10 Amazing Stand-Alone Symphony Recordings

[@connykarlsson9969]

Karajan's recording of Dvorak's Eighth Symphony with the Vienna Philharmonic is my favorite of all his recordings that I know of. He seems to show such a deep emotional affinity for the work. Absolutely wonderful!

[@michaelhughes1504]

I might add Bernstein's Shostakovich 7 with Chicago on DG

[@robhaynes4410]

One of my favorite Mahler singletons is Kent Nagano's Symphony 8. What a truly spectacular recording. Giulini was kinda the King of the Singletons. His DG recordings of Beethoven 5, Brahms 1, Mahler 9, & Schumann 3 are all favorites.

[@twwc960]

I agree. (His Schumann 3 is fabulous!) I was also going to suggest Giulini's Bruckner 9 with Vienna, as well. Speaking of Bruckner, I would add Klemperer's Bruckner 6 to the list as well. (He did record some other Bruckner but never a complete cycle.)

[@c.7610]

Giulini’s Mahler 9 was the first Mahler symphony I ever heard. Life-changing.

[@aubreyeie3962]

Nagano’s Brahms 4 is also great

[@DonCYHaute]

Nagano's premiere of the full three-movement Das Klagende Lied is an incredible interpretation that's been put on youtube quite recently, though the singers couldn't quite pull it off on the night sadly. I hope there's a studio version of his that does it justice.

[@twwc960]

I would definitely add Peter Maag's recording of Mendelssohn's Scottish Symphony to the list.

[@mrktdd]

Yes - and Cantelli's Fourth.

[@RobertRussell-j5z]

Previn's glorious Mahler 4 is wonderfully upliftng.

[@b1i2l336]

What a terrific idea for a review! Thank you! I've always wished Monteux could have recorded more Brahms- his partnership with Henryk Szeryng in the Violin Concerto reveals his love for the composer with every warm, glowing phrase.

[@dmntuba]

I'd much rather have a fantastic "one off" noncycle that is fulfilling to listen to than a disappointing cycle. Great Clint Eastwood quote, "A man's got to know his limitations. " 🤣

[@jdistler2]

Great list! To this I would add the Bruckner Ninth with Giulini/Vienna Philharmonic on DG

[@Bachback]

Off to Amazon I go. The Karajan/Berlin Phil Mahler 4 has some of the most beautiful string playing that I have ever heard. Zubin Mehta/Vienna Phil give a special charge to Mahler 2. Scott Varland

[@markgibson6654]

Regarding the Ancerl Shostakovich amazing is indeed the word! The understanding of the architecture, the tempi, the wealth and clarity of detail, the beauty of the the orchestral playing even during many of the most harrowing moments, all revelatory. I have heard many renditions of this symphony and enjoyed many of them and yet I find this performance to be uniquely wonderful. Oh and the overall engineered recorded sound- I don't know exactly how to say that ") - seems really good. Thanks David!

[@hallingerman2168]

Great list, Dave! I remember as a college student the thrill I experienced in hearing Szell's Philips LP recording of Sibelius' Sym. 2. When I played it for my friend, he gave up Moody Blues and became a real aficionado of classical music. I always loved the way Szell brought out the TUBA in the closing pages of the finale. As for Monteux and the Brahms Sym. 2, I see where Monteux apparently recorded it 5 times. Like yourself, I think the Vienna performance is sonically the best, but his 1945 San Francisco Sym. performance is electric in places, and while slower, his 1962 LSO performance, recorded about 2 years before his passing, is beautiful, too. Your readers might also be pleased to know that Monteux's "live" performance with the Boston Symphony Orchestra has just appeared on ICA classics CD. Beautiful performance. Thank you!

[@MrTomsudholt]

Hi Dave, Great presentation as ever. The Szell/Cleveland account of the Sibelius 2nd was not intended for commercial release but was a rather a live capture by NHK engineers. (Apparently, it was video taped as well but someone wiped the reels...what a loss but at least we've an audio stereo sound track.) By the time of the Tokyo concert at Bunka Kaikan, the orchestra members realized that something was physically very wrong with Szell. He alone already knew he was going to die of his diagnosed bone cancer and despite encroaching weakness - probably fevers as well - he soldiered on through force of his prodigious will. The Clevelanders, sensing the seriousness of his difficulties, decided to go for broke at the Tokyo concert in tribute to him and delivered a performance for the ages. Szell was moved to say after the concert: "Now THAT was a performance!" I think this was the penultimate concert of his life with the last being done in Anchorage, Alaska. After landing in Cleveland, he went to the hospital, and never came out, ultimately dying there some six or seven weeks later. He was 73. Had he lived it would not have been pretty. He was starting to lose his hearing and I think a sad break with Cleveland also would have occurred. He already felt emotionally distant from them because they asserted themselves in a strike situation. In some ways, Szell's demise was perfect timing for him, sad to say.

[@c.iuliusbalbus4399]

I have just found, at Presto, a 1956 live recording of Brahms 3 by Monteux in Edinburgh with the Boston Symphony. The booklet notes tell us the same that Mr. Hurwitz told: that Monteux was "sad to have been so restricted in (his) chosen metier" because of his being French...

[@ilunga146]

I got the Blomstedt Mahler 2, Dave, and I love it. Thank you so much.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@tarakb7606]

Many thanks for the information. As the saying goes, less is more. The Muti/Mahler 1 was a real revelation. Thankfully there are still a few secondhand copies available online.

[@davekeyes5589]

Martinon’s Nielsen just crackles with energy, and is one of my faves. I’d add Barbirolli’s 1962 recording of VW5 with the Philharmonia Orchestra to your list.

[@steveschwartz8944]

I would add Szell's and Dohnanyi's recordings of the Dvorak 7th, 8th, and 9th, both with the Cleveland, my hometown team. I'd also add Szell's Tchaikovsky 5th, again with the Cleveland. Dave also put me in mind of great conductors who, as far as I know, did no cycles at all: Beecham, Stokowski, Mengelberg.

[@coasterfrk100]

Dohnanyi's Dvorak 8 and 9 are my favorites. One small complaint. Wish he had observed the first movement repeat in the 9th.

[@bigg2988]

@@coasterfrk100 Agreed with regard to the repeat. Such gorgeous music ought to be played to the full! Any time I see a recording of the 9th that has an 8-to-9 minute first movement, it subconsciously feels underwhelming even before hearing...

[@gaylelinney180]

I'd include Beethoven 7 with Beecham, Shostakovich 11 with Stokowski, Parry 5 with Boult (yes I know, Parry... but it's actually a very fine work) and, maybe a surprise, Dvorák 9 with Böhm.

[@leestamm3187]

A fine list. In particular, the two Mahler recordings by Blomstedt and Muti are surprisingly good. Makes me wish they both had done maybe two or three others. Muti also did a good live Mahler 4 with the Concertgebouw in 1995 that's available on KZbin.

[@KenL414]

I was wondering if you’d mention the Blomstedt Mahler 2 - which I love because you talked about it in a Mahler 2 video - what a spectacular recording and a really solid performance - so good that I struggle enjoying other Mahler 2s as much as this one. Added a few to my list based on this video, as is usually the case when I watch your chats. Thanks as always, Dave.

[@ol25n]

Very good video, I agree with you about the over-proliferation of cycles. Another really good singleton release is MTT's Tchaik 1 with the BSO.

[@hendriphile]

What a fascinating topic! My two cents worth: Beethoven #2 with Beecham, and the Eroica with Barbirolli.

[@leeturner1202]

One that I immediately thought of is the Zubin Mehta Schmidt Symphony # 4 with the VPO. I can easily imagine that someone might have tried to talk him into doing the other three.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

No, I disagree. The intention here was to speak or repertoire that frequently appeared in complete cycles. Schmidt doesn't even rise to "frequently appeared," never mind a complete cycle. The fact that a composer wrote more than one of something isn't necessarily relevant.

[@moviedave2001]

A more recent example that I adore is Alexandre Bloch Malher 7.

[@OuterGalaxyLounge]

Great idea for a list. All superlative performances. These guys batted and pitched a perfect game and said, "I'm out."

[@phidelt2]

Dave - as I was listening to this talk a topic that came to mind is a top 10/15/20 list of recordings (could be limited to symphonies if you like) where a visiting or "guest" conductor came in, recorded, and the results of which produced a recording that outdid/bested/outplayed the MD or Chief Conductor of XYZ orchestra in the same repertoire. In that I mean, this guest is not an officially appointed position, but someone who was just on the schedule. In and out. I bet there has to be a solid list of examples here. But only if you're really bored 🙂

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I'm not that bored yet.

[@brianburtt7053]

I recently got the Blomstedt box and have been meaning to set aside time to listen to the Maher 2, so maybe I'll do that this afternoon. I'm kinda surprised you didn't mention the Wit Mahler 8, but maybe the list was already a bit Mahler-heavy. And, if we throw in triptychs as some others in the comments have done, I will always be grateful for Kurt Sanderling's 9th/completed 10th/das Lied.

[@janantonbrouwer3971]

Very interesting video Dave, thank you. I think there's one 'great, famous' conductor 'in the universe' who only did one complete cycle (Brahms in Vienna) and no other one, but made imo great recordings of single symphonies: Giulini. I love his Mahler 1 and 9 (both Chicago, on EMI and DG), of course his Bruckner (the VPO 7-9 are well known, but I much more like his recording of the 2nd with the Wiener Symphoniker), and whatever he did (Schumann 3 in LA). Even his Chicago Schubert 9 is at least very interesting. You never (re)commend his recordings, Dave. Idea to spend a video on his non-opera recordings...? (His opera recordings are very interesting as well, though).

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I often recommend his recordings.

[@brennanjordan9447]

Fun topic and great list! I am sure you could only throw so much Mahler in the list, but the Fritz Reiner CSO Das Lied von der Erde would definitely be on my list (and thanks, Dave, for highlighting this recording).

[@anonymusmester]

Bruckner no. 9 - Lenny Not an obvious coupling, but terrific.

[@user-mc9sg9fw3w]

Cool video. I’ve learned so much from this channel. Amazon and the iTunes Store thanks you :)

[@davidtprice]

My choice for Dvorak's 8th would be Giulini in Chicago for DG. It's well played and conducted throughout, but it's most remarkable for the horns in the last movement - they are AMAZING!! I think the miking was arranged specifically to make them stand out, and boy do they ever, much more than any other recording. Well worth a listen.

[@CliveLamdin]

Thanks, Dave. Great review

[@aubreyeie3962]

A few that come to my mind are (in no particular order): 1. Brahms 4 - Kent Nagano, Deutsche SO 2. Saint-Saens 3 - Kazuki Yamada, Monte-Carlo PO 3. Tchaikovsky 6 - Teodor Currentzis, MA (one of the better recordings he made) 4. Mendelssohn 3 - Dimitri Mitropoulos, Minneapolis SO 5. Mendelssohn 3 - Peter Maag, LSO 6. Schubert 9 - Josef Krips, LSO 7. Mendelssohn 4 - George Szell, CO 8. Schumann 2 - Giuseppe Sinopoli, Philharmonia O 9. Brahms 3 - Hans Knappertsbusch, BPO 1950 (very controversial and sometimes technically sloppy, but he really made some interesting points) 10. Tchaikovsky 4 - Christoph Dohnanyi, VPO 11. Mahler 9 - Kurt Sanderling, multiple orchestras 12. Beethoven 9 - Klaus Tennstedt, LPO

[@anttivirolainen8223]

Here are a few additions that popped into my head: Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 6 and/or 11 (I can't decide which) /Paavo Berglund & Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Dvorak: Symphony No. 7/ Sir Colin Davis & Concertgebouw Dvorak: Symphony No. 7 (again) / Pierre Monteux & LSO Bruckner: Symphony No. 5 / Wolfgang Sawallisch & Bayerisches Staatsorchester Sibelius: Symphony No. 4 / Hans Rosbaud & Südwestfunk Orchester Baden-Baden Nielsen: Symphony No. 5 / Leonard Bernstein & NYP

[@mikecain6397]

Glad as ever to see you well and great discussion piece. On the Monteux i would be interested to hear your view of the live Brahms 4 on KZbin from Boston in 1960 and the BBC Legends 3rd.

[@mr-wx3lv]

I can imagine Pierre Monteux being good Brahms as was his Dvorak. Actually Dvorak 7 and the LSO by him was excellent...

[@petertaplin4365]

I love Nielsen's Symphony No.4 'The Inexcusable' 😂. I'll also put my hand up for the Monteux Dvorak 7, and add Sinopoli's Scubert 'Unfinished' The 1st movement scares me out of my wits!

[@bigg2988]

Have you listened to Sinopoli's almost 100 minute Mahler 9th with Dresden?.. Oh my, it is like some dark rite. Scary, nihilistic and merciless to the listener! Of course Mahler's music allows also for such interpretation, but it teeters on the brink of an abyss. The first and last movements BOTH are over 30 mins, if memory serves! With any reservations that apply, we have to acknowledge Sinopoli mostly just did not give a damn and went his way. :)

As far as I can remember, Wand thought of Schumann's second symphony either 'sick work' or 'sick man's work'.

[@johnmarchington3146]

David, I thought you might have mentioned the Monteux Sibelius 2 with the LSO on RCA. It was my introduction to the work and I still regard it very highly. I don't think he recorded any of the Finn's other symphonies. I'm glad you mentioned the Ancerl Czech PO Shostakovich 10th. Magnificent.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I might have.

[@geertdecoster5301]

Great talk yet again. So much stuff in the one this time. It's my view too btw. It's just fine that we don't have anything more. My mind boggles at what could have been but we'll always have Paris indeed! 😉

[@curseofmillhaven1057]

Slatkin's Walton 1st and because few are interested in the Second you have Szell for that (remarkable recordings both). Mackerras' amazing and unjustly neglected Rachmaninov 3rd with the RLPO. Fremaux's spectacular Saint-Saens Organ Symphony with the CBSO and last but not least, Alan Gilbert's stellar Mahler 9th in Stockholm

[@TheTmackey]

Excellent!

[@shawnhampton8503]

Comparing Monteux's Brahms 2s: I prefer the sound and overall playing of the Beulah stereo recording from 1959 with Vienna. The LSO Decca version is also superb, as you pointed out. Great video of important one off recordings, or almost.

[@petercable7768]

Just to clarify. Monteux's Vienna Phil performance was a Decca recording. The LSO performance was made for Phillips. Both are equally satisfying.

[@javiermarting]

It is a very interesting selection of stand-alone symphonies, I will check them out. However, I wonder whether Brahms 2 under Monteux refers to the 1964 recording with the LSO or the 1959 with the VPO. They are probably quite similar, but I wonder which is the one to get.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Please read the comments.

[@tom6693]

For me it would have to be Barbirolli's Eroica (BBC SO). He is more obviously known for his recordings of Elgar, Mahler, Sibelius, V-Williams, Bruckner, Brahms than Beethoven, even though he regularly programmed Beethoven (as well as Haydn) in all those Halle seasons. Yet he recorded only Symphonies 1,5, and 8 before that 1967 Eroica, and it's a thrilling performance. Monumental from start to finish, and with one of the most moving and grandly conceived funeral marches on disc--the climax of which is positively hair-raising. It's all worlds away from fleet HIP performances more likely heard today, but it's dug-in seriousness of purpose, the gravity evident in every bar, can make later readings seem scrawny and superficial, like they're missing the point of the music. A true stand-alone recording.

[@classicalemotion]

Brahms 4th Carlos Kleiber it's one of the great Brahms ever...

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

No, actually, it's not.

[@marcelobriones6551]

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10 (Ancerl, Czech Phil) Supraphon? I believe it is DG or Decca, the 1955 mono recording.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

DG.

[@goonbelly5841]

Monteux's Brahms 2nd on Philips with the LSO is also a great performance. Was Ancerl's Shostakovich 10th originally released on Supraphon? The version I have is on DG (The Originals series).

[@SolFilms]

I *think* they’re two separate recordings. The Eloquence Ancerl set gives a 1955 date, and the Supraphon cd release say… (Checking) *Edit: There’s no Shostakovich 10th in the gold series and a quick online search doesn’t show any LP releases of the DG recording by Supraphon.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

My bad, it was on DG--the other stuff was on Supraphon.

[@johanhendrix5907]

The great mono one on Supraphon is the 7th (1 and 5 being stereo I think).

[@vilebrequin6923]

Thanks for the great video, Dave. Could you also please consider a video on pieces by the same artist, but better caught live than in their studio versions?😊

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

No, I'm sorry. I'd never do that.

[@pepegaleote11]

Dear David, I have searched for the recording of Sibelius's second symphony conducted by Szell and it has been impossible for me to get any of the ones you propose, neither the one made in studio nor the one recorded live in Tokyo. I have only been able to find in streaming a live version, I think by the Concertgebouw orchestra, from the Urania Records label but in which nothing else is specified. Although it sounds excellent to me Do you know more data about this recording? Thank you very much in advance and congratulations for your exceptional channel in which I learn a lot despite having been in this hobby since my teens, more than 40 years ago.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I believe the Urania is the Philips recording. I can't believe it's impossible to find anywhere....

[@pepegaleote11]

@@DavesClassicalGuide I believe the Phillips recording is a studio recording, however the Urania recording is live. Thank you for your reply

[@michaelk6057]

Hmmm, I've noticed you mention the Ancerl Shostakovich Symphony 10 before but it seems to be a DG recording and not a Supraphon. No biggie but just wanted to make sure there is in fact only the one 1956 recording. The Ancerl Shostakovich Symphony 1 and 5 are the Supraphon recordings, I believe. Oh, and here's another great singleton and a defining performance (and recording!): Hanson, Symphony 2: Gerhardt/National

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Yes, it was a DG recording. Hanson doesn't count. No one did Hanson cycles or could be expected to do one aside from Hanson himself and, eventually, Schwarz

[@michaelk6057]

Thx & fair enough!@@DavesClassicalGuide

[@jgesselberty]

I might have added Monteux's Franck D minor

[@judsonmusick3177]

Dave, Pierre Monteux recorded the Brahms Second twice. He recorded it with the Vienna Philharmonic in 1959 for either RCA or Decca, and recorded it again with the London Symphony in 1962 for Philips. Which recording are you referring to?

[@falesch]

I, too, would like to know.

[@falesch]

I double checked, and David did specify "Decca" up in his playlist, so that probably means it's the VPO recording.

[@falesch]

Hmm... The image from the LSO recording says Decca Eloquence. Discogs has the VPO recording as RCA Victor. I'm unable to choose between the two. Sonically, however, I greatly prefer the VPO recording. However, in the LSO the 4th movement coda with its blazing final bars has better definition in the brass, making for a memorable and delicious aftertaste.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

LSO '62

[@shanesaunders420]

He also did two mono versions with the San Francisco Symphony

[@damiangruszczynski7451]

You have to know Dave that there is a live recording of Brahms 3rd with Monteux with Boston

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I'm not talking about live recordings. At this point, there's a live recording of everything by everyone.

[@damiangruszczynski7451]

@@DavesClassicalGuide yes I know! I refer to what you said that Monteux would make an interesting 3rd in your opinion :-)

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Gotcha. I meant in the studio.

[@marqde1]

Thomas Schippers Schubert 9th with Cincinnati

[@najichmayssani1703]

Thanks for this video. I proceeded to hunt down the Mahler/Blomstedt and the Sibelius/Szell which were missing from my collection after watching it :-) PS: I have Shosta 10/Ancerl but on DG. Is it different than the Supraphon one or the same performance? Thanks

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

It's a DG recording. Same thing.

[@bobbegley5633]

I feel the Jarvi dsch 10 is better than the Ancerl because of the better sonics. I can crank up the Jarvi 😊. The Ancerl may be a better performance.