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

---

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

[plain talk]

I focus on piano concertos myself.

Beethoven, liszt, rachmaninoff, prokofiev. Good stuff.

[ek_hornbeck]

Charles Ives is certainly the most interesting composer America has produced. I remember listening to his 3d symphony (I think) which uses a lot of American folk music themes (including "Turkey in the straw"), often in clashing keys on top of one another.

Havegral Brian, on the other hand, I found to be tedious. I was expecting to like his 1st "Gothic" symphony, but I found it to be like listening to a drawn-out version of a Mahler symphony with all of the interesting material cut out.

One obscure work/composer that makes my honorable mention list is the 4th symphony of Franz Schmidt - harmonically rich, interesting use of cyclical form, etc. I was excited to check out his other works, but unfortunately his first three symphonies don't measure up - it's like listening to the work of a competent music composition student who devoted a lot of time and energy to imitating the style of late 19th century greats like Wagner, Bruckner, etc while adding little of his own.

[crusty old prospector]

Anything Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, and Brahms.

[doc maverick]

Good list! Nothing beats classical music by a long shot.
Nothing beats Bach on the pipe organ.
My parents preferred it too, so I grew up with it.
Love Smetana and Dvorak.
My mother was Czech/German.
Dad a Norskie.
Edvard Grieg,Piano Concerto in A Minor.

[freds6girlies]

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Scheherazade

[EQAndyBuzz]

Rossini. William Tell Overture. I like those.

[Chickensoup]

Peter Tchaikovsky: piano concerto number -6

Some things are just too good to ignore.

[Fish Speaker]

Bruckner’s Sixth Symphony. The French Horn solo at the end of the first movement is exquisite.

[clashfan]

I have a love hate relationship with Shostakovich’s works.

[nwrep]

How come no Dvorak?

[Ken H]

"There is a delicacy and precision to Mozart's works that transcribe very well from orchestra to a military band. Don't you agree?"

" Oh yes. Of course."

[Pirate Ragnar]

BACH

[dfwgator]

[Reverend Wright]

In the 1960’s all the TV networks had their own orchestras.

Omnibus was sponsored by Ford, and Leonard Bernstein did many episodes on the finer points of classical music.

But all that declined in the 1960’s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omnibus_(American_TV_program)

[dfwgator]

Speaking of Poland, one of the best things to do in Warsaw is to go to Łazienki Park on Sunday and listen to the Chopin recital.

[Reverend Wright]

I kind of agree, but I defer to the expert consensus of this one where they rate Brahms #1 highly.

[Dartoid]

create your own list. This is his list.

[nicollo]

It’s an admirable and informative list, though, as far as I can see, you haven’t explained why Dvorak’s 9th isn’t on the list.

Regardless, I appreciate your clarification, that some here have missed, of “symphonies.” I’d be glad to argue all day long about the superiority and genius of JS Bach over all others — but the dude didn’t write symphonies.

[PGR88]

I was tempted to include piano and violin concertos as "honorary" three movement symphonies with extended solos, but decided against it.

You should be tempted again to include Haydn's Cello Concerto No. 2 in D major

[Reverend Wright]

??????

He asked for additions and subtractions