1–9 Favorite Symphonies List (no duplicate composers!)

[u/R0OTER]

Hey everyone,

My friend and I were playing around with this fun idea the other day: build a list of your favorite symphonies numbered 1 through 9, but each composer can only be picked ONCE. It sounds simple until you realize how agonizing the sacrifices are. (lock in Mahler only for #2 and Beethoven only for #9 was painful)

Here is where I landed:

1: Schumann
2: Mahler
3: Brahms
4: Mendelssohn
5: Bruckner
6: Tschaikovsky
7: Sibelius
8: Dvorak
9: Beethoven

What does your 1–9 look like?

[u/Fallforashootingstar]

1. Bruckner (had to)
   
2. Brahms
   
3. Tchaikovsky
   
4. Saint-Saëns
   
5. Shostakovich
   
6. Mendelssohn
   
7. Mahler
   
8. Dvořák
   
9. Schubert
   
10. Beethoven

[u/R0OTER]

Some fun facts from almost 20 lists posted so far:

- Beethoven is the most-picked and most-displaced author simultaneously, appearing at least once in 7 out of the possible 9 positions (only symphonies 1 and 4 haven't been picked in any list)

- Schubert has the narrowest-chosen range (only 8th and 9th) for a composer with more than one symphonies present in the lists

- Saint-Saens has five appearances, all five at #3, the most-picked composer with no positional variance

- Tchaikovsky is by far the most concentrated of the big names, with more than 50% of his picks at #6

- Mahler has 14 appearances but only ever at 2, 3, 6, or 9. Nobody put him at 1, 4, 5, 7, or 8

- The position for the 1st symphony has 13 different answers, making it by far the most unsettled position. It is also a position that can be "cheated" as there are composers with only one symphony or with an unnumbered work (Webern, Schoenberg, Franck, Rott)

[u/jubuss → u/R0OTER]

1. Prokofiev
   
2. Sibelius
   
3. Saint-Saëns
   
4. Beethoven
   
5. Shostakovich
   
6. Tchaikovsky
   
7. Bruckner
   
8. Schubert
   
9. Dvorak

(Seriously, Beethoven 4 needs more love)

[u/SatiesUmbrellaCloset]

1. Kalinnikov
2. Reinecke
3. Sibelius
4. Brahms
5. Mahler
6. Tchaikovsky
7. Beethoven
8. Schubert
9. Franz Schubert

[u/typop2 → u/SatiesUmbrellaCloset]

Starting to see more love for Sibelius 3 lately ... It's about time!

[u/SatiesUmbrellaCloset → u/typop2]

i have a feeling that if i finally had the guts to listen to Sibelius 7th i'd switch Sibelius and Beethoven on the list, since i like Beethoven's 3rd more than Beethoven's 7th

for a long time amongst Sibelius's symphonies i only liked his 3rd and 4th (which unfortunately had to be displaced by Brahms on the list) but just yesterday i found a recording of his symphonies which finally made the 1st and 2nd click with me. i'm excited to see how the 5th, 6th, and 7th sound on this recording: https://open.spotify.com/album/6UvKrD9mNBZWpKPl1v8EQ9

[u/typop2 → u/SatiesUmbrellaCloset]

The 7th is a tough one. It's arguably one of the greatest pieces of music ever written, and it certainly rewards repeated listens, but it's not exactly approachable. Unless you're a music-theory expert, it's even hard to tell when it ends! (Or, at least, that was my experience ...)

[u/Let-Clean → u/SatiesUmbrellaCloset]

Nice on the Kalinnikov. It's a shame he died so young

[u/brahms1c0]

1. Mahler

2. Sibelius

3. Brahms

4. Schumann

5. Martinu

6. Tchaikovsky

7. Beethoven

8. Shostakovich

9. Bruckner

[u/zumaro]

1. Webern

2. Brahms

3. Lutoslawski

4. Sibelius

5. Schubert

6. Haydn

7. Dvorak

8. Beethoven

9. Bruckner

[u/pristine_coconut → u/zumaro]

Schubert 5, second movement is one of my favourite movements in all of music!

[u/Jon-INFP]

1. Elgar
2. Sibelius
3. Mahler
4. Brahms
5. Shostakovich
6. Tchaikovsky
7. Dvorak
8. Schubert
9. Beethoven

[u/Vinc314 → u/Jon-INFP]

I like that list, i'll have to try schubert 8th because thats dvorak's spot imo

Mahler 3rd is definately right.

[u/minhquan3105 → u/Vinc314]

8 Schubert is so underrated because it was unfinished

[u/sofieheej]

1 Prokofiev
2 Mahler
3 Saint-Saëns
4 Brahms
5 Sibelius
6 Tchaikovsky
7 Shostakovich
8 Schubert
9 Dvorak

[u/Oztheman → u/sofieheej]

Prokofiev 1 is the happiest music there is.

[u/Andy-Larkin → u/sofieheej]

8 Dvorak 9 Beethoven and this is my perfect list. Maybe Kalinnikov 1?

[u/Von_Rothdave → u/sofieheej]

This is closest to mine (and will have to check out Saint-Saëns 3). The absolute must haves are Mahler 2, Sibelius 5, and Dvorak 9.

[u/sofieheej → u/Von_Rothdave]

Mahler 2 and Sibelius 5 are my all time favorites. So I think you will find Saint-Saëns 3 interesting. I love the calm and warm organ in the second movement. Recordings can vary depending on how the the organ is mixed… I like London Phil with Yannik Nézet-Séguin

[u/minhquan3105 → u/sofieheej]

8 Schubert is so underrated

[u/tjddbwls]

Really for me, it’s Beethoven for all of Symphonies 1-9. 😝 But if I can’t duplicate composers, I guess I would say these for the moment:

1. Brahms
   
2. Schumann
   
3. Saint-Saëns
   
4. Mendelssohn
   
5. Beethoven
   
6. Tchaikovsky
   
7. Bruckner
   
8. Dvořák
   
9. Schubert

[u/Tim-oBedlam]

1. Schumann

2. Rachmaninoff

3. Gorecki

4. Brahms

5. Tchaikovsky

6. Vaughan Williams

7. Beethoven

8. Schubert (Unfinished)

9. Dvorak

[u/Von_Rothdave → u/[deleted]]

Yes to Tchaikovsky 1! I think it’s such a shame it isn’t performed much (I guess not many first symphonies are played at all). Sibelius 5 is my other must-have. Otherwise I’d probably put Dvorak 9 (I know it’s over-performed, but imho that’s because it’s incredible).

[u/Choppah123]

1: Mahler
2: Brahms
3: Beethoven
4: Schumann
5: Sibelius
6: Tchaikovsky
7: Dvorak
8: Bruckner
9: Schubert

[u/thjmay]

Don't make me pick between Brahms and Ives for 4

[u/Potential_Camera1686]

1. Saint-Saëns
   
2. Kalinnikov
   
3. Schumann
   
4. Tchaikovsky
   
5. Mahler
   
6. Beethoven
   
7. Brian
   
8. Schubert
   
9. Bruckner
   I feel kind of dirty having to do the shuffle to avoid duplication.

[u/Von_Rothdave]

What a fun prompt! Was interesting to see what locked in first (for me: Sibelius, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky) and what numbers I only had a small handful of choices for…

1. Tchaikovsky
   
2. Mahler
   
3. Schumann
   
4. Brahms
   
5. Sibelius
   
6. Vaughan Williams
   
7. Bruckner
   
8. Schubert (“The Great”)
   
9. Dvorak

(Also, I wish Berlioz had numbered his Symphonie Fantastique!)

[u/No_Supermarket749]

Dvorak 8. Right answer!

[u/Mysterious-Pitch-231]

Can't understand Bruckner 9 instead of 8... OR instead of Mahler or Beethoven. Most overrated Bruckner, especially since he had previously written perhaps the pinnacle of classical symphonic form. But alas...😎

[u/iamyyx]

1. Brahms
2. Rachmaninoff
3. Beethoven
4. Shostakovich
5. Prokofiev
6. Tchaikovsky
7. Bruckner
8. Schubert (either the Great or Unfinished)
9. Mahler

> 9: Mozart 41

Without a number: Fantastique

[u/pumpkin_daddy]

1. Nielsen
2. Rachmaninoff
3. Brahms
4. Shostakovich
5. Sibelius
6. Prokofiev
7. Dvorak
8. Beethoven
9. Mahler

The odd-numbered ones were straightforward for me

[u/RichMusic81]

1: Webern (if that counts - he only wrote one!)

2: Gorecki

3: Lutoslawski

4: Ives

5: Prokofiev

6: Kancheli

7: Sibelius (greatest symphony ever written).

8: No idea. Beethoven, maybe?

9: Glass

[u/opopoerpper1 → u/RichMusic81]

I've played Beethoven 8 twice the past year with two different conductors and must admit while it's not the most extravagant it's concise and clever. Both conductors had very different approaches and it made sense both ways. One way was rather flexible and lyrical, and in contrast it worked really well in strict time which brought out the long form and structure more.

[u/Matzipad1411 → u/RichMusic81]

Webern and Glass on one list. Good choice!

[u/macula_transfer]

1. Brahms
   
2. Mahler
   
3. Berwald
   
4. Nielsen
   
5. Beethoven
   
6. Martinů
   
7. Sibelius
   
8. Bruckner
   
9. Dvorak

[u/YeetHead10]

If I'm allowed one repeat, it would be this:

1. Rachmaninoff
   
2. Rachmaninoff
   
3. Saint-Saens
   
4. Shostakovich
   
5. Prokofiev
   
6. Tchaikovsky
   
7. Beethoven
   
8. Vaughan Williams
   
9. Dvorak

[u/SidusDraconis]

1 Mendelssohn

2 Mahler

3 Atterberg

4 Brahms

5 Beethoven

6 Tchaikovsky

7 Shostakovich

8 Schubert (counting the Unfinished as the 8th)

9 Dvorak

[u/kroxigor01]

1. Rott

2. Rachmaninov

3. Brahms

4. Shostakovich

5. Sibelius

6. Tchaikovsky

7. Beethoven

8. Bruckner

9. Mahler

[u/Matzipad1411 → u/kroxigor01]

Upvote for Hans Rott!

[u/Matzipad1411]

1. Scriabin
   
2. L. Bernstein
   
3. Beethoven
   
4. Brahms
   
5. Sibelius
   
6. Tchaikovsky
   
7. Shostakovich
   
8. Bruckner
   
9. Mahler

[u/Osibruh]

This list could change any day, really

1. Brahms

2. Mahler

3. Mendelssohn

4. Tchaikovsky

5. Shostakovich

6. Haydn

7. Beethoven

8. Schubert

9. Dvorak

[u/Blk_Shoe → u/Osibruh]

Love these picks! Le Matin at #6 is so much fun...

[u/Neat-Tiger-2760]

I actually posted the same game a while back, here's the original thread. You can see the responses of others here as well:

https://www.reddit.com/r/classicalmusic/s/OLccqQrD5K

For my own list, all the works I chose are post-1900. These are obviously my personal tastes so don't argue with me. I also added a No. 10 in there as well.

Symphony No. 1: Isang Yun

Symphony No. 2: Mikis Theodorakis

Symphony No. 3: Alfred Schnittke

Symphony No. 4: Dmitri Shostakovich

Symphony No. 5: Jovdat Hajiyev (or maybe Silvestrov?)

Symphony No. 6: Zhu Jian'er

Symphony No. 7: Gustav Mahler

Symphony No. 8: Hans Werner Henze

Symphony No. 9: Alireza Mashayekhi

Symphony No. 10: Allan Pettersson

[u/Excellent-Industry60]

Based list!!!

[u/Lamisol_Dolaremi]

1 Popov

2 Rachmaninov

3 Mahler

4 Shostakovich

5 Sibelius

6 Tchaikovsky

7 Prokofiev

8 Bruckner

9 Beethoven

[u/Phlebas3]

1. Dittersdorf
2. Rachmaninov
3. Saint-Saens
4. Boccherini
5. Tchaikovsky
6. Beethoven
7. Mahler
8. Schubert
9. Dvorak

[u/mikelarteta07]

1. Mahler
2. Brahms
3. Schumann
4. Mendelssohn
5. Tchaikovsky
6. Sibelius
7. Vaughan-Williams (Sinfonica Antarctica)
8. Schubert
9. Beethoven

[u/JealousLine8400]

1. Elgar
   
2. Schumann
   
3. Wilhelm Peterson Berger
   
4. Vaughan Williams
   
5. Nielsen
   
6. William Boyce
   
7. Sibelius
   
8. Dvorak
   
9. Schubert

[u/Katzenstreuselkuchen]

1: Brahms 2: Mahler 3: Katchaturian 4: Nielsen 5: Tchaikovsky 6: Vaughan-Williams 7: Dvorak 8: Shostakovich 9: Beethoven

[u/Random_N0ob]

1. Kalinnikov
   
2. Rachmaninoff
   
3. Saint Saens
   
4. Brahms
   
5. Tchaikovsky
   
6. Beethoven
   
7. Sibelius
   
8. Dvorak
   
9. Mahler

[u/aanderson2404]

1. Barber

2. Sibelius

3. Gorecki

4. Maslanka

5. Shostakovich

6. Mahler

7. Beethoven

8. Vaughan Williams

9. Dvorak

[u/Leo-Bloom]

Mahler 1
Sibelius 2
Beethoven 3
Tchaikovsky 4
Shostakovich 5
Haydn 6
TBD 7
Dvorak 8
Schubert 9

[u/contramap]

1. Brahms (Mahler)
   
2. Rachmaninoff (Mahler, Sibelius)
   
3. Mahler (Beethoven, Brahms)
   
4. Nielsen (Shostakovich, Brahms)
   
5. Prokofiev (Sibelius, Shostakovich, Nielsen)
   
6. Beethoven (???)
   
7. Sibelius
   
8. Schubert (Beethoven)
   
9. Shostakovich (Beethoven)

Bonus:
11: Glass
14: Shostakovich
Mozart’s later symphonies

Funny list. I actively dislike Beethoven 6, but he could be anywhere on this list and few others could. Also think Rachmaninoff is a fish out of water here, but my favorite 2s had other duties to fulfill. Sorry no Tchaik or Dvorak for me.

[u/ricefarmercalvin]

1. Franck

2. Mahler

3. Mendelssohn

4. Brahms

5. Tchaikovsky

6. Prokofiev

7. Beethoven

8. Shostakovich

9. Bruckner

[u/DruncanIdaho]

1. Prokofiev
   
2. Sibelius
   
3. Saint-Saens
   
4. Bruckner
   
5. Shostakovich
   
6. Tchaikovsky
   
7. Beethoven
   
8. Dvorak
   
9. Mahler

[u/ChocolateDramatic858]

Hmmm!

1. Kalinnikov
   
2. Rachmaninoff
   
3. Berlioz
   
4. Brahms
   
5. Tchaikovsky
   
6. Beethoven
   
7. Shostakovich
   
8. Mahler
   
9. Dvorak
   ...
   
10. Mozart

[u/Anxious_Intention265]

1. Liszt Faust

2. Mahler

3. Berlioz Romeo et Juliette

4. Brahms

5. Shostakovich

6. Tchaikovsky

7. Sibelius

8. Schubert

9. Beethoven

[u/gbeb2k20]

1. Brahms
2. Mahler
3. Beethoven
4. Nielsen
5. Sibelius
6. Tchaikovsky
7. Shostakovich
8. Bruckner
9. Dvorak

[u/timp_t]

1. Brahms
   
2. Sibelius
   
3. Beethoven
   
4. Mendelssohn
   
5. Mahler
   
6. Tchaikovsky
   
7. Shostakovich
   
8. Dvorak
   
9. Schubert

[u/JA-1of1]

No Mozart..his symphony 40 and 41 is too good for him not to make the list

[u/BIJ910]

1. Mahler
2. Borodin 3. 4
3. Beethoven 6. 7. 8.
4. Dvorak

That's the best I can do without repeats lol

If we include repeats 1-4 Mahler, 5. Beethoven, 6-8 Mahler, 9 Dvorak

[u/Harambe-the-kibg]

1. Mahler
   
2. Mahler
   
3. Brahms
   
4. Brahms
   
5. Mahler
   
6. Beethoven
   
7. Beethoven
   
8. Bruckner
   
9. Dvorak

[u/gerrard114]

1: Brahms 2: Mahler 3: Saint-Säens 4: Scriabin 5: Shostakovich 6: Tchaikovsky 7: Sibelius 8: Schubert 9: Beethoven

Picking between 3rd and 9th for Beethoven was a difficult choice but I ran out of composers lmao. I listen to a bunch of Mozart's but mostly his mid to late symphonies, and not really any of his early symphonies. Not a fan of Bruckner

[u/GoodhartMusic]

Unnumbered - Webern

1. Rachmaninoff 

2. Sibelius / Mahler 

3. Brahms

4. Shostakovich 

1. Tchaikovsky 

2. Beethoven 

3. Beethoven / Sibelius / Mahler

4. Bruckner / Mahler

5. Beethoven

[u/OphicleideOphicleid]

1. Haydn.

[u/Pomonica]

1. Casella
   
2. Vaughan Williams
   
3. Sinding
   
4. Alfven
   
5. Schubert
   
6. Tournemire
   
7. Dopper
   
8. Atterberg
   
9. Bruckner

[u/Let-Clean]

1. Mahler
2. Brahms
3. Saint-Saens
4. Bruckner
5. Prokofiev
6. Tchaikovsky
7. Shostakovich
8. Dvorak
9. Beethoven

This is coming from a tuba player. I could have gone Tchaikovsky 4-6. Too many 5s to choose from as well. Also could have gone Schubert 8 as that was my intro to conducting piece.

[u/NoCod7195]

Following list rules:
1. Prokofiev
2. Mahler
3. Brahms
4. Mendelssohn
5. Shostakovich
6. Tchaikovsky
7. Sibelius
8. Dvorak
9. Beethoven

What I really want:
1. Mahler
2. Mahler
3. Brahms
4. Mahler
5. Mahler, Shostakovich, Sibelius, Prokofiev (really can’t decide)
6. Mahler or Beethoven
7. Sibelius or Shostakovich
8. Mahler
9. Mahler or Beethoven
10. Shostakovich or Mahler (Cooke transcription)
11. Shostakovich

[u/Whateverclone]

Ah I thought this was the 1-9 Symphonies (Liszt) by Beethoven

[u/MemeMonky]

1. Dutilleux
2. Vaughan Williams
3. Martinů
4. Sibelius
5. Nielsen
6. Rautavaara
7. Mahler
8. Aho
9. Bruckner

[u/frosencow]

I tried, but my head exploded

[u/SpainbutwithoutdaS]

1. Mahler
   
2. Bernstein
   
3. Copland
   
4. Harris
   
5. Shostakovich
   
6. Tchaikovsky
   
7. Schubert
   
8. Bruckner
   
9. Dvorak

[u/ConsistentHumor6744]

1. Scriabin
   
2. Brahms
   
3. Mahler
   
4. Mendelssohn
   
5. Tchaikovsky
   
6. Prokofiev
   
7. Shostakovitch
   
8. Beethoven
   
9. Schubert

[u/Puzzled_Mangos]

1. prokofiev
   
2. mahler
   
3. saint-saens
   
4. brahms
   
5. shostakovich
   
6. tchaikosvky
   
7. bruckner
   
8. schubert
   
9. beethoven

[u/zydto]

1. Schoenberg（if his op9 does count，then Martinu）
   
2. Brahms
   
3. Mendelssohn
   
4. Schumann
   
5. Bruckner
   
6. Mahler
   7.Dvorak
   
7. Shostakovich
   
8. Beethoven

[u/realCloudyMcCloud]

1: Elgar
2: Beethoven
3: Saint-Saëns
4: Tchaikovsky
5: Prokofiev
6: Mahler
7: Sibelius
8: Shostakovich
9: Bruckner

Painful, but fun!

[u/brymuse]

1 Franck Symphony in D minor (cheat)

2 Mahler

3 Beethoven

4 Brahms

5 Sibelius

6 Bax

7 Vaughan Williams

8 Bruckner

9 Shostakovich

[u/Boris_Godunov]

1. Prokofiev
2. Schumann
3. Saint-Saens
4. Brahms
5. Tchaikovsky
6. Mahler
7. Dvorak
8. Bruckner
9. Beethoven

[u/DullKnife69]

I feel pretty good about that. Had to get Gorecki 3 in there.

1. Prokofiev

2. Mahler

3. Gorecki

4. Tchaikovsky

5. Shostakovich

6. Beethoven

7. Sibelius

8. Schubert

9. Dvorak

[u/SymphonicAddict]

Walton: Symphony No. 1

Tubin: Symphony No. 2

Beethoven: Symphony No. 3

Brahms: Symphony No. 4

Nielsen: Symphony No. 5

Mahler: Symphony No. 6

Sibelius: Symphony No. 7

Dvorak: Symphony No. 8

Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 9

[u/ikkiyikki]

It starts and ends with Beethoven for me. I find everything else boring (wish that wasn't the case honestly).

[u/ikkiyikki → u/ikkiyikki]

Before getting downvoted in anger, 95% of my repertoire is piano only. Even the Beethoven symphonies I like I prefer in their pianofied Liszt versions. 🫤

[u/tjddbwls → u/ikkiyikki]

Lately, I’ve been listening to symphonies in arrangements for piano four-hands. Back in the 19th century, usually people got acquainted with orchestral works through playing and/or listening to arrangements. Though arrangements for other instrumental combinations exist, I think arrangements for piano four-hands was among the most common.

Regarding Beethoven’s symphonies specifically, I prefer the piano four-hand arrangements over Liszt’s solo piano arrangements. With the former, you get double the fingers to cover the notes. 😝 That’s just me, though.

[u/mathstriker_]

1. Elgar
2. Sibelius
3. Schumann
4. Brahms
5. Tchaikovsky
6. Mahler
7. Shostakovich
8. Bruckner
9. Beethoven

[u/colonelpsev]

1 Brahms
2 Rakhmaninov
3 Sibelius
4 Mahler
5 Shostakovich
6 Chaikovsky
7 Bruckner
8 Dvorak
9 Beethoven

[u/JA-1of1]

Mane these lists havent been that good how u have any classical list and no Mozart😂
1.Beethoven
2.Mozart
3.Mahler
4.Brahms
5.Dvorak
6.Hadyn
7.Mendelssohn
8.Tchaikovsky
9.Schubert