Composers with only one, but great symphony

[jani]

Since there is discussion about great 3rd symphonies, so I how about composers that wrote only one symphony, but it came out as a masterpiece. I think one is Chausson.

[Hilleries]

Chausson pulls two other composers immediately from my mind: Dukas and Franck.

[ewk]

I would nominate Korngold whose only symphony is – even if it was written in the 40s and early 50s as far as i know – a real masterwork, at least regarding the fantastic slow movement!

[eschiss1]

Well, depends on how picky one's going to be. Korngold's early sinfonietta really is also a symphony, in all but exact name. It's not even a brief (or light, I gather) symphony; it's about 3/4 an hour.

A number of composers to whom we attribute only/from whom we know only one symphony seem on further investigation to have written several, even if the others are in ms. (but are nevertheless complete.) (Albert Dietrich is one such, I think; he seems to have after all written two. Then again, his one better-known one I gather was really good, but not strictly speaking great. ... Is there a "strictly-speaking" great? Oh-oh...)

[Mark Thomas]

One great symphony - that's a tough one amongst the unsung: Dietrich, perhaps? Julius Otto Grimm potentially.,  One not at all bad symphony - that's easier: Bargiel, Biarent, Boellmann, Brüll, Brzowski, Dukas, Goetz, Heinrich Hofmann, Lalo, Mielck, Moscheles, Paderewski, Pejacevic, Xaver Scharwenka, Stojowski, Sullivan, Volbach...

[Gauk]

Finding agreement as to which are "great" is liable to be even tougher.

[Mark Thomas]

Absolutely, a really subjective judgement which I suppose is validated by consensus. I'd never claim that my own list of not bad symphonies is based on anything other than my own whims and fancies.

[edurban]

Can't stand the word 'great' myself, though of course I use it (alas).  But substitute 'marvelous' and I'll move the Lalo to the uppermost layer of the pile.  Astonishing vitality and really first class material.  Not to mention compact: four movements packed into about 26 minutes.  The problem is that it's hard to pull off...for me Kees Bakels and his Mayasian orchestra are completely convincing, whereas the well-regarded Beecham performance makes it sound fluffy (like just another delightful Beecham 'lollipop'.)  It's a formidable piece, and recognizable throughout as Lalo, something that can't always be said about the other symphonies (fine as they may be) on Mark's list.  Maybe it's just me, but I can't picture myself slapping my head and exclaiming "By Jove, that symphony could only be the work of Woldemar Bargiel!"

On the other hand, a really unmistakable compositional personality is no guarantee of the highest quality.  It can just be mannerism.  See under Spohr .

David

[alberto]

My post is n.8 (and my English limited). IMHO I would recognize the status of masterpiece ( no less) to two already named symphonies , the Dukas and the Chausson (in the order) fairly recorded, severely underperformed even in France.
The Franck is decidedly sung.  About actual performances of the two : once I attended  a performance of the Chausson under Plasson. Asking Maestro Lawrence Foster to sign a copy of his recording of the Dukas, he kindly informed me to have conducted the symphony (like on Cd, with the Monte Carlo Orchestra) in New York.
If I should add a name, It would be Pizzetti's symphony (tonal and romantic) ; very fine, even great; I would not dare the word "masterpiece".

[JollyRoger]

When first written in 1855, the Symphony in G by Georges Bizet was considered as a masterpiece..it is a very enjoyable piece not to be missed for sure.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_in_C_(Bizet)

[eschiss1]

last time the question was raised (by me, I know) whether Bizet's C major was his only symphony, there seemed to be some agreement that the answer was "No!" (Bizet's Suite-Symphony Roma was considered a symphony by its composer, for one.)
And when it (the C major) was composed, I think what happened to it was "he put it in his desk drawer, and it wasn't discovered or performed by anyone until 1935".  (He may have been concerned that it was a bit derivative of one of Gounod's symphonies, memory serves. And it is- and it doesn't matter. And the Bizet is a masterpiece, I agree.)

[mbhaub]

For me, the greatest unsung "only" symphony is the one in C# minor by a young Ernst Bloch. It's passionate, deeply moving, brilliantly orchestrated - epic. The first time I ever heard it was on the Marco Polo recording. Good as it is, the BIS out classed it in every way. The score is fascinating to study. Anyone who responds to Mahler, Korngold, Bruckner and the like would have no problem with Bloch. It's his only symphony in the old, European tradition. Sadly, I can't imagine it ever showing up live.

[X. Trapnel]

I'd certainly include the Karlowicz and Vierne among the arguably great, both, to my ears, works of high and consistent inspiration. I'd say Bernard Herrmann's lone symphony is both a masterpiece and fits comfortably within the UC definition of romanticism.

[eschiss1]

Bloch's is not his "only" symphony by far. He wrote some ... six? (Symphony in C-sharp minor, America, Israel, Symphony in E-flat, Symphony for Trombone, Symphonia Brevis...)

[JimL]

If memory serves, Albert Dietrich did indeed compose 2 symphonies, and the 2nd, in D minor is the one we have.  But I'm not entirely sure that the MS of the earlier work survived.  Same with Hermann Goetz, although it seems to be fairly certain that the MS of his 1st Symphony, in E minor was destroyed in a fire.