Composers who wrote just one symphony

[Leea25]

I came across another. Apparently Alexander Ilinsky (who taught both Kalinnikov brothers, amongst others) wrote a single un-dated symphony. I don't think I have ever heard any of his music, though apparently some sections of one of his operas (Nur and Amitra, off the top of my head - reference book not with me), have been recorded.

[eschiss1]

mentioned Ilyinsky back here actually.

[Rainolf]

Was Walter Braunfels yet mentioned in this thread?

It's something strange, that this master of orchestral colour and motivic development only wrote one symphony, the Sinfonia Brevis op. 69, late in his career.

[Leea25]

Oops! Sorry - that'll teach me to skim read 

[eschiss1]

eh, over 6 pages it's been a bit scattered-throughout.  If there weren't so many ways to transliterate his surname, I'd suggest using the search feature...

Anyone know if Frederick/Friedrich Stock wrote a second symphony? I haven't heard his first but the score is at IMSLP (here) (parts available at FLP.)

[C R Lim]

I know he is mentioned elsewhere, but I believe Julius (Gyula) Beliczay only wrote one symphony (quite a fine one), and it *has* been recorded.

[eschiss1]

Beliczay seems to have written a second symphony op.66 in ms, I believe? Not sure.

[FBerwald]

..... the wonderfully romantic symphony by Goetz (which G. B. Shaw considered superior to Brahms)...

I usually don't agree with G. B. Shaw but he is spot on here! What a Symphony. Especially the 2nd and 3rd movement. Genius. And the Mendelssohn-Berwald-ish Finale was quite a surprise. Reminded me why I love the key of F Major so much 

[Peter1953]

Yes, the Goetz is a delightful symphony, but to my ears not superior to any of the four Brahms symphonies.
In fact this F major symphony is Goetz's 2nd. He also wrote a symphony in E minor (1866-67), premiered in 1867, but was unfortunately never published. The score was destroyed by his wife after her husband died. Why oh why...?

[FBerwald]

@Peter I knew someone would raise the Brahms issue. I was never keen on his symphonies in the 1st place hence my preference.  Goetz's Symphony No. 1 was destroyed by his widow who was, according to history, battling some sort of mental illness! I don't know to what extent this is true.

[DennisS]

Thank you Alan and FBerwald for drawing my attention to the Goetz symphony. I was intrigued by the comments, especially re- the second and third movements of the symphony. I've since listened to the work a number of times and like it very much indeed. The second movement is sunny and delightful and the slow third movement is very beautiful. I also like the opening movement but feel that the 4th movement is not quite as impressive as the other three movements. Nevertheless, this is a wonderful symphony and I am very pleased to have the CD in my collection. Thank you again.

[swanekj]

Vorobjev / Vorobyev / Vorobiev Gennadij / Gennadi / Gennady / etc.

Symphony in c-moll, worked on until his death at age 20.

Listen to the whole, standard four movement work at:

http://classical-music-online.net/en/production/34538


Sounds to me like a cross between Kalinnikov and Dvorak.

Impossible to believe it was written 1937 - 1939.

[Mark Thomas]

Vorobjev's Symphony is an attractive, approachable work which, although clearly the product of the 20th century (saying that it's a cross between Dvorak and Kalinnikov is more than a bit of a stretch) has nothing in it's idiom which offends my 19th century sensibilities.

[C R Lim]

So, distinguished members - do we have any more information about this symphony, the composer or the recording?
A little trawling of the net produced the following:

Gennadiy Vasil'evich Vorob'ev (1918 - 1939) - Symphony in C minor (1937 - 1939)
played by "Opera-Symphonic Orchestra" conducted by Vitaliy Kitayev.

Vorob'ev was born in Cherboksary, the capital of the Chuvash region. He studied at the Moscow Conservatoire under Genrikh (Heinrich) Litinsky (who also taught Karen Khachaturian, Babadjanian and others).

I can find no information about his untimely demise - unless he was a very early war casualty.

The designations of the movements would also be much appreciated (Eric?).

[FBerwald]

I remember reading somewhere that Thuille has written an early symphony in D minor. If so, then the F Major work would be actually No. 2. Anyone have any idea what happened to the 1st Symphony?