# Your 10 favorite symphonies..................



## Itullian

What are your 10 favorite symphonies?
thanks for playing


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## StlukesguildOhio

Beethoven 9th
Schubert's 8th
Beethoven 3rd
Mahler- 2nd
Mozart- 41
Haydn- 94 "Surprise"
Brahms 1st
Berlioz- Roméo et Juliette "Dramatic Choral Symphony"
Bruckner- 7th
Tchaikovsky- Pathétique


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## Guest

Umm, this obviously is pretty hard but something like this would work:

Beethoven 9
Dvorak 9
Brahms 4
Saint-Saens 3
Mahler 2
Schubert 8
Liszt Faust
Sibelius 2
Shostakovich 5
Haydn 94

ofc throw Beethoven 7 near the top if I'm doubling up.


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## KenOC

Can't answer. He only wrote 9.


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## mmsbls

Beethoven 9
Mozart 41
Beethoven 7
Schubert 9
Mozart 40
Mahler 2
Dvorak 9
Brahms 3
Mendelssohn 4
Beethoven 5
Haydn 104

These might move around a bit and others might take their place now and then, but this list is a reasonable approximation of my favorites.


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## tdc

Ives Holiday
Ives 4
Ives 3
Ives 2
Ives 1
Mahler DLVDE 
Schubert 9
Mozart 38
Brahms 1
Bruckner 9

The last 2 could be switched out with many different symphonies depending on my mood.


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## opus55

Sibelius 3
Beethoven 1
Schubert 5
Beethoven 6
Shostakovich 10
Mahler 6
Brahms 1
Tchaikovsky 4
Brahms 4
Tchaikovsky 6


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## StlukesguildOhio

How did I forget Dvorak's 9th? That would make 11... with Sibelius' 7th rounding it off to an even dozen.


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## ProudSquire

At the moment:

Dvorak's 4th
Dvorak's 9th
Mahler's 4th
Mahler's 1st
Schumann's 2nd
Sibelius' 4th
Rimsky-Korsakov's 1st
Rachmaninoff's 1st
Tchaikovsky's 2nd
Bruckner's 5th

:tiphat:


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## Art Rock

Beethoven 6
Bruckner 9
Dvorak 9
Gorecki 3
Mahler - DLVDE
Mahler 4
Mahler 9
Mendelssohn 3
Saint-Saens 3
Schubert 8


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## joen_cph

Currently maybe

Schubert 9
Bruckner 4
Bruckner 8
Mahler 10
Elgar 1
Nielsen 5
Rachmaninov 2
Shostakovich 8
Martinu 6
Pettersson 8


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## Winterreisender

In no particular oder

Beethoven 6
Beethoven 7
Beethoven 9
Tchaikovsky 6
Berlioz _Fantastique_
Mahler 2
Sibelius 5
Schubert 8
Gorecki 3
Dvorak 9


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## ptr

Ten will only allow for two composers, no fun really!

Mahler - 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9
Shostakovich - 4, 8, 11, 13

/ptr


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## Fortinbras Armstrong

Mozart 25
Mozart 40 (especially the first movement)
Haydn 94 
Dvorak 9 (especially the second movement)
Beethoven 5
Beethoven 6
Beethoven 9
Tchaikovsky 2
Shostakovich 5
Shostakovich 8


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## Tero

This is easy :lol:
Sibelius 1-7
Beethoven 7
Beethoven 9
Beethoven 3


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## Guest

In no particular order...

Beethoven 5
Beethoven 7
Beethoven 8
Beethoven 9
Shostakovich 7
Shostakovich 11
Prokofiev 5
Haydn 99
Haydn 100
Haydn 101

And before someone comes along to spoil the party, I freely acknowledge that as an 'amateur' in these parts, there's lots more listening to be done: my selection of these ten should not be taken as a specific rejection of the thiousands of others I should have voted for if only I knew more. (Having said that, there are symphonies I have heard by Mozart, Mahler, Bruckner, Nielsen, Sibelius, Dvorak that are unlikely to figure in my top 10 any time soon).


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## csacks

Uf, only 10, lets we see

Brahms 1
Beethoven 9
Schubert 8
Schumann 4
Dvorak 9
Brahms 4
Saint Seans 3
Beethoven 7
Mozart 38
Sibelius 2 

Tchaikovsky´s 5 and Beethoven´s 5 should be included as well, but the idea is to select only 10


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## Guest

No particular order, just as they came to my mind:
Mahler 2
Mahler 6
Beethoven 7
Mozart 35
Tchaikovsky 6
Dvorak 9
Rachmaninoff 2
Beethoven 9
Schubert 8
Mozart 40


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## brotagonist

I cannot answer. I would have to ignore my other 90 favourite symphonies.


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## Guest

brotagonist said:


> I cannot answer. I would have to ignore my other 90 favourite symphonies.


That's weak, bro. Most of us have at least a million favorite symphonies.


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## Cosmos

Beethoven 3
Beethoven 6
Bruckner 9
Mahler 1
Mahler 2
Mahler 5
Mahler 9
Prokofiev 5
Shostakovich 10
Mendelssohn 2
...so I really like Mahler


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## Vesteralen

Oh, well..... without thinking too much about it -

Nielsen #5
Vaughan Williams #2
Barber #1
Harbison #1
Brahms #3
Schumann #4
Mozart #39
Nielsen #3
Haydn #38
Vaughan Williams #7


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## Whistler Fred

I’m going to cheat a little, in that I’m choosing one symphony each from ten of my favorite composers. I could choose multiple symphonies from fewer composers, but I don’t think I could come up only ten choices! So here goes:

Mozart: Symphony No. 41
Haydn: Symphony No. 102
Beethoven: Symphony No. 7
Schubert: Symphony No. 8
Brahms: Symphony No. 3
Saint-Saens: Symphony No. 3
Bruckner: Symphony No. 5
Mahler: Symphony No. 9
Roy Harris: Symphony No. 3
Messaien: Turangalîla Symphony

And an honorable mention to Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, which isn’t really a symphony per se but a favorite orchestral work of mine.


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## Guest

The cool guys here will be glad to know that a few composers have shot up in my preferences over the last few weeks. To the point that I almost wanted to put the Messiaen in the top 10, and even thought briefly of Bruckner 8. As classical music only continues to reveal itself to me (things being so fresh), I only expect to like these composers more with time to come.


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## DaDirkNL

Schubert 8
Schubert 9
Beethoven 3
Beethoven 6
Mozart 38
Mozart 39
Mozart 40
Haydn 96
Mahler 6
Dvorak 9


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## Eviticus

1. Beethoven - 5th
2. Dvorak - 9th
3. Mozart - 41st
4. Tchaikovsky - 2nd
5. Sibelius - 2nd
6. Beethoven - 7th
7. Haydn - 104th
8. Schubert - 9th
9. Brahms - 4th
10. Elgar - 1st


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## Eviticus

csacks said:


> Uf, only 10, lets we see
> 
> Brahms 1
> Beethoven 9
> Schubert 8
> Schumann 4
> Dvorak 9
> Brahms 4
> Saint Seans 3
> Beethoven 7
> Mozart 38
> Sibelius 2
> 
> Tchaikovsky´s 5 and Beethoven´s 5 should be included as well, but the idea is to select only 10


Very similar favourites!  A lot of yours are just outside my top 10.


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## EdwardBast

I picked ten favorites since 1900 without repeating composers - and yes, Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra is a symphony:

Bartok Concerto for Orchestra
Shostakovich 10
Prokofiev 5
Mahler 5
Schnittke 7
Hindemith _Mathis der Maler_
Sibelius 4
Rachmaninoff 2
Myaskovsky 9
Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms


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## SixFootScowl

All nine Beethoven symphonies. I am thinking about what might be my 10th. For sure Beethoven's Ninth and Eroica will always be at the very top of my list.

Certainly Mozart and Hayden have some great symphonies, but who else. And even how many composers wrote symphonies? Did Handel? Did Vivaldi? Did Mussorgsky? I might like to check them out?


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## Guest

Florestan said:


> Did Handel? Did Vivaldi?


Oh no...25 characters...no!


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## Vaneyes

Today...LvB 3, Mahler 3, Scriabin 3, Brahms 3, Schumann 3, Mendelssohn 3, Sibelius 3, Nielsen 3, Tchaikovsky 3, Saint-Saens 3. :tiphat:


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## SixFootScowl

arcaneholocaust said:


> Oh no...25 characters...no!


Well, I am lost. What means this?


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## Guest

Florestan said:


> Well, I am lost. What means this?


It means I fear for your soul. Or not. I mean, this forum is actually good and well-mannered, but if you implied that the symphony was even invented in the time of Handel/Vivaldi elsewhere, you'd have jerks on you like a pack of sharks.


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## SixFootScowl

arcaneholocaust said:


> It means I fear for your soul. Or not. I mean, this forum is actually good and well-mannered, but if you implied that the symphony was even invented in the time of Handel/Vivaldi elsewhere, you'd have jerks on you like a pack of sharks.


Well I learned something new. Guess I need a basic history of classical music. But Mussorgsky was later, no?


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## Guest

Yeah, he was  don't believe he wrote one, but I don't know much either.


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## senza sordino

Beethoven #3
Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique
Brahms #2
Mahler #5
Mozart #41
Prokofiev #1
Sibelius #5
Shostakovich #5
Saint Saens #3
Tchaikovsky #6

I thought I'd pick something each from a composer


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## Itullian

Brahms 1-4
Schumann 1-4
Shubert "Great"
Mahler 1, Bruckner 8 tie.


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## Weston

Painfully, off the top of my head.

Beethoven 9
Beethoven 7
Vaughan-Williams 7 "Sinfonia Antartica"
Alfven 4, "Fran Havsbandet"
Haydn 100 "Military"
Schubert 8? "Unfinished"
Brahms 1
Brahms 4
Sibelius 1
Bruckner - ? How can one choose? Okay No. 1. I like its Scherzo.

(Honorable mentions: Gliere 3, Tournemire 3, Dutilleux 1. I could easily replace the Sibelius or Bruckner with any of these.)


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## Guest

Cool to see someone pick Alfven 4


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## Weston

I love the wordless soprano and tenor! ^ Same deal with the Vaughan Williams.


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## GreenMamba

Schubert 9th
Vaughan Williams 5th
Stravinsky of Psalms
Beethoven 5th, 6th and 9th
Sibelius 5th
Ives 4th
Mendelssohn 4th
Chavez Sinfonia India


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## Avey

L.v.B. - Pastorale
Sibelius - 5th
Mahler - Resurrection
Mahler - 9th
Brahms - 3rd
Mahler - 5th
Beethoven - Eroica
Elgar - 1st
W.A.M. - Jupiter
Dvorak - From the New World


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## Stemahl

Bruckner 8
Beethoven 9
Brahms 4
Mahler 2/5
Brahms 1
Bruckner 7
Mahler 6
Beethoven 6
Schubert 9
Sibelius 1


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## Sudonim

Dvořák 9
Mahler 3
Sibelius 2
Mahler 6
Beethoven 5
Beethoven 9
Mahler 7
Schubert 8
Brahms 1
Mahler 2

Pretty predictable, I'm afraid, except perhaps the Mahler 7. As I've said before, there are a lot of symphonies - including some basic bedrock ones - that I've not even heard yet. So I'm sure this list will be changing, maybe drastically.


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## Polyphemus

In no particular order :-
Bruckner 5
Schnittke 2
Mahler 2
Sibelius 2
Dvorak 7
Walton 1
Simpson 9
Penderecki 1
Beethoven 7
Schubert 9

Would you like to go for 20 or 30, thought not, sorry. So much to choose so little space.


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## User in F minor

This is very volatile, but right now it might be:

Schnittke 1
Sibelius 4
Bruckner 8
Schnittke 7 (I'm delighted that I'm not the first to mention it...)
Pettersson 6
Ives 4
Shostakovich 4
Liszt "Faust"
Berio
Webern


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## scratchgolf

As of now...

Beethoven 6
Beethoven 9
Schubert 5
Dvorak 9
Beethoven 5
Schubert 9
Beethoven 2
Mahler 5
Mendelssohn 4
Beethoven 7


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## Guest

I have gradually come to love modern stuff. That being said, I'll never understand how anyone can rank the Webern symphony alongside some of these. It's a great piece...I guess I just subconsciously associate the symphonic form with scale.


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## Bulldog

arcaneholocaust said:


> I have gradually come to love modern stuff. That being said, I'll never understand how anyone can rank the Webern symphony alongside some of these. It's a great piece...I guess I just subconsciously associate the symphonic form with scale.


It's easy to understand. User in F minor is not you.


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## Haydn man

10 not by Haydn and in no particular order
Beethoven 6th
Beethoven 7th
Brahms 4th
Dvorak 9th
Elgar 1st
Mozart Prague
Rachmaninov 2nd
Schubert 8th
Tchaikovsky 6th
VW 5th


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## Mahlerian

arcaneholocaust said:


> I have gradually come to love modern stuff. That being said, I'll never understand how anyone can rank the Webern symphony alongside some of these. It's a great piece...I guess I just subconsciously associate the symphonic form with scale.


One book on Webern I read said that the Symphony is actually overrated compared to Webern's other works of the same period, simply because it's called "Symphony" and has those associations. I agree with you. It's a great piece (and not necessarily overrated in my estimation), but not necessarily great _as a symphony_. Even the composer toyed with the idea of adding a third movement at one point.


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## Guest

Yeah, I was trying to say something like that. For some reason I would wonder less if it was listed amongst someone's favorite works in general.


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## revdrdave

In no particular order...
Sibelius 6
Brahms 3
Vaughan Williams 5
Beethoven 9
Mahler 9
Bruckner 9
Schumann 2
Mozart 40
Shostakovich 6
Prokofiev 4


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## SixFootScowl

Well I previously stated that my top nine are all Beethoven symphonies and that I am not sure what would be number 10. I have enjoyed Mozart and Hayden symphonies, and today I sampled from a number of symphonies. Of them I found Tchaikovsky 6th and Rachmaninoff #1 to be pretty good, and Schumann #3 and Bruckner #2 were okay. Symphonies I did not care for included Schubert#8, Mahler #1, Sibelius #5, Brahms $4, and Hindemith "Mathis de Maler,"; not that it was bad music, just didn't excite me at this time. Now this was only on samplings, not complete listenings, but it gives some direction that maybe there is an era that I prefer. Anyway, the search for a 10th favorite symphony continues. Guess I should revisit Mozart and Haydn. It's been a while.


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## Guest

Florestan said:


> Symphonies I did not care for included Schubert#8, Brahms $4


Try these again, man


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## SixFootScowl

arcaneholocaust said:


> Try these again, man


I'll have to do that. I think part of my problem is that I am way too enthused with Beethoven that I can't really focus on anything else. Everything at the right time, but these two I can certainly revisit now.


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## Weston

Florestan said:


> I'll have to do that. I think part of my problem is that I am way too enthused with Beethoven that I can't really focus on anything else. Everything at the right time, but these two I can certainly revisit now.


Brahms #1 is often said to be Beethovenian. You don't mention that one. You might enjoy it more than the 4th.


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## joen_cph

User in F minor said:


> This is very volatile, but right now it might be:
> 
> Schnittke 1
> Sibelius 4
> Bruckner 8
> Schnittke 7 (I'm delighted that I'm not the first to mention it...)
> Pettersson 6
> Ives 4
> Shostakovich 4
> Liszt "Faust"
> Berio
> Webern


This list is particularly good because it illustrates the possible variation in the composition and expression of symphonies - .


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## schuberkovich

Florestan said:


> Well I previously stated that my top nine are all Beethoven symphonies and that I am not sure what would be number 10. I have enjoyed Mozart and Hayden symphonies, and today I sampled from a number of symphonies. Of them I found Tchaikovsky 6th and Rachmaninoff #1 to be pretty good, and Schumann #3 and Bruckner #2 were okay. Symphonies I did not care for included Schubert#8, Mahler #1, Sibelius #5, Brahms $4, and Hindemith "Mathis de Maler,"; not that it was bad music, just didn't excite me at this time. Now this was only on samplings, not complete listenings, but it gives some direction that maybe there is an era that I prefer. Anyway, the search for a 10th favorite symphony continues. Guess I should revisit Mozart and Haydn. It's been a while.


I remember the first time I listened to Brahms 4 I found it incredibly boring and "stuffy". However, now it is one of my favourites - the piece reveals itself to you gradually.


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## hpowders

KenOC said:


> Can't answer. He only wrote 9.


Wrong. Mahler had 10; 11 if you count DLVDE.


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## SixFootScowl

Okay, just finished listening to Schubert#8 and Brahms #4 in their entirety. Both are excellent Symphonies and I will keep them in my back pocket for future listening when/if I get my fill of Beethoven. Just goes to show, you can't really tell without giving a work a complete listen. Clips, such as on Amazon, can be deceiving.


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## Eviticus

Florestan said:


> Okay, just finished listening to Schubert#8 and Brahms #4 in their entirety. Both are excellent Symphonies and I will keep them in my back pocket for future listening when/if I get my fill of Beethoven. Just goes to show, you can't really tell without giving a work a complete listen. Clips, such as on Amazon, can be deceiving.


Both are excellent, masterful works and yep it would be wise to listen to complete works before compiling a list. Remember, this is about *your* favourites though there's nothing wrong with not liking something many consider a master work.


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## LancsMan

Here's my take - but tomorrow I might have changed my mind!

Mozart 39th
Mozart Jupiter
Beethoven Eroica
Beethoven 9th
Schubert 8th (unfinished)
Mahler 2cnd
Mahler 9th
Nielsen 5th
Sibelius 4th
Vaughan Williams 6th


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## samurai

LancsMan said:


> Here's my take - but tomorrow I might have changed my mind!
> 
> Mozart 39th
> Mozart Jupiter
> Beethoven Eroica
> Beethoven 9th
> Schubert 8th (unfinished)
> Mahler 2cnd
> Mahler 9th
> 
> Nielsen 5th
> Sibelius 4th
> Vaughan Williams 6th


I especially like your last three choices: great works, all! :cheers:


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## nightscape

Boy this is hard. I've intentionally limited myself to one per customer.

Mahler 2
Dvorak 8
Beethoven 9
Mendelssohn 3
Brahms 4
Rachmaninov 2
Myaskovsky 17
Shostakovich 11
Bruckner 6
Sibelius 2

Screw it, here's one more.

Atterberg 2


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## techniquest

In no particular order. ..

Mahler 2
Mahler 3
Vaughan Williams 2
Khachaturian 2
Rachmaninov 1
Dopper 7
Shostakovich 11
Shostakovich 13
Prokofiev 5
Nielsen 4


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## violadude

Florestan said:


> Well I learned something new. Guess I need a basic history of classical music. But Mussorgsky was later, no?


Mussorgsky never wrote a symphony, no. But he really SHOULD have gotten off his drunk *** and written one anyway because it probably would have ended up being better than any of the other efforts by the 5 to write symphonies.


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## Oliver

Beethoven 3,7,9
Mahler 1,2,9,10
Bruckner 4,8,9

I probably need to explore some other composers.


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## Quarrel

definitely not my final list though 

Schubert 9th
Beethoven 3rd
Beethoven 5th
Beethoven 9th
Brahms 4th
Mozart 41th
Mendelssohn 4th 
Mahler 2nd 
Haydn 104th


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## mmsbls

Quarrel said:


> definitely not my final list though
> 
> Schubert 9th
> Beethoven 3rd
> Beethoven 5th
> Beethoven 9th
> Brahms 4th
> Mozart 41th
> Mendelssohn 4th
> Mahler 2nd
> Haydn 104th


Nice list! My list differed only in picking Brahms 3, but I love the 4th as well. I also included Beethoven 7.


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## AClockworkOrange

At this moment and in no order except for the first, I would go with the following. To keep it interesting I am limiting myself to one entry per composer otherwise it would likely be a whole lotta Beethoven with a side of Bruckner, Mahler and Schubert - somewhat skewed.
- Beethoven 9
- Schubert 8
- Bruckner 5
- Berlioz Symphony Fantastique
- Mahler 2 "Resurrection"
- Mozart 38 "Prague"
- Brian 1 "Gothic"
- Sibelius 7
- Saint-Saëns 3 "Organ"
- Bliss "A Colour Symphony"

*Lots* of omissions sadly but 10 is the limit.


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## Raefus Authenticus

KenOC said:


> Can't answer. He only wrote 9.


Hi, Ken.

Did he only write?


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## Raefus Authenticus

Here is my top twenty:

1. Brahms 3
2. Daylight
3. Daylight
4. Daylight
5. Daylight
6. Daylight
7. Daylight
8. Daylight
9. Daylight
10. Daylight

... the rest are in alphabetical order...

11. aaaDaylight
12. Beethoven 6
13. Brahms 1
14. Brahms 4
15. Mendelssohn 3
16. Mendelssohn 5
17. Rachmaninov 1
18. Rachmaninov 2
19. Sibelius 7
20. Tchaikovsky 1


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## bassClef

Limiting myself to one per composer:

Mahler #2
Sibelius #2
Dvorak #9
Stravinsky in C
Bruckner #4
Shostakovich #11
Roussel #3
Komei Abe #1
Borodin #2
Vine #4.2


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## SixFootScowl

KenOC said:


> Can't answer. He only wrote 9.


I love it. What a perfect answer. Me too.


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## Kilgore Trout

Ives : Holidays
Szymanowski : 4
Maxwell Davies : 6
Schmitt : symphonie concertante
Schnittke : 2
Del Tredici : An Alice symphony
Lutoslawski : 2
Atterberg : 3
Tubin : 2
Popov : 1


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## Skilmarilion

As of right now, for one per composer.

Beethoven 5
Dvorak 9
Haydn 46
Mahler 9
Mendlessohn 3 
Mozart 40
Rachmaninov 2 
Shostakovich 5 
Sibelius 3 
Tchaikovsky 6


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## Guest

Beethoven 3, 5, 6 & 9;
Bruckner 5, 8, & 9:
Mahler 5 & 9;
Brahms 1.


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## Celloman

This is subject to change:

(one symphony per composer)

Mozart 40
Beethoven 6
Brahms 3
Tchaikovsky 6
Mahler 6
Sibelius 6
Messiaen "Turangalila"
Vaughan Williams 2
Barber 1
Karl Amadeus Hartmann 6

For some reason, I tend to favor the sixes...why is this?


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## Bulldog

In no particular order:

Beethoven - 7 and 9.
Bruckner - 7 and 8.
Mozart - 39.
Vaughan Williams - 9.
Mahler - 4 and 5.
Berlioz - Sym. Fantastique
Shostakovich - 10.


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## Tristan

Not in order:

Mahler - 2
Shostakovich - 4
Tchaikovsky - 4
Rachmaninov - 2
Beethoven - 9
Shostakovich - 5
Saint-Saens - 3
Tchaikovsky - 6
Dvorak - 8
Mahler - 8


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## QuietGuy

In no particular order:

Tchaikovsky #6
Tchaikovsky #5
Beethoven #9
Hanson #2
Barber #1
Brahms #1
Bernstein #2
Mozart #40
Mozart #41
Stravinsky #1


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## Roi N

1. Mozart 41
2. Haydn 101
3. Beethoven 5
4. Haydn 98
5. Mozart 40
6. Haydn 82
7. Mozart 35
8. Haydn 93
9. Haydn 100
10. Mozart 29


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## AH music

1. Nielsen 3
2. Schubert 9
3. Beethoven 7
4. Haydn 99 (or 93 or 102 or 101 or 88)
5. Schmidt 1
6. Dvorak 8
7. Nielsen 4
8. Dvorak 6
9. Kalinnikov 1
10. Saint Saens 1

Probably missed some real favourites.... Done without spending a lot of time, or it would just get impossible. (I knew it - should really have included Sibelius 2, but wanted Saint-Saens 1 to squeeze in.....)


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## joen_cph

AH music said:


> 1. Nielsen 3
> 2. Schubert 9
> 3. Beethoven 7
> 4. Haydn 99 (or 93 or 102 or 101 or 88)
> *5. Schmidt 1*
> 6. Dvorak 8
> 7. Nielsen 4
> 8. Dvorak 6
> 9. Kalinnikov 1
> 10. Saint Saens 1
> 
> Probably missed some real favourites.... Done without spending a lot of time, or it would just get impossible. (I knew it - should really have included Sibelius 2, but wanted Saint-Saens 1 to squeeze in.....)


What is the Schmidt recording you have? I have the Rajter on the Opus label, but it´s probably not the best one.


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## AH music

joen_cph said:


> What is the Schmidt recording you have? I have the Rajter on the Opus label, but it´s probably not the best one.


I too started with the Rajter which was good enough for me to decide it is a symphony I really like. Now have the Sinaisky as well, a real bargain on Naxos - seems a good strong performance and recording, which I have quickly come to prefer to the Rajter.


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## Alypius

_Traditional Symphonies:_

1. Beethoven: Symphony #9 in D minor, op. 125 ("Choral") (1824)
2. Beethoven: Symphony #5 in C minor, op. 67 (1807)
3. Brahms: Symphony #4 in E minor, op. 98 (1885)
4. Dvořák: Symphony #9 in E minor ("From the New World") (1893)
5. Beethoven: Symphony #7 in A, op. 92 (1812)
6. Shostakovich: Symphony #5 in D minor (1937)
7. Mozart: Symphony #40 in G minor, K. 550 (1788)
8. Tchaikovsky: Symphony #6 in B minor ("Pathetique"), op. 74 (1893)
9. Sibelius: Symphony #5 in E flat major, op. 82 (1919)
10. Mahler: Symphony #5 in C sharp minor (1901-1902)

Note: The symphony is more a 18th- or 19th-century genre -- thus, the bias of most lists. More recent composers have favored other genres. That said, there have been some very interesting symphonies of more recent vintage. So a second list:

_Symphonies since 1950:_
1. Shostakovich: Symphony #10 in E minor, op. 93 (1953)
2. Lutoslawski: Symphony #3 (1972-1983)
3. John Adams: Harmonielehre (1985) [A recent critic notes: "a three-movement symphony in all but name."]
4. Nørgård: Symphony #3 (1975)
5. Dutilleux: Symphony #2 ("Le Double") (1959)
6. Gorecki: Symphony #3 ("Symphony of Sorrowful Songs") (1976)
7. Shostakovich: Symphony #15 in A major, op. 141 (1972) 
8. Rautavaara: Symphony #7 ("Angel of Light") (1994)
9. Lutoslawski: Symphony #4 (1994)
10. Pärt: Symphony #4 ("Los Angeles") (2008)


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## adrem

At that moment:
Lutosławski 4th,
Shostakovich 4th,
Shostakovich 15th,
Bruckner 6th,
Bruckner 7th,
Bruckner 9th,
Mahler 1st,
Mahler 6th,
Schubert 9th,
Tchaikovsky 6th.


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## musicrom

In no particular order:

Prokofiev 1
Tchaikovsky 4
Beethoven 3
Shostakovich 5
Beethoven 5
Beethoven 7
Britten 'Simple'
Dvorak 9
Borodin 2
Mozart 41

EDIT: Just for fun, I counted the most common named symphonies so far in this thread and this is what I got (I'll just list those which were named at least 5 times):

1. Beethoven 9 - 27
2-t. Beethoven 7 - 19
2-t. Mahler 2 - 19
4. Dvorak 9 - 17
5. Beethoven 6 - 15
6. Beethoven 5 - 14
7-t. Beethoven 3 -13
7-t. Schubert 8 - 13
7-t. Schubert 9 - 13
10-t. Brahms 4 - 11
10-t. Mozart 41 - 11
12-t. Brahms 1 - 10
12-t. Mahler 9 - 10
12-t. Tchaikovsky 6 - 10
15-t. Mahler 5 - 9
15-t. Mozart 40 - 9
17-t. Brahms 3 - 8
17-t. Mahler 6 - 8
17-t. Rachmaninoff 2 - 8
17-t. Saint-Saens 3 - 8
17-t. Sibelius 2 - 8
22-t. Bruckner 8 - 7
22-t. Bruckner 9 - 7
22-t. Shostakovich 5 - 7
25. Sibelius 5 - 6
26-t. Bruckner 5 - 5
26-t. Mahler 1 - 5
26-t. Mendelssohn 3 - 5
26-t. Mozart 38 - 5
26-t. Shostakovich 10 - 5
26-t. Shostakovich 11 - 5
26-t. Sibelius 4 - 5


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## Sofronitsky

Tchaikovsky 4, 5, 6
Sibelius 1
Bruckner 8
Shostakovich 10
Rachmaninoff 3
Mahler 5
Beethoven 6 & 7


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## TudorMihai

Mahler 3
Schubert 9
Vaughan Williams 5
Prokofiev 7
Shostakovich 5 and 8
Tchaikovsky 5
Korngold
Bruckner 7
Beethoven 7


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## SixFootScowl

Still all nine Beethoven Symphonies. But i cannot figure out a 10th favorite. Does Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition qualify as a Symphony?


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## shadowdancer

Florestan said:


> Still all nine Beethoven Symphonies. But i cannot figure out a 10th favorite. Does Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition qualify as a Symphony?


I would say: if you consider Mussorgsky original work, no. But the Ravel orchestration for the Pictures, I would call it a symphony.


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## SixFootScowl

shadowdancer said:


> I would say: if you consider Mussorgsky original work, no. But the Ravel orchestration for the Pictures, I would call it a symphony.


Ah yes, good point. It is a hybrid work.


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## Mahlerian

Florestan said:


> Does Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition qualify as a Symphony?


It's not called a symphony, and it's not in anything remotely resembling traditional symphonic form. It's more of a suite.


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## hpowders

Haydn 102
Haydn 94
Haydn 88
Haydn 82
Tchaikovsky 4
Beethoven 6
Mahler 9
Ives 2
Ives/Brant Concord Symphony
Shostakovich 5


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## mtmailey

This is a great question i have maybe more than 25 favorite symphonies.SO it will not fit with 10 only.


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## hpowders

mtmailey said:


> This is a great question i have maybe more than 25 favorite symphonies.SO it will not fit with 10 only.


Me too. Could easily have been 25.


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## southwood

Mendelssohn 5 "The Reformation".
Schumann 3
Schubert 8 and 9
Bruckner 4 and 7
Dvorak 7
Mahler 9
Bartok Concerto for Orchestra (I KNOW it's not called a symphony but really it is).
Rachmaninov 2

Also, not sure of the nos. but ones I heard a while back by Martinu were great. Can anyone tell me: was it 5 and 7 perhaps, or are ALL Martinu's symphonies as good ?


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## Art Rock

shadowdancer said:


> I would say: if you consider Mussorgsky original work, no. But the Ravel orchestration for the Pictures, I would call it a symphony.


Why? Just because it uses a symphony orchestra??


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## dgee

And cos its usually comes after the interval? 

Actually, thinking about why Pictures can't be a symphony (just episodes, or is there some unity? That was my main thought) made me look a the wikipedia page for Symphony - which is serious garbage!!


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## southwood

dgee said:


> And cos its usually comes after the interval?
> 
> Actually, thinking about why Pictures can't be a symphony (just episodes, or is there some unity? That was my main thought) made me look a the wikipedia page for Symphony - which is serious garbage!!


It could be described as a suite of tone poems.


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## shadowdancer

Art Rock said:


> Why? Just because it uses a symphony orchestra??


Nope. I called it a symphony just to state the difference between the original work (the suite for piano solo) from the orchestration by Ravel (mostly played by symphony orchestras).

Probably the correct (technical term) is an orchestrated suite?


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## shadowdancer

dgee said:


> ... made me look a the wikipedia page for Symphony - which is serious garbage!!


Heheheheh... I did the same and got the same conclusion. 
The page must be revised ...


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## hpowders

I could easily have gone with Haydn's London Symphonies minus # 93 and 100.


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## chalkpie

tough call here...

Ives 4
Ives 3
Ives - Holidays Symphony
Shostakovich 4
Shostakovich 10
Lutoslawski 3
Copland 2 ("Short")
Mahler 2
Mahler 3
Messiaen - Turangalila
Sibelius 4
Vaughn Williams 7 ("Sinfonia Antarctica")
Prokofiev 4, Op.112

I think I cheated.


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## merlinus

LvB 9
LvB 3
LvB 5
LvB 7
Mahler 2
Mahler 3
Mahler 6
Mahler 9
Tchaikovsky 6
LvB 6


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## Rhombic

NOTE. *this list is correct at the moment, but may vary within relatively small periods of time*

Borodin 2
Lyatoshynsky 3
Beethoven 4
Haydn 31
Mahler 1
Mahler 9
Beethoven 7
Beethoven 5
Beethoven 9
Rachmaninov 2

AAAAARGH they don't fit... OK, honourable mentions:
Vaughan Williams 3
Bax 4
Mahler 3
Mahler 2
Tchaikovsky 5
Sibelius 2
Shostakovich 2
Sibelius 4-7


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## Guest

MacLeod said:


> In no particular order...
> 
> Beethoven 5
> Beethoven 7
> Beethoven 8
> Beethoven 9
> Shostakovich 7
> Shostakovich 11
> Prokofiev 5
> Haydn 99
> Haydn 100
> Haydn 101


Now, in approximate order...

Prokofiev 5
Shostakovich 11
Beethoven 9
Beethoven 8
Beethoven 5
Beethoven 7
Haydn 99
Haydn 100
Haydn 101
Shostakovich 7


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## hpowders

At this point in time:

Haydn 82
Haydn 94
Haydn 102
Haydn 97
Haydn 101
Haydn 98
Haydn 99
Haydn 104
Haydn 103
Haydn 85

A delectable sandwich of eight London Symphonies with the bread provided by two Paris Symphonies.

Fine, Laus Deo!


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Sibelius 7-1 in that order with Kullervo between no. 4 and no. 3
Mahler: Symphony no. 7
Shostakovich: Symphony no. 2


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## Guest

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Sibelius 7-1 in that order with Kullervo between no. 4 and no. 3
> Mahler: Symphony no. 7
> Shostakovich: Symphony no. 2


You like Sibelius? I had no idea!

And now my own brother is recommending him, I guess I'd better check him out. If _Finlandia _and _Karelia _are anything to go by, his symphonies should be full of bright, upbeat, optimistic tunes....


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## joen_cph

MacLeod said:


> You like Sibelius? I had no idea!
> 
> And now my own brother is recommending him, I guess I'd better check him out. If _Finlandia _and _Karelia _are anything to go by, his symphonies should be full of bright, upbeat, optimistic tunes....


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## billeames

Interesting thread. I will give a try:

Brahms 1 (my "life" symphony) Can't get enough of it. VERY hard to get it right. 
Bruckner 8 (Oh the coda!)
Shostakovich 8 ("unlimited power")
Mahler 8 (unlimited power also)
Beethoven 9th
Mahler 5 (shock value)
Bruckner 5 (Oh the coda again!)
Beethoven 5
Beethoven 3
Messiaen Turangalîla (a future great)

I would add Brahms 4 if I could, especially grim interpretations. Also Bruckner 4th. Mahler 1 also. 

Thanks,

Bill


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## Martyn Harper

Beethoven 7
Beethoven 4
Beethoven 6
Shostakovich 7
Shostakovich 11
Saint Saens 3
Vaughan Williams 3
Mahler 9
Mahler 4
Gorecki 3


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## Brahmsian Colors

No particular order...

Brahms 3
Dvorak 7, 8
Schubert 9
Schumann 1
Sibelius 4
Mahler 9
Rachmaninoff 2
Prokofiev 5
Vaughan Williams 3


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## Bettina

Beethoven 3

Brahms 4

Mozart 41

Beethoven 5

Beethoven 6

Schumann 1

Haydn 103

Beethoven 9

Brahms 3

Mendelssohn 5


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## Lenny

At the moment it could be like this:

- Brahms 1,3
- Mahler 1
- Schubert 9
- Rott symphony in E
- Schmidt 1,2
- Bruckner 2,8

Hans Rott and Franz Schmidt are maybe a bit uncommon favourites, but I have to be honest! Schmidt is a very special mixture of his teacher Bruckner and big names of his time, Mahler and Strauss, but with a very distinct voice of his own. There something brahmsian in that character... Anyways, Schmidt wrote 4 very interesting symphonies. Fresh and majestic.

Edited: I think I need to add a small rant here. I don't understand why I like Franz Schmidt's music so much! I mean, nobody's really talking about his music and playing it, yet I find it glorious, full of quality and major skills. Is that some kind of narcissistic delusion ("I know more that other people") or is it because of Schmidt's questionable connections with nazi regime, or what?? (personally I couldn't care less about composers political views or anthing like that, I just listen to music).


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## hpowders

Beethoven 6

Brahms 4

Mozart 38

Haydn 94

Haydn 95

Haydn 98

Shostakovich 4

Shostakovich 5

Ives 3

Schuman 6

As they came out of my mind. No particular order.

A different group from the last time I posted here.


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## merlinus

LvB 9
LvB 3
LvB 5
LvB 7
Bruckner 8
Bruckner 9
Bruckner 7
Bruckner 5
Bruckner 4
Mahler 2


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## Vronsky

Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique
Mahler: 8
Mahler: 6
Beethoven: 5
Schumann: 4
Schumann: 1
Mendelssohn: 3
Mendelssohn: 4
Mozart: 25
Mozart: 40
Brahms: 4


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## FBerwald

*Alpaerts* - Pallieter [Programmatic Symphony]
*Raff* - Symphony No. 8 «Frühlingsklänge» in A Major, Op. 205
*Raff* - Symphony No. 3 «Im Walde» in F Major, Op. 153
*Berwald* - [Symphony No. 3] Sinfonie singulière in C Major 
*Glazunov* - Symphony No. 5 in B-flat Major, Op. 55
*Kalinnikov* - Symphony No. 1 in G minor
*Blumenfeld* - Symphony «À la mémoire des chers défunts» in C minor
*Gouvy* - Symphony No. 1 in E-flat Major, Op. 9
*Parry* - Symphony No. 5 «Symphonic Fantasia» in B minor
*Röntgen* - Symphony No. 3 in C minor


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## Rach Man

Today, I'll pick these:

Dvorak 9
Dvorak 8
Mahler 1
Mahler 3
Mahler 4
Symphonie Fantastique
Tchaikovsky 6
Brahms 1
Beethoven 3
Vaughan Williams 5

Pirates 4
Giants 1


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## Rhinotop

Some clarifications:
1) I think 10 are very few
2) I'm going to exclude the most obvious (LvB)

I would say...

Tchaikovsky: 5th
Dvorák: 8th
Bantock: Celtic Symphony (it's a gem!)
Nielsen: 3rd
Atterberg: 3rd
Shostakovich: 5th
Vaughan Williams: 2nd
Sibelius: 2nd
Mahler: 6th
Brahms: 4th


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## Templeton

Probably voted before but tastes change, so here are mine for today. Apologies, in advance, if I've stretched the definition.

Beethoven 7
Schmidt 2
Bruckner 9
Strauss An Alpine Symphony
Marx Eine Herbstsymphonie
Dvořák 8
Brahms 1
Mahler 1
Nielsen 4
Schubert 5


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## SuperTonic

In no particular order:

Mahler 2
Mahler 3
Mahler 6
Beethoven 3
Dvorak 9
Shostakovich 5
Shostakovich 10
Tchaikovsky 6
Prokofiev 5
Messiaen Turangalila

Runners up: Schubert 8, Saint-Saens 3, Sibelius 2, Shostakovich 4, Mendelssohn 3 and 4, Brahms 1


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## Merl

Think I've already participated in this thread but this list is probably different from my last one anyway:

Beethoven 7 (always at the top)
Mahler 6
Schumann 3
Dvorak 8
Berwald 3
Beethoven 8
Bruckner 7
Mahler 1
Mahler 5
Bruckner 4


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## DarkAngel

Mahler 2,5
Bruckner 7,8
LVB 7,9
Schubert 9 
Dvorak 8
Tchaikovsky 4
Brahms 4
Mendelssohn 4

Mahler & Bruckner were not my favorites many years ago when I first listened to classical, but slowly work their magic as you grow into them and discover the mystery and beauty below the surface.......


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## jim prideaux

Sibelius 5
Schumann 2
Brahms 3
Dvorak 5
Martinu 2
Walton 1
Mozart 39
Kalinnikov 1
Myaskovsky 27
Glazunov 5

probably already submitted a list earlier but just back from the match and after another defeat this is a welcome distraction!

.....and now have realised I missed Nielsen 3,Schubert,Mendelssohn,Tubin and Moeran (and Prokofiev 7).....this is too hard man!


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## Mahlerbone

All of Mahler's symphonies have the potential to be #1 for me, so I will post my list besides Mahler.

Bruckner 8
Dvorak 5
Beethoven 7
Prokofiev 5
Shostakovich 5
Tchaikovsky 6
Nielsen 3
Rachmaninov 2
Schumann 4
Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique


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## Brahmsian Colors

billeames said:


> Brahms 1 (my "life" symphony) Can't get enough of it. VERY hard to get it right. Bill


Have you tried Van Beinum's stereo First from 1958 with the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam (Royal Concertgebouw)?


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## Vaneyes

Today it's...

LvB 3, Schumann 3, Brahms 2, Dvorak 7, Bruckner 9, Mahler 3, Nielsen 1, Shostakovich 4, Roussel 3, Schnittke 2. :tiphat:


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## Sandra

quite a hard question but heres what comes in mind 
beethoven 7th
beethoven 9th
mozart 40th
schubert 5th
mozart 41th
dvorak 9th
beethoven 5th
tchaikovsky 6th
louise farrenc 3th
brahms 4th

there is no specific order for i love them all ! (just a little wink at ludwig's 7th though )


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## Tchaikov6

Tchaikovsky- 6
Tchaikovsky- 2
Beethoven- 7
Mahler- 4
Mahler- 3
Prokofiev- 5
Schubert- 9
Brahms- 4
Mozart- 40
Schumann 4


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