there is a significant benefit to be gained by proceeding chronologically through the various periods of music, in order to better understand the development of the symphony: Such as by listening to Schubert before you get to Bruckner, for example, considering the former's huge influence on the latter (etc., etc.), as I mentioned in my previous post.
> 
> [etc]


Thanks again. I guess your approach implies that the essence of my question is almost anathema to you

(My question best summed up by my imagined urgings of a fellow TC member:

"No, look, you've already wasted too much time on those old fogies...Beethoven?? Bah! And now you're going to try Schubert??? Come on man!! No time to waste...THIS is what you MUST listen to next...NOW!")

Perhaps my "exploring the symphony" implies "systematically surveying" - which was not my intent.

But many thanks for the suggestions anyway.

I've compiled a symphonic listening list and am beginning to work through it (Petterson 8 at this exact moment).


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## Subutai (Feb 28, 2021)

starthrower said:


> Why not listen to the other Nielsen symphonies before moving on? There are only a total of six.


An excellent choice! I looked at the OP and wondered why he has been studying symphonies for the past 15 years and only has a handful of composers he has listened to. The members suggestions will be overwhelming but NIELSEN 6 is a great way to start. My favourite symphonist off the beaten track.


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## Forster (Apr 22, 2021)

Subutai said:


> An excellent choice! I looked at the OP and wondered why he has been studying symphonies for the past 15 years and only has a handful of composers he has listened to. The members suggestions will be overwhelming but NIELSEN 6 is a great way to start. My favourite symphonist off the beaten track.


Could it be he listens to other types of music, he has other hobbies, and for most of the 15 years he went out to work?


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## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

Tchaikovsky
Dvorak
Borodin
Kalinnikov
Glazunov
Rimsky Korsakov


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

Forster said:


> For the last 15 years or so, I've been exploring the symphony - my favourite form of classical.
> 
> I have just been given a complete set of *Schubert *(Abbado/COE) but wondered, before I get deep in, what TC members would recommend as a next step.
> 
> ...


I, too, have been exploring the symphony, going on, now, for well over half a century. The symphony is also my favorite classical form to explore. I have certainly more often purchased discs (vinyl, cassette, CD, and SACD) of unknown composers and/or music featuring a "symphony" than any other classical genre. Needless to say, I've heard a lot of symphonies. And that pleases me. (As I type this I have a symphony on in the background, the Fünfte Sinfonie (1959) by German composer Johann Cilenšek.)

Looking over the listings provided so far in this thread, I can say honestly that there is not a single composer listed by whom I have not heard at least one symphony. It is in the post by SanAntone that I find the only mentioned symphonies I haven't heard: two of the three by Wynton Marsalis (I have heard the Blues Symphony in the recording by The Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Cristian Măcelaru), and I haven't heard 13 of the 14 symphonies by Philip Glass (which escaped me by choice, my single foray into this area of this composer's output proving a "low" point in my musical experience). But I _have_ heard the six symphonies of Louis Glass and I have the Danacord box set (DACOCD 541-544) in my collection. So, I've heard a lot of symphonies.

What I want to say is simply: do not ignore diving into the Schubert works. Schubert's symphonies prove among the most delightful and among the some greatest symphonies in the repertoire. The early ones are delightful. The Fifth remains, after over 50 years, among my all-time favorite musical works. The 8th, the "Unfinished", ranks with the top symphonies of all time, certainly in the top ten. And the great Ninth (though never a favorite for me) remains indisputably "great" for many reasons even if I don't much care for it. The Schubert symphonies are essentials, so do not ignore them any longer. And seek out the other "unfinished" Schubert symphonies; there are "finished" versions of the 7th and 10th which prove well worth hearing, even if they are dubiously Schubertian.

And let way lead to way. As an explorer of the "symphony" as a musical form, you are in for a lifetime of wonderment and joy. Listen to all of those already suggested, and keep going on to those hundreds or even thousands of others not listed here -- such as the Fünfte Sinfonie of Johann Cilenšek. You will only benefit your mind, body, spirit, and ears. And that's what music, especially the symphony, is designed to do.

All the best on your journey.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Enthusiast said:


> ^ Looking at those Haydn recommendations reminds me that Giovanni Antonini is recording many of them in a slowly growing collection (he's up to Vol 10 or 11 now) including many of the Sturm und Drang symphonies and excellent accounts of 6, 7 and 8. His approach is closer to Pinnock than to Bruggen but sometimes even more zesty than Pinnock. I really like those that I have heard so far. Harnoncourt also made some good Haydn records.


I have been following the Antonini Haydn project as best I can from the comfort of a funny little island off the coast of Europe, and have made a point of getting all 11 volumes so far. It seems to get better and better as it progresses. Just as a useful bit of information, there are a few more volumes in the proverbial pipeline, information on this website:

https://haydn2032.com/EN/index.html

More money to be forced into spending.....


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## Forster (Apr 22, 2021)

SONNET CLV said:


> What I want to say is simply: *do not ignore diving into the Schubert works.* Schubert's symphonies prove among the most delightful and among the some greatest symphonies in the repertoire. The early ones are delightful. The Fifth remains, after over 50 years, among my all-time favorite musical works. The 8th, the "Unfinished", ranks with the top symphonies of all time, certainly in the top ten. And the great Ninth (though never a favorite for me) remains indisputably "great" for many reasons even if I don't much care for it. The Schubert symphonies are essentials, so do not ignore them any longer. And seek out the other "unfinished" Schubert symphonies; there are "finished" versions of the 7th and 10th which prove well worth hearing, even if they are dubiously Schubertian.
> 
> And let way lead to way. As an explorer of the "symphony" as a musical form, you are in for a lifetime of wonderment and joy. Listen to all of those already suggested, and keep going on to those hundreds or even thousands of others not listed here -- such as the Fünfte Sinfonie of Johann Cilenšek. You will only benefit your mind, body, spirit, and ears. And that's what music, especially the symphony, is designed to do.
> 
> All the best on your journey.


Nor did I. While some of the suggestions here took me off at a tangent, I nevertheless worked my way through my new boxed set and have lingered most over the 9th. They are not yet sufficiently familiar (8th excepted) to have the kind of overwhelming appeal of my favourites, but they are attractive enough to keep me interested.

As for the rest, there have been so many suggestions, I'm quite sure I'll have enough to last me beyond my dotage!

Thanks.


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