Top Ten Symphonic Movements

[Shapley]

I had a hard time choosing. Do you pick mostly movements from your favourite composer? Or do you pick your favourite movement from symphonies by various composers?

I chose to do the latter, with the exception of one composer, who I could not narrow down to a single favourite...

[Catmando]

I had a hard time choosing. Do you pick mostly movements from your favourite composer? Or do you pick your favourite movement from symphonies by various composers?

I chose to do the latter, with the exception of one composer, who I could not narrow down to a single favourite...

I had movements picked from 10 different symphonies, from 8 different composers.

[Trumpetmaster]

I had 7 different composers.... as I went with what I like to listen to....
not my favorite composers....

[hal 9000]

I had a hard time choosing. Do you pick mostly movements from your favourite composer? Or do you pick your favourite movement from symphonies by various composers?

I chose to do the latter, with the exception of one composer, who I could not narrow down to a single favourite...

You are the keeper of my list Shap, so you know how I chose my list. But for the record:

I picked my favorite movements from symphonies, which most happened to be from the same composer.

[Serenity]

I had a hard time choosing. Do you pick mostly movements from your favourite composer? Or do you pick your favourite movement from symphonies by various composers?

I chose to do the latter, with the exception of one composer, who I could not narrow down to a single favourite...

I'm still struggling. My guess is that your picks are in line with your personality. I tend to be an introspective person and so feel touched by soft, quiet largos which most would find boring. My rebellious streak likes scherzos and dissonance. My brain keeps telling me to stick to what is probably popular but I can really only select what I have chosen to listen to, so brilliant composers like Haydn and Mozart will not be listed.

I guess you should first select movements that give you goosebumps and then rank them by the number of goosebumps they give you.

[Serenity]

Awesome topic! This will be really hard to narrow it down to 10!

March 28 2:26

[quote="Catmando"]My list is ready Hal. March 28 3:20

Too funny! Less than one hour on an awesome topic that will be really hard to narrow down.

[hal 9000]

Thank you for your list Serenity!

List count: 5

Keep 'em coming!®

[hal 9000]

Thank you for your list, bignaf!

List count: 6

Keep 'em coming!®

[Marye]

I am sorry Serenity and Hal, but I haven't time to compile my list though I would love to. It is a shorter span for this top ten, last Wed. to Mon., and I have just been too busy with work and finishing the Opus X ..... my apologies.

[hal 9000]

I am sorry Serenity and Hal, but I haven't time to compile my list though I would love to. It is a shorter span for this top ten, last Wed. to Mon., and I have just been too busy with work and finishing the Opus X ..... my apologies.

No problem Marye. I again will be very busy this evening (durn Mondays!). I am extending the deadline to next Monday, April 9th, 2007 @ 6:00PM EST. Plenty of time to get more lists in and plenty of time for those that decide to revise their lists (it is a big topic!).

[Shapley]

Plenty of time to get more lists in and plenty of time for those that decide to revise their lists (it is a big topic!).

And plenty of time to get those bids on on Hal's list. So far the bidding is up to four shekels, a ball of string, and can of Kippered Herring.

V/R
Shapley

[Trumpetmaster]

Hal9000,
If there are only a few more lists later this week...
can we submit a 2nd list?

TM

[Marye]

I am sorry Serenity and Hal, but I haven't time to compile my list though I would love to. It is a shorter span for this top ten, last Wed. to Mon., and I have just been too busy with work and finishing the Opus X ..... my apologies.

No problem Marye. I again will be very busy this evening (durn Mondays!). I am extending the deadline to next Monday, April 9th, 2007 @ 6:00PM EST. Plenty of time to get more lists in and plenty of time for those that decide to revise their lists (it is a big topic!).

[hal 9000]

Hal9000,
If there are only a few more lists later this week...
can we submit a 2nd list?

TM

Okay, here's how we can do the 2nd list idea. If any of you would like to submit your favorite #11 through #20 as well, you can do so, but please send them separately from your top 10 (this is for organizational reasons) and clearly state in the Topic and/or message that it is your 2nd list (not 1 through 10). Also know that the results from the 2nd lists will be determined independently of the main lists. They will not have influence on each other and I will assume that the 10 highest scorers in the 1st lists are #1 through 10 and the 10 highest scorers in the 2nd lists are #11 through 20 (regardless of scores). And the person you matches closest on the 1st lists will be considered the winner. The 2nd list is just for fun.

So start sending you lists!

[navneeth]

hal, did you receive my list (and revision)?

[hal 9000]

Thank you for your list (and revision ) navneeth!

Thank you for your list Serenity!

Thank you for your 2nd list Serenity!

Sorry, thinks have been a bit hectic the past few days (nothing serious, just trying to command too many hobbies at once! ) and I am just catching up.

List count: 7
2nd List count: 1

Keep 'em coming!®

[hal 9000]

Hmm, the poll question results are interesting to me.

1st movement: 3
2nd movement: 2
3rd movement: 1
4th movement: 3

Here is my interpretation of that data (purely unscientific, as it should be )

People like the beginning because it is loaded with exciting stuff. For the same reasons, they like the end just as much because of the finales. Now, the second movement comes next because people are still absorbing the good stuff they heard in the 1st movement. By the time the 3rd movement comes around, they have forgotten about the 1st movement and are anxious to hear the finales in the 4th movement, hence the lowest score.

What is your take?

[Serenity]

I think you're reading too much into it but it is an interesting thought. I think you should rather keep track of whether the votes are in for Andante versus Largo versus Allegro versus Maestoso, etc. Instead of watching the poll, try tallying what movements people actually list. Modern composers don't actually follow the traditional symphony in 4 movements nor the original order of the movements.

When you read a book, you start at the beginning and that has got to catch your attention. People obviously like knowing the end of the story and the conclusion of all questions raised. A good 2nd and 3rd movement must be like those books that you can't put down and read fairly quickly.

[DavidS]

Come on - it really depends on the work itself.
Mozart's no. 25 and 40 - The first movements are the most exciting, but the last movements are great too.
Beethoven - no. 5: 1st movement, no.3 & no. 9: last movements...
Brahms no. 1 - last movement...
Dvořák Cello Concerto & Symphonies no. 8 & 9 - last movements
Schubert no. 9 - 2nd movement (I played 2nd violin in childhood)...
Paganini Violin Concertos no. 1 & 2 - last movements
Haydn & Hummel Trumpet Concerti - all movements
etc. etc. etc.
Haydn: Emperor Quartet - 2nd movement ("Deutschland Deutschland über alles...")

[Shapley]

In Beethoven's 5th, the 3rd and 4th movements are almost as one movement.

Schubert's "unfinished", Mahler's 8th, and Saint-Saen's 3rd have only 2 movements each.

Berlioz Symphony Fantastique and Mahler's 2nd have five movementes each. If the last movement of these is persons preference, what are they to do?

All of these tend to skew the results, IMHO. If the 2 movement symphonies figure heavily in the poll, then the skew will be towards the lower numbers. If you prefer the ending of Beethoven's fifth, which do you select - the 3rd or 4th movement? If you prefer the 5th movement, or prefer symphonies with five movements, where do you turn?

Just being nit-picky here in the early-morning hours. I really have no idea what the poll numbers mean.

V/R
Shapley