Unsung 20th Century Symphonists

[ahinton]

Leif Segerstam started in 20th Century, still churning them out, somewhere over 200, I think.
Dag Wiren
Allan Pettersson (sp?)
Ellen Taafe Zwilich
Gloria Coates
Sergei Slonimsky and Alfred Schnittke, not sure if have been mentioned yet

Segerstam, according to the not always reliable but in this case probably not far short of the mark Wiki, has composed
    251 Symphonies (as of August 2011)
    30 String quartets
    13 Violin concertos
    8 Cello concertos
    4 Viola concertos
    4 Piano concertos
and has probably written at least one more symphony since you submitted your post.

Allan Pettersson, of whom you have the spelling correct, wrote 15/16 symphonies, most of which are well worth getting to know and which have been championed by Segerstam, among others; he was a major 20th century symphonist, if a somewhat unusual one. Check out nos. 7-10, 13 and 15 in particular...

[ahinton]

I sahould have added that the irrepressible Segerstam is one of today's most extraordinary conductors...

[reineckeforever]

Wolfgang Korngold: sinfonietta (maybe in f sharp major..)
Hans Werner Henze: (10)
Karl Amadeus Hartmann: (8 symphonies)
Luciano Berio: Sinfonia for 8 voices and orchestra
Marcel Mihalovici: Five symphonies (the las in memoriam of Hans Rosbaud)
except for Korngold, I don't know about recordings of them, sorry.
Andrea

[eschiss1]

With Pettersson and Wiren btw most of the symphonies (btw, Pettersson sym. 1 also, soon, on BIS, in a reconstruction) have been recorded, on CD even (though they may no longer be available.) cpo has recorded Wiren's 2nd to 5th symphonies (I think the 1st is lost?) and  all? of Pettersson's; BIS has recorded many (not yet all, I think, except maybe counting LPs?) of Pettersson's (and is trying to do cpo one better, as mentioned, by recording his unfinished 1st too, with Christian Lindberg, whose edition it is, conducting.) There are at least two, maybe three, complete recordings of Hartmann's fine symphonies- a modern EMI set, a "historical" I think Wergo set (which is what I've heard part of- excellent performances), maybe one or two others... I think at least one or two other complete ones and some partial ones too including individual recordings of his first, second fourth and sixth symphonies I believe... definitely a composer worth hearing (fairly intense music. I won't be silly and say not to everyone's taste- what -is-???)

BTW, Korngold's sinfonietta (1912) is in B major. It's his symphony (1952) that's in F-sharp. Both have received at least two CD recordings, quite a few more in the case of the symphony and perhaps both actually.

A symphony that used to be available (maybe still is) that I've always enjoyed is Boris Chaikovsky (not a close relation to Pyotr - I figure we're all related) 's 2nd symphony (1967), conducted by the deservedly esteemed Kirill Kondrashin.  The first movement especially is really striking...

[Alan Howe]

Searle's too 'difficult' for me, I'm afraid.
My current discovery, apart from Klami 1, is Blacher's Symphony. Marvellously virtuosic writing for brass - a bit like a rather more brilliant Hindemith.

[X. Trapnel]

Latvian--The Chailley/Rosenthal cd is available on Amazon USD 50; I'd be happy to make a copy for you.

[TerraEpon]

Noone's mentioned Alfano yet? The CPO disc of his first two symphonies is utterly wonderfully colorful music.

[X. Trapnel]

Come to that, nobody's mentioned Malipiero and Casella. Or Enescu.

[John H White]

How about Siegfried Wagner's Symphony in C, written in the 1920s towards the end of his career as an operatic composer/conductor? Plenty of late 19th Century romanticism in this work.

[eschiss1]

I'm also very fond of the 2nd symphony particularly of the (not particularly unsung, not as conductor anyway) Wilhelm Furtwängler. Daniel Barenboim's performance on Teldec raises the roof (or as appropriate, in the right places.)
Wilhelm Stenhammar's one acknowledged symphony, in G minor (in the forever mania for completeness, called his 2nd since he wrote another earlier one- I fail to see the logic but then I often do) - several good recordings; I prefer Neeme Järvi's early recording on BIS but it's not the only very good recording of this very fine piece from early in the 20th century.  Romantic in inclination with even more backward-looking elements (very severe, mixing elements of folksong and the Baroque, I think. It and Sir Arnold Bax's 2nd string quartet remind me of each other probably because of similar opening themes... it and Moeran's G minor symphony have a couple of other similarities. The Moeran is another kettle of fish- and I think someone else has recommended it but let me second them; an incredible as in incredibly good piece...)

[Hovite]

Myaskovsky and Pettersson have already been mentioned. They are both very significant composers. Myaskovsky wrote 27 numbered symphonies, plus a small number of related works. The best place to start is the single movement symphony No. 21, of about 20 minutes. Pettersson's symphonies are massive and depressing. Number 7 seems to be regarded as the best. It is one movement, 45 minutes long.

Some more names:

Kurt Atterberg
Michael Daugherty
Jacobo Ficher
Howard Hanson
Alfred Hill
Einojuhani Rautavaara
Ervin Schulhoff
Harold Shapero
Ernst Toch

[JimL]

Myaskovsky and Pettersson have already been mentioned. They are both very significant composers. Myaskovsky wrote 27 numbered symphonies, plus a small number of related works. The best place to start is the single movement symphony No. 21, of about 20 minutes. Pettersson's symphonies are massive and depressing. Number 7 seems to be regarded as the best. It is one movement, 45 minutes long.

Some more names:

Kurt Atterberg
Michael Daugherty
Jacobo Ficher
Howard Hanson
Alfred Hill
Einojuhani Rautavaara
Ervin Schulhoff
Harold Shapero
Ernst Toch

Hanson I would hardly consider unsung.  At least the 2nd (Romantic) Symphony gets plenty of attention, the 1st (the single-movement 'Nordic' Symphony in E minor) somewhat less so.  I believe there is also a 3rd which may be more unsung.  Shapero's single effort (Symphony for Classical Orchestra) is a rather astringent, Stravinskian piece, but very rewarding.  More unsung than it deserves to be. 

[Alan Howe]

Hanson never gets played over here in Britain. So he's definitely unsung for us.

[eschiss1]

Hanson made a very good recording of his 3rd with the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra that may be still available...

[Revilod]

Astonishingly, Segerstam is not the 20th Century's most prolific symphonist.  This title belongs to an American composer, Rowan Taylor, who, when he died in 2005, had composed 258. There are also 46 concertos,  over 250 chamber works and 2455 songs. So, if Segerstam has composed 251 symphonies, he only has another 8 to go to break the record! Perhaps he'll stop then!