Composers with only one, but great symphony

[LateRomantic75]

Biarent's Symphony in D minor is a masterwork IMO-full of sweeping drama worthy of Tchaikovsky and Wagner. The influence of Franck is also noticeable, but the work is far from overly derivative. Biarent is a really special composer and everything, yes everything I've heard from his pen is either a masterpiece or comes pretty darn close to being one.

I'll also second the praise for the lone symphonies by Pejacevic, Irgens-Jensen, Shapero, Karlowicz, and Herrmann. Is Arthur Benjamin's magnificent only Symphony outside the remit of this forum? It's a magnificent , stormy wartime work with echoes of VW (Symphony 6) and Bax (Symphony 5).

Blumenfeld's passionate Symphony in C minor has been mentioned-equally wonderful is Georgy Catoire's Symphony in the same key, which is discmates with the Blumenfeld on the Dutton CD.

[LateRomantic75]

Oh, mustn't forget Marx's Herbstsymphonie-a masterwork of sensuous beauty and voluptuous orchestration. Rumor has it that CPO is planning an SACD recording of it-let's hope they are true!

[LateRomantic75]

Paderewski's Symphony in B minor Polonia has been accused by some of being overlong and overblown, but it's just my kind of music! It's almost like a Polish counterpart to Gliere's Third.

Also, Basque composer Jesús Guridi's Sinfonia pirenaica is a splendid work, full of unbridled joy and epic sweep akin to, yes, my beloved Braga Santos. (What is it with these Iberian composers?) Lasting 50 minutes, the symphony does not suffer from prolixity and is filled with delightful folksy melodies and luscious orchestration.

The lone symphonies of Adolf Wiklund and Finnish composer Heino Kaski, which I have discovered through YouTube, are great examples of impassioned Nordic late-romanticism, as is Cyrillus Kreek's Setu Symphony, which has a strong "ethnic" flavor to it.

[semloh]

Glad to hear that someone likes the Paderewski symphony.... although the people of Poland would obviously have a natural attachment to it, it seems to evoke a "ho-hum" response among many commentators. As an aside, the Wiki page notes Elgar's beautiful Polonia, equally Polish in its inspiration but (IMHO) of a quite different order.

I also see from Wiki that the symphony received its premiere in Boston, and "The score very unusually calls for three sarrusophones, a tambour de Basque, a thunder sheet and an organ."   

[chill319]

I'm quite fond of the Paderewski myself because I think the musical materials are of high quality. However, for my taste Paderewski is a bit too predictable in the way he deploys his materials for me to call this a symphony to stand with the greatest. On the other hand, the same charge could be made against Schubert and Bruckner, so perhaps I'm demanding too much from Paderewski.

On a side note, there is a passage in the first movement of Paderewski's first symphony that reappears almost verbatim in Furtwangler's first symphony and in precisely the same musical context. A tribute, perhaps.

[semloh]

..............
On a side note, there is a passage in the first movement of Paderewski's first symphony that reappears almost verbatim in Furtwangler's first symphony and in precisely the same musical context. A tribute, perhaps.

Well, well - must go and check that - and, if true, also possible explanations. Perhaps someone on the forum knows the details(?). Interesting!

[Alan Howe]

I'm afraid I disagree about Paderewski's Symphony. It's certainly enjoyable, but it's too long for its material and has no real individuality. It's far from being a great symphony.

My nomination would be Dietrich's Symphony in D minor. Along with Volkmann's 1st, it's probably the most important symphony in the conservative tradition between Schumann and Brahms. It's a magnificent work, full of drama and superbly worked out on a large canvas. Its themes are memorable and there is much lovely orchestration - e.g. the horn solo in the slow movement. If the name 'Brahms' had appeared on the manuscript, it would have been played by orchestras all over the world.

[LateRomantic75]

The Paderewski is not a "great" work by any stretch of the imagination, but it is a guilty pleasure for me, at least. It's certainly not a bad work, in my estimate.

I agree with Alan about the Dietrich symphony. My appreciation for mid-romantic symphonies is more sporadic than for those of the late-romantic period, but the Dietrich (along with Volkmann's two) made a great impression on me.

[sdtom]

Not a fan of the Paderewski symphony at all.

[saffron200]

Anyone who likes Czech/Bohemian symphonies could do worse than a listen to the Symphony in A major by Otakar Ostrcil. I don't think it has been mentioned on this thread yet. A 'happy' work, full of great melodies and a joy to listen to.

[sdtom]

Welcome to the forum and I will investigate this further.
Tom

[Peter1953]

Never heard of Ostrcil before, I must admit. But the audio excerpts sound interesting.
New to me is also Wuasi Maestoso.
The Sinfonietta seems to me also an interesting piece. Especially the first movement gives a dreamy impressionistic atmosphere...

[eschiss1]

Haven't heard his music, but have seen recordings of those works and his Calvary Variations. Have been intrigued, anyway...

[Alan Howe]

You can hear the whole of Ostrcil's lovely, post-Dvorakian Symphony on YouTube (albeit in a performance taken from a rather crackly-sounding LP):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImADsCYKt_4

[semloh]

I love the Ostrcil symphony. It was one of my first acquaintances with an unsung composer, back in the LP days. I think we had a thread devoted to him, where I noted what a tragedy his death was. His orchestral music is always engaging, and some of it was/is available via the downloads section.