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Best Symphony Composer

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 8:06 am
by FluteOfTheNewWorld
Ok.. so who are your favorite symphony composers?

1. Tchaikovsky
2. Beethoven
3. Shostakovich
4. Dvorak

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 9:51 am
by Hostrauser
My FAVORITES or the ones I think were the BEST at it?

Favorites:
1. Shostakovich
2. Rachmaninoff
3. Kalinnikov
4. Bax
5. Dvorak
6. Tchaikovsky
7. Bruckner
8. Copland
9. Mozart
10. Khachaturian

Greatest:
1. Shostakovich
2. Beethoven
3. Mozart
4. Tchaikovsky
5. Haydn
6. Rachmaninoff
7. Mahler
8. Dvorak
9. Bruckner
10. Copland


I compiled the following list with a very simple criteria: the amount of enjoyment I get from listening to them.

Best Symphonies ever written:
1. Shostakovich, Symphony No. 10 in e minor (1953)
2. Shostakovich, Symphony No. 5 in d minor (1937)
3. Kalinnikov, Symphony No. 1 in g minor (1895)
4. Copland, Symphony for Organ and Orchestra (1924)
5. Rachmaninoff, Symphony No. 1 in d minor (1895)
6. Shostakovich, Symphony No. 15 in A Major (1971)
7. Dvorak, Symphony No. 9 in e minor (1893)
8. Shostakovich, Symphony No. 4 in c minor (1936)
9. Bruckner, Symphony No. 0 in d minor (1869)
10. Shostakovich, Symphony No. 11 in g minor (1957)

The best slow movement to any symphony ever is the Andante commodamente (Mvt. II) to Kalinnikov's Symphony #1.

The best finale to any symphony ever is the hyperdrive finish to Shostakovich's Symphony #10.

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 5:00 pm
by bassoonuba
- Shostakovich
- Tchaikovsky
- Dvorak

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 7:56 pm
by FluteOfTheNewWorld
Tchaikovsky 4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3

Beethoven 5, 7, 3, 9

Shostakovich 5, 7 (Never heard 10.. but am going to get right on that...)

Dvorak 9, 8

Mozart 40

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 10:23 pm
by Hostrauser
FluteOfTheNewWorld wrote:Shostakovich 5, 7 (Never heard 10.. but am going to get right on that...)
My Top #10 list show be a "to do" list for every classical music fan.

Remember, I did a review of all fifteen Shostakovich symphonies last year. It can be found here:
http://yossarian-lives.blogspot.com/200 ... onies.html


Here's my ratings (out of 5 stars) for each:

FIVE STARS
Symphony #5 (1937)
Symphony #10 (1953)

FOUR STARS
Symphony #4 (1936)
Symphony #7 (1941)
Symphony #8 (1943)
Symphony #11 (1957)
Symphony #15 (1971)

THREE STARS
Symphony #1 (1925)
Symphony #12 (1961)
Symphony #13 (1962)

TWO STARS
Symphony #6 (1939)
Symphony #9 (1945)
Symphony #14 (1969)

ONE STAR
Symphony #2 (1927)
Symphony #3 (1929)

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 10:42 pm
by Harsona42
Jeez I only wish to have a list as comprehensive as Hostrauser's someday :lol:

Anyways, my favorites (not in any particular order):

Respighi
Kabalevsky
Shostakovich (#10 2nd mvmt. ftw!)
Copland
Ibert
Stravinsky
Bartok

Shostakovich Symphonies

Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:41 pm
by ecwaufisxtreme
Hostrauser wrote:
FluteOfTheNewWorld wrote:Shostakovich 5, 7 (Never heard 10.. but am going to get right on that...)
My Top #10 list show be a "to do" list for every classical music fan.

Remember, I did a review of all fifteen Shostakovich symphonies last year. It can be found here:
http://yossarian-lives.blogspot.com/200 ... onies.html


Here's my ratings (out of 5 stars) for each:

FIVE STARS
Symphony #5 (1937)
Symphony #10 (1953)

FOUR STARS
Symphony #4 (1936)
Symphony #7 (1941)
Symphony #8 (1943)
Symphony #11 (1957)
Symphony #15 (1971)

THREE STARS
Symphony #1 (1925)
Symphony #12 (1961)
Symphony #13 (1962)

TWO STARS
Symphony #6 (1939)
Symphony #9 (1945)
Symphony #14 (1969)

ONE STAR
Symphony #2 (1927)
Symphony #3 (1929)
That is a very comprehensive and informative review of all 15 Shostakovich symphonies. I really enjoyed reading it.

You should also do a review of the 15 String Quartets of Shostakovich. These works show a different side of the composer. They are in general more darker, personal, intense, and definitely more modern than his symphonies, especially his later quartets.

A recording that I highly recommend is the first recorded cycle of the first 13 quartets performed by the Borodin Quartet with Dubinsky and Alexandrov as the violinists. Other good alternatives include the 2nd Borodin cycle with all 15 quartets plus the Piano Quintet and the Octet (very good, but not quite as good as the first cycle), and the Fitzwilliams.

Symphonies

Posted: Tue May 20, 2008 6:03 pm
by JCYS
One word...


MAHLER

Posted: Tue May 20, 2008 8:40 pm
by Hostrauser
I know I'll be in the minority here, but Mahler for me is the Nabokov of music: very beautiful stuff, but my god he takes FOREVER to say anything.

I like the finale to Mahler's First and most of his Fifth, but most of his music lives up to that old comment Emperor Joseph II made about The Marriage of Figaro: too many notes.

YMMV

Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 6:24 am
by Jsaxm
Hostrauser wrote:My FAVORITES or the ones I think were the BEST at it?

Favorites:
1. Shostakovich
2. Rachmaninoff
3. Kalinnikov
4. Bax
5. Dvorak
6. Tchaikovsky
7. Bruckner
8. Copland
9. Mozart
10. Khachaturian

Greatest:
1. Shostakovich
2. Beethoven
3. Mozart
4. Tchaikovsky
5. Haydn
6. Rachmaninoff
7. Mahler
8. Dvorak
9. Bruckner
10. Copland


I compiled the following list with a very simple criteria: the amount of enjoyment I get from listening to them.

Best Symphonies ever written:
1. Shostakovich, Symphony No. 10 in e minor (1953)
2. Shostakovich, Symphony No. 5 in d minor (1937)
3. Kalinnikov, Symphony No. 1 in g minor (1895)
4. Copland, Symphony for Organ and Orchestra (1924)
5. Rachmaninoff, Symphony No. 1 in d minor (1895)
6. Shostakovich, Symphony No. 15 in A Major (1971)
7. Dvorak, Symphony No. 9 in e minor (1893)
8. Shostakovich, Symphony No. 4 in c minor (1936)
9. Bruckner, Symphony No. 0 in d minor (1869)
10. Shostakovich, Symphony No. 11 in g minor (1957)

The best slow movement to any symphony ever is the Andante commodamente (Mvt. II) to Kalinnikov's Symphony #1.

The best finale to any symphony ever is the hyperdrive finish to Shostakovich's Symphony #10.
Interesting, Bruckner made it into the greates pieces ever written category. There's not many people out there who would see eye to eye with you on that. I like him, but I try to keep that too myself to avoid the lashings that follow, haha!!

Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 9:23 am
by Hostrauser
Jsaxm wrote:Interesting, Bruckner made it into the greates pieces ever written category. There's not many people out there who would see eye to eye with you on that. I like him, but I try to keep that too myself to avoid the lashings that follow, haha!!
Even more interestingly, I chose Bruckner's "oddball" symphony, the one he detested and scribbled out "ANNULIRT" ("CANCELLED") on the score. But I love the easy, loping feel of the first movement, the adagio is gorgeous, the scherzo sounds like a Mahlerian scherzo if Mahler had been capable of expressing anything in 1,000 notes or less, and the finale is just sensational. The brass writing (especially for low brass) in the fourth movement of the Symphony No. 0 is just a beast. I'll have to make a sound sound file and provide it here for everyone's perusal.

With no Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, or Mozart in my Top 10, I'm sure very, very few people would see eye to eye with me. But hey, it's just personal preference, not a detailed analysis of quality of composition.

Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 9:35 pm
by Hostrauser
Hostrauser wrote: The brass writing (especially for low brass) in the fourth movement of the Symphony No. 0 is just a beast. I'll have to make a sound sound file and provide it here for everyone's perusal.
True to my word...

Bruckner: Symphony No. 0, Movement IV (excerpt)

Watch out, or those interval jumps will reach out and grab ya!

Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 8:03 am
by Ryan H. Turner
I like turtles!

:shock:

(Good LORD I feel so stupid some times...I need to stop reading threads like this and go back to my lame existence...)

Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 8:43 am
by Hostrauser
Your mission, Ryan, should you choose to accept it, is to buy recordings of my Top 10 list and listen to them all. :cool:
Best Symphonies ever written:
1. Shostakovich, Symphony No. 10 in e minor (1953)
2. Shostakovich, Symphony No. 5 in d minor (1937)
3. Kalinnikov, Symphony No. 1 in g minor (1895)
4. Copland, Symphony for Organ and Orchestra (1924)
5. Rachmaninoff, Symphony No. 1 in d minor (1895)
6. Shostakovich, Symphony No. 15 in A Major (1971)
7. Dvorak, Symphony No. 9 in e minor (1893)
8. Shostakovich, Symphony No. 4 in c minor (1936)
9. Bruckner, Symphony No. 0 in d minor (1869)
10. Shostakovich, Symphony No. 11 in g minor (1957)
Recommendations:
* Only seek out Mstislav Rostropovich recordings of the Shostakovich symphonies. The best versions are the cycle he completed with the London SO and the National SO. There's one exception to this rule: Neeme Jarvi's take on the Fourth Symphony with the Scottish National Orchestra is absolutely stellar. Avoid Bernstein's interpretation of the Fifth at all costs.
* For Kalinnikov, seek out the recording with the USSR Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Evgeny Svetlanov. Everyone should own this CD.
* Copland, seek out Leonard Slatkin's version with the St. Louis SO.
* The Rachmaninoff #1 is a little tougher. I've never found one single version that's had everything I've wanted in the symphony, particularly in the emotionally demanding finale. The best version is probably Vladimir Ashkenazy and the Concertgebouw Orchestra. Other good versions (if you can find them) are Leonard Slatkin and the St. Louis SO, and Tadaaki Otaka and the BBC Welsh SO.
* Dvorak is the easiest: just grab one. It's been recorded so much there are dozens of quality versions out there.
* For Bruckner, seek out the RSO Berlin recording under the direction of Riccardo Chailly.

This thread will self-destruct in ten seconds...

Hmm...

Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 5:23 am
by Shota871
Favorites:

No. 5) Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphonies No. 3, 5, 6, 7, 9
No. 4) Dmitri Shostakovich - Symphonies No. 5, 8, 10, 11
No. 3) Henryk Gorecki - Symphonies No. 2, 3
No. 2) Anton Bruckner - Symphonies No. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 9
No. 1) Gustav Mahler - Symphonies No. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, Das Lied

Greatest:

No. 10) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Symphonies No. 40, 41
No. 9) Sergei Rachmaninoff - ONLY Symphony No. 2
No. 8) Franz Schubert - Symphonies No. 8, 9
No. 7) Johannes Brahms - Symphonies No. 1 ~ 4
No. 6) Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky - Symphonies No. 4 ~ 6
No. 5) Jean Sibelius - Symphonies No. 2, 5
No. 4) Dmitri Shostakovich - Symphonies No. 5, 7, 10
No. 3) Anton Bruckner - Symphonies No. 4, 7 ~ 9
No. 2) Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphonies No. 3, 5, 9
No. 1) Gustav Mahler - Symphonies No. 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, Das Lied

"A symphony should be like the world; it must embrace everything." - Gustav Mahler