Best symphony ever?

[Agathon]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov


Actually, Von Karajan would get my vote for most turgid.

If you've heard the 1951 Furtwangler recording from Bayreuth? The prestissimo at the finale is so fast it's astounding.

That was the Furtwangler recording I meant - now remastered by EMI and sounding really nice.

I happen to like Karajan's 1977 version, Kempe's from the early 70's is an underrated recording.

Another fine symphony left off the list is Shostakovich 5 - Stokowski and the Stadium Symphony Orchestra of New York make a pretty good job of it.

Anyway, who needs any of these symphonies when one has Fritz Reiner's 1955 recording of Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra and Stravinsky's own recording of the Rite of Spring?

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by Agathon
Stravinsky's own recording of the Rite of Spring?

You're joking about this one, right? It's awful! The man was a genius as a composer, but he is **** as a conductor. Oy!

[monkspider]

Originally posted by Agathon
...and Stravinsky's own recording of the Rite of Spring?

Wow, I didn't even know such a recording existed, how interesting.

[Boris Godunov]

There are a few recordings of some of the composers conducting their own music. One interesting recording is of Enrico Caruso singing "Vesti la giubba" from I Pagliacci by Leoncavallo, with Leoncavallo himself accompanying him on the piano. I think there are some recordings of Leoncavallo conducting his own works as well.

[Grrr]

Said it before ... will say it again:

Gótecki's Symphony No.3

[Agathon]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov


You're joking about this one, right? It's awful! The man was a genius as a composer, but he is **** as a conductor. Oy!

I reckong he's great, but only conducting his own stuff. I think his Columbia recording of the Rite is wonderful, the only one I prefer is the Markevitch on Testament (I still have the vinyl of both).

[Ned]

Originally posted by Asher
70 minutes long?? Christ.

It was all I could do to sit through the 12 minute version.

There just wasn't any flow to it for me, it seemed like he just randomly threw it together.

Asher, try Mahler's 2nd. Three No. 1 votes here even though it was not on the original list. Or better yet, find out where it is playing live. That will really be a treat.

My most memorable experience ever listening to music is when I heard this symphony played one summer at the Hollywood Bowl. To those who have heard it, they had the trumpets arrayed offstage to the left and right, and high above to the rear. When those trumpets sounded out in the 5th movement, it was simply unreal. It was alsmost like being in the heaven that Mahler was trying to paint with his music.

[Alex Woehr]

Ned, I would not try steering him towards Mahler yet, least of all his 2nd. It is not for the faint of ear. If he has trouble with Beethoven, imagine him listening to the first half of the fifth movement!

[cavebear]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov


None of which are symphonies, so none of which would qualify for the poll.

Oh fine, be a noodge! If it is old and it uses only instuments, I call it a symphony.

[cavebear]

Was it Ravel's Bolero or Stravinsky's Rites of Spring that caused a riot in the debut audience? Whichever, I like them both.



Edited to add that Bolero started on my CD carousel serendipitously just as I sent the original post.

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by cavebear
Oh fine, be a noodge! If it is old and it uses only instuments, I call it a symphony.

Well, I only pointed out because monkspider was clearly looking for the best symphony, and it is a specific thing, not just an old piece of music that uses only instruments.

Besides, several, like the Beethoven 9th and the Mahler 2nd, use vocalists, too!

Was it Ravel's Bolero or Stravinsky's Rites of Spring that caused a riot in the debut audience? Whichever, I like them both.

That would be the Rite of Spring, when it premiered at the Opera de Paris in 1912. A fist fight broke out in the audience between detractors and admirers, and it spilled out into the streets. Stravinsky, Najinsky et al fled to the Bois de Boulogne, smoked cigars and seemed quite...pleased...with the reception. Controversy is a good thing, you see.

Bolero, interestingly enough, was never really intended to be a concert piece. Ravel wrote it purely as an exercise in orchestration. It was to his eternal dismay that it became the most popular piece he ever wrote. His and mine, actually, as it drives me friggin' nuts!