Great (or very impressive) First Symphonies of the (relatively) lesser known.

[eschiss1]

Didn't even know of the d'Indy Op.5, btw. Can put that with Moszkowski's (no doubt rather different) ms symphony among works to bother and irritate the editors to typeset and the recording companies to record...

[alberto]

Re: d'Indy.
I rated (maybe wrongly) the "Cevenole" (op.25) as his First "numbered" Symphony (as. op.61 is known as Second).
I know the "Italian" (certainly left unpublished; recently recorded twice). I could deem it "impressive"(not "very").
I wrote : among the numbered ones.

[eschiss1]

I don't think the Cevenole was given a number by the composer even after the 2nd symphony was published (leave alone before- of course few first symphonies are actually called "symphony no.1" or "first symphony" ) - so his first numbered symphony would be the indeed very impressive 2nd symphony in B-flat
(just as Vaughan Williams didn't number any of his symphonies until fairly late in the game - no.9, I think even, when "Symphony in E minor" was no longer an unambiguous descriptor/referent/whatever they're calling them now? )

[Dave]

Jan Koetsier's Symphony No. 1 is mighty impressive.
Thanks Balapoel for posting that on YouTube.

[Amphissa]

Rachmaninoff is lesser known? Wow! On what planet?

Well, whatever. I'd add Zemlinsky and Chausson.

You're quite right. My error (though not as famous as Tchaikovsky).

Rachmaninoff is a "sung" by any standard.

The Symphony No. 1 of Ricardo Castro Herrera is really pretty impressive.

I actually enjoy Suk's 1st Symphony better than his later Asrael Symphony, despite the fact that it is a less mature work. Maybe I just like the innocence and simplicity of it.

Chausson? I think the point of the list might be to avoid symphonies by composers who only composed one

Thanks for your interpretation of the original poster's intentions, Eric, as I didn't see that anywhere in his post. 

[Balapoel]

Jan Koetsier's Symphony No. 1 is mighty impressive.
Thanks Balapoel for posting that on YouTube.

Well, it's not my channel - but it is useful sometimes to get an idea about a piece before purchase.

Regarding d'Indy's works, this should be the sequence:
Symphony No. 1 in a minor 'Symphonie italienne' (1870-2)
Jean Hundaye, symphony, op 5 (1874-5)
Symponie sur un chant montagnard francais 'Symphonie cevenole' for piano and orchestra, op 25 (1886)
Symphony No. 2 in Bb, op 57 (1902-3)
Symphony No. 3 in D 'Sinfonia brevis de bello gallico', op 70 (1916-8)

Of course, all have been recorded many times except the op. 5.

[LateRomantic75]

Rachmaninoff is lesser known? Wow! On what planet?

His First Symphony isn't exactly well-known to the average concert-goer. I would go so far as to say it's a rather underrated work, in fact. The finale, especially, is magnificent and prefigures Shostakovich!

[LateRomantic75]

I would also add Bortkiewicz. Both of his symphonies are melodically inspired works which are loaded with Slavic melancholy and passion.

[chill319]

I'm with you on Lyatoshynsky, Dave, but I'm not sure he belongs in this forum.  Of the composers in your list, I respond strongly to the first symphonies of Balakirev, Bax, Draeseke, Dohnanyi, Nielsen, Rachmaninoff, Roussel, Scriabin, and Stenhammar.

[Dave]

I'm with you on Lyatoshynsky, Dave, but I'm not sure he belongs in this forum.  Of the composers in your list, I respond strongly to the first symphonies of Balakirev, Bax, Draeseke, Dohnanyi, Nielsen, Rachmaninoff, Roussel, Scriabin, and Stenhammar.

Oh no, I think Lyatoshynsky belongs on this forum, for his First Symphony sort of takes off where Scriabin, Rachmaninoff, and Gliere leave off. His Second Symphony and later ones are quite a different story though.

[Amphissa]

Rachmaninoff is lesser known? Wow! On what planet?

His First Symphony isn't exactly well-known to the average concert-goer. I would go so far as to say it's a rather underrated work, in fact. The finale, especially, is magnificent and prefigures Shostakovich!

That's certainly true. However, the subject of the thread was titled "Great ... First Symphonies of the ... lesser known", which I think was referring to lesser known composers, not lesser known first symphonies by the major sung composers. Maybe I was wrong in my interpretation of the intent of the thread. I'll defer to Eric for a ruling 

[chill319]

Oh no, I think Lyatoshynsky belongs on this forum, for his First Symphony sort of takes off where Scriabin, Rachmaninoff, and Gliere leave off. His Second Symphony and later ones are quite a different story though.

Fair enough. It's a bit of a grey area. Was just listening to an early Hindemith Viola sonata that was pleasantly tonal.

[eschiss1]

Well, Hindemith's "Lustige Sinfonietta" would fit in this category if he were still "relatively lesser known"...
(And if you mean the viola sonata Op.11 No.4 - which seems to near-quote, at length, the opening movement of Brahms' 2nd violin sonata? (same place, end of the first movement exposition of each...)  - it certainly does seem to fall in that category. Download a CCommons recording from here...)

(Edit: whoops, I meant the first movement of Op.11 No.1, the violin sonata, which I have in a (good) not-so-free Oistrakh/Yampolsky broadcast recording now available on Brilliant Classics... - good set, also includes Catoire sonatas, etc.)

If I knew Grimm's symphony I'd nominate it too, I expect. I'm waiting for someone who -does- know it to do so Hrrrrrrmm. What 1st symphonies are really pushing at my attention as missing from this list- (no, not Brian's Gothic- which was his 2nd, really, anyway, even if I could make a case for including it here at all, which I probably couldn't.)

[Alan Howe]

I read the link, but at the same time, there is quite a bit of a grey area...

Of course there's a grey area with regard to the outer boundaries of UC's remit and we're always willing to reconsider our decisions. However, Tubin's music, for example, is modern tonal rather than romantic, and the plethora of Soviet-era composers are a nightmare to make decisions about, with many writing in different styles at different points in their careers.

On the whole it would be helpful if, rather than throwing a whole slew of names at a particular thread, individual works were suggested and described in some detail. Mere lists of works are not all that useful. So, fewer names and more description, please!

Please remember also that our remit contains the following advice:

<<If you are in any doubt, and in any event if the music was written after 1918, please email or PM a moderator before posting.>>
 

[Kevin Pearson]

On the whole it would be helpful if, rather than throwing a whole slew of names at a particular thread, individual works were suggested and described in some detail. Mere lists of works are not all that useful. So, fewer names and more description, please!

Alan - I find this statement rather confusing and a little embarrassing considering the topic as stated by the original poster is "FIRST" symphonies. Is any more detail needed if that is the topic? Just need a composer's name as far as I can tell.

Kevin