# Dvorak 7th vs Prokofiev 7th.



## Kajmanen (Jun 30, 2017)

Which one do you prefer?

Edit: Damn, this was suppose to be a poll.


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## Tchaikov6 (Mar 30, 2016)

Prokofiev 7, definitely. I will say, though, I haven't listened to Dvorak 7 as much as Prokofiev. So maybe I listened for equal amounts I would prefer it. Maybe not.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Dvorak 7 for me. Prokofiev's symphonies connect less with me than his concertos and ballet music.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

No contest. Dvorak.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

I like them both a lot, but Dvorak 7 is a strong symphony all around. Really, it's the 1st movement of Prokofiev's 7th that I like the most. And he wrote better symphonies. Dvorak's on the other hand, is top.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

The Prokofiev for me. Except for chamber music, I always pick Prokofiev over Dvorak.


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## eugeneonagain (May 14, 2017)

Dvorak is always an easier listen. That's not a bad thing.


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## peterhall230 (Aug 14, 2017)

Since I was 15 Dvorak seventh has always been a special work for me. If I had to challenge with a Prokoviev symphony - maybe his first - the Classical - which I love


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## peterhall230 (Aug 14, 2017)

But mind you when I bought my first LPs of Dvorak they didn't agree with the numbers we use now!


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## peterhall230 (Aug 14, 2017)

7th was the 4th, New World was the 5th - late 1960s


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

The seventh by AD is probably my favourite symphony of his - the fact that it was the most turbulent offered an agreeable contrast to the relative optimism of the other great ones he wrote. 

Prokofiev with his seventh seemed to consciously or otherwise attain something of the economy and purity of his first symphony from over 40 years earlier even though the seventh is over twice its length. Of course, when he wrote the seventh towards the end of his life his personal circumstances couldn't have been more different to when he wrote the first as a young man but it always gives me a strange feeling that he was bringing the wheel round full circle somehow, however different the two symphonies were in their respective ways.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Both wonderful symphonies! I vote equal. Dvořák's 7th is his most Brahmsian and is my favorite Dvořák symphony (for that reason? Yes.). The first movement of the Prokofiev 7th, as clavichorder posts, is very fine indeed late Prokofiev. Seven seems to be a lucky number for many symphonists, as Beethoven and Sibelius also attest.


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

difficult one!......I have noticed how Prokofiev's 7th seems to be overlooked-since I first bought a cassette of the work performed by Previn and the LSO years ago I have always found it really engaging-funnily enough yesterday I was reading an article about the symphony in a back issue of Gramophone-a discussion with Kirill Karabits (spelling?)....

but then again Dvorak's 7th remains on of my favourite symphonies by one of my favourite composers!


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

difficult one!......I have noticed how Prokofiev's 7th seems to be overlooked-since I first bought a cassette of the work performed by Previn and the LSO years ago I have always found it really engaging-funnily enough yesterday I was reading an article about the symphony in a back issue of Gramophone-a discussion with Kirill Karabits (spelling?)....

but then again Dvorak's 7th remains on of my favourite symphonies by one of my favourite composers!


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## isorhythm (Jan 2, 2015)

Prokofiev for me, but it's very close.


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## David Phillips (Jun 26, 2017)

I don't think either of the symphonies belong to the composers' best work. Critics always rate the Dvorak 7th as his greatest symphony but I much prefer the 5th, 6th or the 9th. The Prokofiev was written for children, and often sounds like it. The optional 'comedy ending' of the final movement of Prokofiev's 7th is a tremendous letdown if you play it, and a letdown if you don't.


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## jdec (Mar 23, 2013)

Strange Magic said:


> Both wonderful symphonies! I vote equal. Dvořák's7th is his most Brahmsian and is my favorite Dvořák symphony (for that reason? Yes.). The first movement of the Prokofiev 7th, as clavichorder posts, is very fine indeed late Prokofiev. Seven seems to be a lucky number for many symphonists, as Beethoven and Sibelius also attest.


You might get a like from Bettina


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

Merl said:


> No contest. Dvorak.


Absolutely. What an odd choice; one of Dvorak's best vs on of Prokofiev most forgettable


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

Dvorak, for as much as I love plenty of Prokofiev, D's 7th has a stronger profile


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

It's the Dvortak Seventh for me. Szell/Cleveland Orchestra and Bernstein/New York Philharmonic


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

Difficulties posting. Malfunction on this site


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

I'll vote for Prokofiev if the server is up.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Dvorak, hands down.


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## haydnfan (Apr 13, 2011)

The only Prokofiev symphonies I love is 1, 5, 6. But I love Dvorak's 7th so it's easily Dvorak for me.


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## Omicron9 (Oct 13, 2016)

Prokofiev. I'll always choose Prokofiev over Dvorak. Well, anything over Dvorak for me.


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## Kajmanen (Jun 30, 2017)

David Phillips said:


> I don't think either of the symphonies belong to the composers' best work. Critics always rate the Dvorak 7th as his greatest symphony but I much prefer the 5th, 6th or the 9th. The Prokofiev was written for children, and often sounds like it. The optional 'comedy ending' of the final movement of Prokofiev's 7th is a tremendous letdown if you play it, and a letdown if you don't.


Written for children? The first maintheme in the first movement of it certainly doesnt sound like anything that wouldve been aimed at children.


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## Kajmanen (Jun 30, 2017)

Omicron9 said:


> Prokofiev. I'll always choose Prokofiev over Dvorak. Well, anything over Dvorak for me.


Britney Spears?


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## Tallisman (May 7, 2017)

Neither of them particular favourites. Dvorak's is quite good - the Prokofiev bores me slightly.


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

Why design a poll pitting the best symphony by one composer against one pretty-much universally recognized as among a composer's weakest works? Because they are both numbered 7?


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

having stated earlier that I find Prokofiev's 7th to be largely limited in recognition while I myself really enjoy it the subsequent posts bear out this impression.........so I am now listening to Gergiev and the LSO and heartily enjoying it!


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

EdwardBast said:


> Why design a poll pitting the best symphony by one composer against one pretty-much universally recognized as among a composer's weakest works? Because they are both numbered 7?


Why not? It's all just a matter of personal taste. And are we sure Proko's seventh is among his "weakest works"?


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

EdwardBast said:


> Why design a poll pitting the best symphony by one composer against one pretty-much universally recognized as among a composer's weakest works? Because they are both numbered 7?


I agree that the 7th is one of the weaker Prokofiev works (although still having its charming moments). I always thought Dvorak's 9th was considered his best symphony.

In answer to the OP I prefer the Prokofiev. For some reason I don't find Dvorak's music very interesting.


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

Strange Magic said:


> Why not? It's all just a matter of personal taste. And are we sure Proko's seventh is among his "weakest works"?


Clearly not.  But there is a pretty big consensus that (nearly all of the) others are better.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

EdwardBast said:


> Clearly not.  But there is a pretty big consensus that (nearly all of the) others are better.


Ahh, the consensus! The opinion that counts, though, with each of us is...our own :tiphat:.


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## Portamento (Dec 8, 2016)

So far:

Dvořák - 13
Prokofiev - 7


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## jimsumner (Jul 7, 2013)

Dvorak by a wide margin.


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## Tallisman (May 7, 2017)

EdwardBast said:


> pretty-much universally recognized as among a composer's weakest works


Ah yes. The 'consensus', that great imagined community that looms above us all.


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## jdec (Mar 23, 2013)

I love both composers, but on these 2 specific works, it's Dvorak's 7th for me, no contest.


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## R3PL4Y (Jan 21, 2016)

Prokofiev easily


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## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

No contest. Dvorak, of course. A fine symphony by one of my favorite composers (although not my absolute favorite symphony by Dvorak, that would be his fifth and sixth). Most of the music by Prokofiev has never clicked with me. I do like a few works (Lt. Kije, ballets) but most of his music does not appeal.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

haziz said:


> No contest. Dvorak, of course. A fine symphony by one of my favorite composers (although not my absolute symphony by Dvorak, that would be his fifth and sixth). Most of the music by Prokofiev has never clicked with me. I do like a few works (Lt. Kije, ballets) but most of his music does not appeal.


Proko's piano concertos 1, 2 & 3 and his two violin concertos are particular favorites of mine. You might also try (again) his 3rd symphony--a bit loud but refreshingly so. And the music to _Love for Three Oranges_--much like _Kije. _Piano sonatas, 2nd SQ.......So much to love.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

What a strange comparison! Prokofiev's last and frankly rather sentimental symphony vs one of Dvorak's great symphonies. I love a lot of Prokofiev but this one is IMO not a notable example of his talents and gifts. The Prokofiev needs special handling to come off (IMO) - I can really only enjoy the old Malko (I think issued as a cheap record in the 60s) and perhaps Jarvi. The Dvorak responds wonderfully to a variety of treatments. Taste is yet again shown to be a funny thing because all this seems self evident to me and yet so many here voted the other way.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Enthusiast said:


> What a strange comparison! Prokofiev's last and frankly rather sentimental symphony vs one of Dvorak's great symphonies. I love a lot of Prokofiev but this one is IMO not a notable example of his talents and gifts. The Prokofiev needs special handling to come off (IMO) - I can really only enjoy the old Malko (I think issued as a cheap record in the 60s) and perhaps Jarvi. The Dvorak responds wonderfully to a variety of treatments. Taste is yet again shown to be a funny thing because all this seems self evident to me and yet so many here voted the other way.


Of course I have read other opinions to the effect that the Dvorak 7th is merely watered-down Brahms, that the 8th is quite better. I have also read several accounts that the Proko 7th was indeed written as a "children's" symphony and Proko wondering of his fellows if he had made it too simple..I happen to remember the 7th well as it was in the musical news of the day in 1953, having been just composed and released shortly before Proko and Stalin died on the same day. Art, often lagging the time's news, was still absorbed with Russian music as a hangover from our WWII alliance, though the Cold War was in full swing at the time. _Gayane, _the Khachaturian piano concerto, Gliere's _Ilya Murometz _and _Russian Sailors' Dance--_even Shostakovich's symphony #11 4 years later, and everything else Russian-composed, were biggish news and mentioned in middle-brow media (what we read) fairly often.

I liked your post in that you acknowledge--to your wonder--the great variability in taste even among those fairly closely linked in their appreciation for classical music (or any other art form),


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

^ Oh yes, I do agree that Dvorak 8 is (even) greater than 7.


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## Gold Member (Aug 23, 2021)

If only Brahms could write something as visionary and versatile as Dvorak's 7th, and namely keeping terrific structure intact. The point being, two totally different composers. The latter seemed more Wagnerian and contemporary.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

What an odd comparison. Anyway, my pick is Dvořák's 7th. I'm not too fond of Prokofiev's symphonies with the notable exception of his 2nd and 5th symphonies. I have always felt in terms of writing for an orchestra that Prokofiev was better in ballet than symphonies. His concerti and _Alexander Nevsky_ are also outstanding.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Prokofiev. I like his 7th, and I've never been a fan of Dvorak's symphonies.


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

Prokofiev's. It's his last substantial work and I think that it's more profound than Dvorak's seventh. But I greatly enjoy the czech's symphony as well.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Gold Member said:


> If only Brahms could write something as visionary and versatile as Dvorak's 7th, and namely keeping terrific structure intact. The point being, two totally different composers. The latter seemed more Wagnerian and contemporary.


As I enjoy pointing out, the great variety and variability of taste in the arts is....wonderful! I find it difficult to consider two composers more similar to one another than Brahms and Dvorak. Debussy and Ravel? Mendelssohn and Schumann?


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## Gold Member (Aug 23, 2021)

Often revealed to me that someone prefers one and disfavors the other. I was reading one member complains about Dvorak being a shallow Brahms. Although they're technically similar, my preference for one usually depends on how I interpret the music. Their music appears to fall under different interpretations styles and tastes: Dvorak's horizontal form more Contemporary and his vertical form more Wagnerian(?) Brahms more Romantic and Beethovian(?)


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Gold Member said:


> Often revealed to me that someone prefers one and disfavors the other. I was reading one member complains about Dvorak being a shallow Brahms. Although they're technically similar, my preference for one usually depends on how I interpret the music. Their music appears to fall under different interpretations styles and tastes: Dvorak's horizontal form more Contemporary and his vertical form more Wagnerian(?) Brahms more Romantic and Beethovian(?)


Yes, but "totally different composers"? I would call Rachmaninoff and Bartok totally different composers.


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## Gold Member (Aug 23, 2021)

They like a lot of the same instrumentation interplay and timbre (Dvorak and Brahms.)


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

Apples and oranges again . Two completely different symphonies in character . The Dvorak is passionate and. rugged but still full of. warmly lyrical passages , such as the entire slow movement . The Prokofiev was basically his swan song . It's rather wistful and sometimes ironic in mood . If it seems somewhat disappointing to some listeners, you should remember the circumstances of Prokofiev's life in his last years . He had suffered a severe concussion to his head. some years earlier, I believe just after the triumphant premiere of his fifth symphony in 1945, while climbing or descending a staircase, I don't remember which , and he never recovered his health after this . Apparently, he fell because of a heart attack . 
For quite a while, Prokofiev's doctor. advised him not to continue composing , because he felt this could worsen his condition or even kill him . But Prokofiev insisted on composing nevertheless . Eventually Prokofiev died of a cerebral hemorrhage - on the same day as Josef Stalin in February of 1953 ! In fact, both men died the same way .


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