The Great Symphonies

self | 5/10/2026 | ek_hornbeck

[ek_hornbeck]

Like many, I consider symphonies to be the highest expression of the western canon of classical music. Partisans of opera, chamber music, and solo piano music may disagree, of course.

I've put together a list of the symphonies which I believe to be the most important and/or interesting from the Classical and Romantic periods, as well as a few early Moderns.

I was tempted to include piano and violin concertos as "honorary" three movement symphonies with extended solos, but decided against it. I've also excluded symphonic poems, e.g. those of Franz Liszt (even those he called symphonies), Richard Strauss, Claude Debussy etc, despite the fact that some of them certainly number among the greatest orchestral works as well. I wasn't sure whether to call the "Symphonie Fantastique" of Berlioz a true symphony in the classical sense (any more than those of Liszt), but I threw it in there anyway.

I'm also not claiming that every work on this list is of equal caliber in terms of depth, influence, and importance - since much of 19th century orchestral music was an attempt to match the example of Beethoven, they almost can't be (though some later composers, such as Brahms, came closest to rising to that high standard). Nor am I saying the works of great composers that I've excluded, e.g. most of Beethoven's even-numbered symphonies (other than 6) are unworthy in any way, I simply think they aren't of the same importance as those listed.

Franz Joseph Haydn: 45, 100, 101 104 (104, or possibly 106 to choose from!)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: 35, 40, 41

Ludwig van Beethoven: 3, 5-9

Franz Schubert: 8-9 (8th unfinished)

Felix Mendelssohn: 3-4

Robert Schumann: 3

Hector Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique

Anton Bruckner: 5,7-9 (finale of 9th unfinished)

Johannes Brahms: 1-4 (especially 1 and 4)

Peter Tchaikovsky: 5-6 (honorable mention to 1)

Camille Saint-Saens: 3

Gustav Mahler: 2, 5-7 (honorable mention to 1,9)

Jean Sibelius: 2,5-7

Dmitri Shostakovich: 5,8,10

Igor Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms, Symphony in C

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TOPICS: Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: classicalmusic; culture; music; orchestralmusic; symphonies; tune; tunes

[ek_hornbeck]

I'm curious what other admirers of western symphonic music think should be added (or subtracted!) from this list.

[ek_hornbeck]

Symphonic music is even significant enough for President Trump to mention as one of Western Civilization's great contributions during his 2017 speech in Poland, sstating:

“Our own fight for the West does not begin on the battlefield — it begins with our minds, our wills, and our souls...We write symphonies. We pursue innovation. We celebrate our ancient heroes, embrace our timeless traditions and customs”

Bravo!

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Ludwig van Beethoven: 3, 5-9

Ode to Joy.

[proxy_user]

What? No Prokofiev?

And what about Vaughn Williams....

[Reverend Wright]

Dvorak 9

Mendelssohn does not belong in the top tier.

[ek_hornbeck]

Funny you mention that, I was tempted to include Prokofiev’s 5th and perhaps the Vaughan Williams “Sea Symphony”, but I didn’t quite think they made the cut to be in the same pantheon as the rest.

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

I echo your "bravo" for President Trump's remarks as regards our shared Western culture.

I know a lot of musical literature compared to some, and respectfully suggest that there is almost no manageable end to listing favorites.

As a wee exercise, imagine tallying the number of hours of listening, just to your proposed list. And then you will -- I promise and foretell -- find a next. That is how rich the Western canon is, musically.

[ek_hornbeck]

I used to dislike Mendelssohn's music as pleasant but superficial. But I grew to admire some of his works, sort of a poor(er) man's Brahms who united Romantic and Classical traditions. That being said, his Walpurgisnacht overtures and the Hebrides + Fingal's Cave overtures are probably better than his symphonies.

[Leaning Right]

> Ode to Joy. <

Absolutely. And anyone who disagrees with us is a jagoff*.
Here’s a “flash mob” version:

https://youtu.be/kbJcQYVtZMo?si=zgKsq_WL6OO-P4VS

———-
* Pittsburghese for a total jerk.

[ifinnegan]

When I was young I didn’t appreciate classical music.

I do now.

[Mariner]

“should be added (or subtracted!)”

Concertos and Chamber Music.

Just symphonies is too limiting.

Mozart - Requiem
Beethoven - Piano Concerto #5 The Emperor

And the list of Chamber Music is nearly endless.

[ek_hornbeck]

I came to it later in life as well. I regret never having played a musical instrument as a kid, when I tried to learn piano in my 30s I was absolutely awful. Who knows, had I started as a child I would have been able to play some of my favorite musical compositions.

[milagro]

Absolutely!

[ek_hornbeck]

I intentionally excluded concertos, chamber music (as well as overtures, symphonic “poems”) and choral music to keep the list manageably short!

[Moltke]

Surely J.S. Bach must be mentioned, though my favorite works of his are the cello and violin solo suites. One instrument - 100% musical perfection.

[ek_hornbeck]

Certainly at the top of the canon of important classical works, but it would be a stretch of the definition to call any Baroque orchestral composition a “symphony”.

[ek_hornbeck]

I also excluded opera for the same reason, even though Wagner's Tristan and Isolde was as influential a work in the late 19th century as Beethoven's symphonies were in the early part of the century.

[ifinnegan]

Yeah. When I was growing up we were just normal Americans, not rich, not poor.

No classical music, no piano lessons.

[Fungi]

Nor does Brahms. Sibelius No. six is a gem.

[decal]

Dvořák: 7 over 9

Vaughan Williams: 4, 6, 9

Prokofiev: 6 over 5

Elgar: 1

Shostakovich: add 1, 13 and 14

Alan Hovhaness: 2

Ives: 4

Allan Pettersson: 9

Havergal Brian: 1