10 Ridiculously Underplayed Symphonies

10 Ridiculously Underplayed Symphonies
Haydn: Symphony No. 102
Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 1
Sgambati: Symphony No. 1
Goldmark: “Rustic Wedding” Symphony
Piston: Symphony No. 4
Roussel: Symphony No. 2
Nielsen: Symphony No. 5
Martinu: Symphony No. 4
Prokofiev: Symphony No. 6
Dvořák: Symphony No. 5

[@markgibson6654]

Love the Nielsen 5th and have neen blown away by the Martinu 4th, especially the slow movement and that awesome finale. Grateful for the mention of those two. Thanks David!

[@walterq3]

Great you enjoyed Martinu 4. I highly recommend you listen to his Symphony 3 too. It has a darker mood but fascinating textures.

[@markgibson6654]

Will do . Thank you!

[@kylejohnson8877]

This is the kind of content I always look forward to from you, Dave! I had the immense pleasure and rare opportunity to perform Nielsen 5 last week (I'm a cellist) - what a thrilling and singular work of genius! It's probably the most difficult orchestral piece I've ever played, especially the 2nd movement with its jumpy chromatic string ostinatos and lightning-fast initial fugue. My own list would probably look something like this: -Hugo Alfvén: Symphony No. 3 -Malcolm Arnold : Symphony No. 5 -Kurt Atterberg: Symphony No. 3 "West Coast Pictures" -Joly Braga Santos: Symphony No. 4 -Alfredo Casella: Symphony No. 3 (Sinfonia) -Howard Hanson: Symphony No. 3 -George Lloyd: Symphony No. 5 -Albéric Magnard: Symphony No. 4 -Erkki Melartin: Symphony No. 3 -Ernest John Moeran: Symphony in G minor Not only do I think these are among the most unjustly underplayed symphonies in the repertoire, but they're among my all-time favorite works of classical music - underplayed or not!

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

That's a wonderful but very different list. I was trying to stick to works by major composers (with a couple of exceptions), or works that do well on recordings but that we almost never hear live.

[@tommyron]

Hi Kyle! I guess I don't have to tell you that I'm always happy to see the Moeran getting some love. Right on!

[@d.r.martin6301]

Tchaikovsky Third, "Polish." An underappreciated gem. Exuberant and tuneful as they come. Also, even more obscure, but a delight--Kalinnikov Sym. 1.

[@bbailey7818]

Kallinikov, absolutely. And these days, how often do we get Borodin's great 2nd?

[@Bucky55]

Love the Tchaikovsky. Couldn't agree more 👍🏻

[@sjc1204]

Agree completely about Tchaikovsky's third. My first exposure to Kalinnikov was Kuchar's album (Naxos) and I was hooked.

[@FREDGARRISON]

Glad you mentioned Tchaikovsky's Third. Very tuneful after you get past the slow beginning. Plus you get 5 movements instead of 4.

[@johannesbluemink4581]

Oh, yes, Kallinokov. I was in New York in the Autmn of 1990, and heard it in the Concert-hall (sorry, forgot the name). A female conductor. I was hooked at once!

[@tortuedelanuit2299]

I can't resist chipping in with ten recent favorites that seem underplayed. Haydn 75 Kalinnikov 1 Bloch Symphony in C-sharp minor Elgar 2 Schmidt 2 Stenhammar 2 Myaskovsky 6 Bliss A Colour Symphony Dohnányi 2 Hanson 6

[@balok63a40]

I think that you meant Schmidt 4

[@tortuedelanuit2299]

@@balok63a40 No, Schmidt 4 is also underplayed, but not as badly as Schmidt 1 or 2

[@waukee321]

Dohnanyi had some great pieces. Haydn: Symphony #53 (The Imperial) a lively piece that has several alternate endings.

[@rupertaustin]

Yes, Hanson 6. A recent discovery of mine which I absolutely love. Kalinnikov 1 is good too - my son recently played clarinet in a student performance of that symphony and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I have done some listening to Myaskovsky symphonies and number 22 (B minor) is one that caught my ears, but ilI will try the one you mention, also the Bloch as I love some of his music but didn't know there was a symphony.

[@tortuedelanuit2299]

@@rupertaustin Thanks a lot for reinfecting me with the ear worm march from the last movement of Myaskovsky 22!

[@James-ll3jb]

Found Prokofiev #6 last week. Whoa! What a delight!😊

[@dionbaillargeon4899]

In fact, Dvorak 3-7 are all criminally underplayed.

[@connormonday]

Is 7 really underplayed? I’ve played it four times in the last six years. It’s a great piece, though. Easily better than 8 in my opinion.

[@dionbaillargeon4899]

@@connormonday It may vary from country to country. Where I live I've rarely seen it, as opposed to 8 and 9. Be that as it may No. 3-6 definitely are. I've seen 6 and 5 programmed ONCE in 20 years, and never been able to see either 3 or 4. I love my Bruckner and Mahler, but they are getting ridiculously overplayed, at the expense of everyone else.

[@threethrushes]

@@dionbaillargeon4899In Bruckner's bicentenary year, I'm not complaining. Recently heard Bruckner 6 in Prague by Rattle.

[@dionbaillargeon4899]

@@threethrushes I completely forgot about the bicentenary! And I can also indulge in some Bruckner 6th. The first movement is quite extraordinary.

[@samuelstephens6163]

I really love Dvorak 3!

[@glennportnoy1305]

Great video, Dave! Maybe there is some hope for us, at least here in Philadelphia. The following may not qualify as underplayed, but over the past couple of seasons we heard:: Berwald Sinfonie Singuliere Weill Symphony no. 2 Shostakovich Symphony No. 4 Scheduled for next season: Prokofiev Symphony No. 6 Lutoslawski Symphony No. 4 My personal Wish List : Gade Symphony No. 1 Tubin Symphony No. 3

[@NealSchultz]

Tubin is a FABULOSO symphonist.....

[@dwdei8815]

Shostakovich 4 is a superlative monument to musical courage, genius, complexity and emotional impact. There isn't a dull second in it. Unfortunately, tragically, it is massively overshadowed by his 5th, a work of genius without doubt, but his coerced retraction, under the heel of totalitarianism, of that earlier daring and freedom. Like you I could nominate dozens more, but let's keep it at that.

[@miltonjohnston1683]

I’d add Chausson’s single symphony.

[@grandisdavid]

Absolutely sublime!

[@anttivirolainen8223]

On my own list, I would also include Szymanowski's Symphony No. 3 and No. 4, among others. Szymanowski is one of the most underrated musical geniuses. I agree that many lesser-known gems in Haydn's symphonic repertoire deserve far more attention. I appreciated it when John Storgårds, during his tenure as the chief conductor of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, regularly performed some of those Haydn symphonies that, due to the lack of a nickname or other reasons, have remained in the shadow of his more famous works.

[@daviddavenport9350]

The Sturm und Drang symphonies of the 1770s come immediately to mind! Masterpieces all!

[@tonyanderton3521]

I agree regarding Szymanowski 3.

[@martinlest]

Szymanowski's Stabat Mater. A stunning, spiritual masterpiece. If you know it, you will understand why I make the comment (even though it's not a symphony!). If not, well, it's here on KZbin of course. Once heard, never forgotten.

[@tonyanderton3521]

@@martinlest Thanks for the recommendation, Martin. I'm just trying to get in to Dvorak's Stabat Mater at the moment, having heard that for the first time only a few days ago. I'll certainly try Szymanowski's next.

[@MartinRobidoux]

Very important publication! Thank you so much Dave for your work!

[@daviddavenport9350]

My doctoral thesis was on Nielsen's percussion writing in the Clarinet Concerto, the 4th and 5th Symphonies....AND I had the good fortune to play all of those pieces (right around the time I was completing the paper!).....on the 5th....there is that magic coda to the first movement (section) in which the solo clarinet sings this plaintive chant softly and softly and the snaredrum echos from off stage his "fascist" tattoo... the conductor came up to me after the performance and said he would always remember the way the clarinetist and I did that bit!

[@ouwebrood497]

The fifth of Nielsen is so awesome. I like the 'chaotic' way of it. It's a nice blend between the energetic 4th and the odd 6th.

[@shirleyrombough8173]

I wish he'd have played parts of many of these works.

[@rupertaustin]

Joseph Suk's incredibly emotional Asrael Symphony is worth a mention as an underplayed symphonic masterpiece. So worth a listen by anyone who is unfamiliar with it.

[@andrewbarrow3466]

A wonderful work. The finale is, for me, deeply moving. Played a lot in Czechia, not so much in the United Kingdom.

[@stefanhorlitz]

I heard it's difficult to play, but Franz Schmidt 2 is such a cornucopia of masterful harmonies, counterpoint and it's just a smashing piece as a whole.

[@andresklavierraum]

Paavo Jarvi and the Tonhalle Zurich programmed Nielsen's 5th together wit Bartok's second violin concerto just a couple of weeks ago. What an amazing pairing and what a wonderful evening it was! Unfortunately it did not fill up the venue as it happened in some other recent concerts, which caused a couple of critics/comments on the local press. A bit sad. I hope they continued programming this less played repertoire and people get more curious about them as they get more air play.

[@vanhouten64]

The Goldmark symphony is indeed fantastic. I had never heard it before (nor had I heard of Goldmark) until you mentioned it a few weeks ago!

[@digital-classics]

All excellent choices! My only addition might be the Asrael Symphony by Suk - as "underperformed" (shall we say) as it is intense.

[@williammchugh5395]

I just last week attended a performance of the Nielsen 5th, with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Paavo Järvi. A fine performance of a fine work!

[@simonalbrecht9435]

Ernst Toch! I've only gotten to listening to his 1st one, but it's an incredible masterpiece.

[@martinhaub6828]

There is so much music, so many symphonies, that aren't played or heard. It would be nice if summer music festival took the opportunity to explore some the lesser known repertoire. But nowadays they all just regurgitate the same old, tired, worn out repertoire from the regular season. There is one festival, Leon Botstein's Bard Festival, that concentrates on obscure music, but he's out there alone. Thank God for recordings!

[@jackarcher7495]

I agree. However great they are -- and they are great -- how many times do you want to hear the Beethoven 7, the Brahms 4 and the Mozart 40 in concert? There's so much more you'd like to hear, and discover.

[@NealSchultz]

@@jackarcher7495I am tired of all three of those. Down with War Horses!!!

[@ycloon]

Thank you so much for breathing new life into my symphonic listening! Your video has renewed my interest in some symphonies that I've heard and forgotten and introduced new symphonies (and their composers) to me. And your mocking delivery of, "palace of culture" is absolutely priceless. Who said classical music commentary has to be wholly somber and judicious? I say give me a bit of good-natured cheekiness anytime. I'll keep on listening!

[@daviddavenport9350]

Haydn 102...absolutely! But then the whole of the London symphony sets are extraordinary in inventiveness.....I have a lovely little book called Haydn in London....and it describes how unbelieveably busy Haydn was in churning out music for his two stays there....I dont know how a single man accomplished all he did there!

[@joebloggs396]

97 I always loved. Listen to the Tanglewood orchestra in it.

[@garytee5129]

Wonderful list. Enjoying Haydn 102 now with Sinopoli and the Philharmonia. Thank you. May I add 3 for your consideration: Bax No. 6 Barber No. 1 Vaughn-Williams No. 3

[@NealSchultz]

Love some music from the Planet Baxia. Oh my gosh, the Bax symphony 1-2. WOW!

[@Janaceks_Dad]

I don’t believe there are any underrated Haydn symphonies…he wrote so many of them, and practically all are complete masterpieces…they’re all great

[@andrewanderson3016]

Elgars 1st symphony! A masterpiece! The fast movement’s theme is transformed into the slow movement’s!

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

And no one would notice if it were a matter of leaving it to your ears. It's only visible on paper.

[@healthrisingMECFS-FM-longCOVID]

So many great possibilities! Love hearing about new symphonies (for me) and, of course, the history behind them 😊

[@RModillo]

You could put a dozen Haydn symphonies on this list. Conductors' response to having too many choices is to walk away with nothing.

[@daviddavenport9350]

Or 30 Haydn symphonies!

[@bbailey7818]

Back in the day, Beecham often played the London sets ( even 95) and even No.40 but never touched the Paris symphonies! Baffling.

[@joebloggs396]

97 is great, it really deserved to be given a nickname like others.

[@alwa6954]

That's true. I have two box collections of Haydn's complete symphonies and sometimes I go through them and listen to each one in sequence. There are many that I find exceptional but they get lost in the sheer number of symphonies he wrote so I end up only listening to them when I make a point of going through the entire collection. Except for his last 20 or so, those ones are more differentiated in my mind.

[@NikoHL]

I've never given Haydn a chance... I'll give him a go after hearing this...

[@sjc1204]

Such a great list and a to-do list for listening. I've never understood the lack of Roussel's second recordings. As you remarked, it must be the quiet ending. I would really like to hear Martinů's fourth symphony live... okay any Martinů symphony live and I don't understand why his symphonies aren't not programmed more. Before the pandemic, I was lucky to hear San Francisco with Salonen perform Nielsen's 5th symphony. The audience, including me, lost our minds when it was over. I remember discussing the performance with a few people on the way out and how powerful it came across. The snare drummer had some very cool lighting effects which increased the impact that much more.

[@petertimoney3436]

I was lucky to hear the Roussel 2 with the RSNO under Stephane Deneve. They played the cycle of 4 symphonies and ballet scores live about the same time they were getting recording. I started going to concerts just after Neeme Jarvi left so I don't know if he played his recorded Prokofiev cycle live although I did get to hear the No. 6 as part of a full cycle years later under Alexander Lazarev.

[@611407]

Thank you Mr. Hurwitz for your enlightening talk. I want to point out though, that the NY Phil performed two of these symphonies recently: the Prokofiev 6 this past November, conducted by Paavo Jarvi; and the Dvorak 5 last February 2023, under the baton of Ruth Reinhardt. I was at both and enjoyed the Dvorak immensely, the Prokofiev not so much, but I'll have to give it another chance now that I've heard your advocacy for the work here.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

That's very nice to know!

[@swansbourne]

Dave, I’d love to hear some day your take on Karlowicz’s Symphony.

[@musicianinseattle]

Excellent shortlist. For the record, Schwarz/Seattle Symphony played the Roussel No. 2 early in Schwarz's tenure as music director. Wonderful piece.

[@lukestables708]

Honestly, I feel this is one of the best videos you've done and very enlightening. I confess I love Prokofiev but can't remember off the top of my head the 6th symphony at all, I will have to listen to it at the first opportunity, but I feel you are spot on here, as usual in your very witty, funny and erudite style. And also, you are one of the few Americans I know who can do a good British accent so kudos there too!

[@twwc960]

This is a great and informative video. I really like your choices. I'm very happy you included Piston's 4th symphony. I personally don't think Eugene Ormandy ever made a finer recording than his mono recording of Piston's 4th with the Philadelphia Orchestra. As fine as Schwarz's recording is, Ormandy's recording has a rhythmic vitality and soaring lyricism that remain unmatched. I'm also glad you included Dvořák's 5th symphony as well. I've always liked it better than the 6th which seems to get played more often. But my pick would be his 4th symphony, which is almost never played. I think it's really an undiscovered masterpiece. The slow movement is somewhat Wagnerian, but there's nothing wrong with that if it fits into the conception of the symphony which it does here. And the last two movements are thrilling and if played well should get an enthusiastic ovation from the audience who will no doubt go home humming the tunes. Every time I hear a recording of this glorious and engaging work (I've never heard it live and probably never will) I think to myself it is one of the most underrated symphonies ever written.

[@KBMars]

Thank you David. Glazunov #8 too.

[@stephenmccarthy3072]

Thank you Dave for this video; I'm finally back from holiday and can dive into all of the videos I've missed! I would explicitly nominate the Symphony in F Major, Op. 14 ("Polonia") by Emil Mlynarski. One of the most memorable first subjects I've ever heard, and beautiful use of a motto theme - plus one of the most economically powerful funeral marches in any symphony. There's a Warner recording with the Warsaw Philharmonic under Jacek Kaspszyk, but no professional performances of which I'm aware. Others I love are by composers you or others have mentioned (e.g. Martinu 1, Borodin 2, Nielsen 2, Walton 1, Hanson 2, Bliss "A Colour Symphony", Glazunov 5) or that you've explicitly plugged in other videos - Rorem 3 (and 2 for that matter!) and Kurka 2 are ones for which I'm particularly grateful. Many thanks again!

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

You're welcome, but I was trying to list works by major composers, not great works by (mostly) unfamiliar composers (of which there are a billion or two).

[@rogergersbach3300]

Thanks for mentioning Emil Mlynarski, Stephen. Interesting composer even if not on topic.

[@bbailey7818]

A perfect list. I recently heard a concert of the Rustic Wedding Symphony with Dvorak's Carnival Overture as opener. They were cunningly separated by something completely different--Delius! Believe it or not, it worked beautifully.

[@antonior.revueltapuigdolle6643]

Please, do many more such reviews and help us (re)discover more good music. Thanks.

[@thomasthornton5478]

Dave, why do you love classical music so much? I love it myself but. . . wow. I didn't know anyone could love classical music more than me until I found your channel. Your level of obsession makes it seem like I am completely disinterested in the genre by comparison.

[@SophieLeung-du9we]

Well, I am just as geeky about classical music as he is rlly

[@TheBuzzKill]

There is indeed at least one mono recording (from 1954) of Piston's symphony No. 4. It's in the big Ormandy Columbia Legacy box coupled with William Schuman's Symphony No. 6.

[@bbailey7818]

Ormandy gave the premiere of Martinu's 4th. I have the aircheck. Shame on Columbia for not taking it into the studio. Leinsdorf's live in 1948 with the Rochester Phil was excellent for the period, sharp and alert to all the rhythmic quirks and constant syncopations.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

That's right!

[@bumblesby]

Yes! I love this CD and have listened to it several times. I really enjoyed the W. Schuman too.

[@Wolfcrag85]

Dvorak's 5th is a gem, especially, in the Rowicki recording.

[@joseluisherreralepron9987]

As a long time classical music fan I'm ashamed to admit I have not heard anything by Nielsen. I need to remedy that situation post-haste. Thanks, Dave.

[@michaelharrison2405]

I would include Bruckner 6, compared with some of the other Bruckner symphonies.

[@ouwebrood497]

Agree. It was the first Bruckner symphony I heard and I think it still is my favorite.

[@mikecopson6908]

Great and thought provoking video, Dave. Tchaikovsky’s first three symphonies are underplayed and underrated. The second movement of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony #1 is stunning.. it beautifully paints a desolate winter landscape rising to a crescendo with the brass section. Bernstein / NY Phil recording is fantastic. The other Tchaikovsky symphony which is underplayed, probably due to its length and complexity, is Manfred .. just a sublime work.

[@mattspintosmith5285]

Thank you for highlighting Martinu 4 and Nielsen 5 - Prokofiev, Roussel. Great works!

[@chrismoule7242]

Mendelssohn 1 - indeed. I don't care how young he was when he wrote it - it's brilliant. And Dvorak 5 is so nice.

[@kennethharrington7094]

Dvorak 5 is one of my ultra favs❤

[@sleepjar7013]

So glad you mentioned Piston 4. I own the Schwarz/Seattle recording and love it. Great topic! Once again I now have a list of new things to eagerly check out. Thank you!

[@kenjohnson1305]

I fell in love with the Piston 4th when I got the Schwarz recording 30 years ago, and it turned me on to his other music. It’s a bucket-list piece I hope to get a chance to hear live. Love all these other choices, too, including the Roussel and Goldmark.

[@Jack-dt9nu]

The Nielsen has had a few outings at the Proms in recent years. Wonderful piece

[@user-wf4ou8dn6y]

Here's an obscure one most people have never heard of: Symphony No. 1 by Carl Derfler, a modern day composer and educator in the Pacific Northwest. About 25 years ago I heard a community orchestra play this piece, and it was delightful and quite good.

[@jackarcher7495]

Could some of the reason why so many good-to-great symphonies such as those discussed here are so underplayed is simply that conductors and orchestras have to take the time and work to learn them, while the warhourses they do not? A cheer for the Martinu 4.

[@jackarcher7495]

Well, Dave, you said it about five minutes after I posted. "They've just become lazy."

[@jimslancio]

Josef Bohuslav Foerster's 4th symphony.

[@joebloggs396]

Yes I found that in the 90s, around the same time as Magnard 3.

[@ervinvice1521]

I’ve been listening to Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 1 a lot lately. It’s great.

[@ericleiter6179]

It really is...a very intense 1st movement especially, it could even give Beethoven a run for his money in the right performance!

[@danielsimon8754]

I love Thackovsky's Third, Polish Symphony and yet never publicly performed. Absolutely baffling. No excuse not to perform this wonderful symphony in concert

[@nkyriazi]

Tchaikovsky's Third Symphony was my favorite piece of music for 20 years, but it has been played frequently recently. I heard it in Leipzig in December. It will be performed in Barcelona in May and it was performed in Bremen, Germany in October, and in Lugano, Switzerland in March 2023.

[@danielsimon8754]

It also should be performed in England. I particularly love the 3 middle movements.@@nkyriazi

[@balok63a40]

In alphabetical order by composer: Beethoven 4 Bruckner 6 Chausson Symphony in Bb Dvorak 3 Haydn 44 (or any of ~60 other Haydn Symphonies) J.M. Kraus Symphony in C# minor Pettersson 7 Schmidt 4 Sibelius 6 Tchaikovsky 1

[@threethrushes]

Recently heard Bruckner 6 in Prague by Rattle.

[@Ludwig55555]

I love, Beethoven's little symphony the 8th

[@williamwalton2359]

I really liked Scambatti.... fantastic

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

So glad you liked it!

[@stephencoats1501]

Super useful. I have already listened to the Mendelssohn and it was great but what a find the Sgampati is. A really delightful work. It adds something good into my existence! A real refreshing listen. While I am unlikely to hear these works in a concert hall it is lovely to hear them at home or in the car where I heard the Sgampati. Looking forward to sampling the others but ... only after I hear Sgampati again!

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Sgambati.

[@jackarcher7495]

Fascinating discussion of the Dvorak 5, which I've liked since hearing the Seattle perform it under Schwarz years back at a free concert. Thank you.

[@StanleyGrill]

Enjoyed listening to your commentary. Given my personal focus on more contemporary orchestral music, it was lovely to find the Martinu, Neilsen and Piston symphonies on your list. All three were wonderful composers generally, but their symphonies in particular deserve a far wider audience than they've received to date. And, I'd like to add Roy Harris to your list!

[@dirkh.44]

My first introduction to Haydn 102 was on a Pearl CD. The Boston Symphony under Koussevitzky.I was flabbergasted.

[@richardfrankel6102]

@dirkh.44 I still love this recording!

[@bbailey7818]

That was the first recording of it I ever heard. I obtained it when I was a kid at a school sale for a quarter back when everyone was getting rid of their old 78 sets. But most phonographs still played 78s. It was actually the first Haydn symphony I ever heard.

[@michaelstearnes1526]

I wasn't aware that S.K. had recorded this lovely Symphony. I'll try to find it. Thanks for mentioning it.

[@fabiopaolobarbieri2286]

Richard Wetz 2 and 3, please.

[@kevindanielson1908]

Excellent video. Couldn’t agree more about the Nielsen, Martinu and Piston! I would add any of the Bax symphonies and Hanson 3. Seems like an absolutely perfect neoromantic modern day masterpiece.

[@Archimusik]

What? No mention of Walton’s First Symphony?! 😮 It is hardly ever played and is one of the greatest English symphonies.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I've heard it several times. Walton generally seems to be on the outs.

[@intramonto]

Speaking of "sellling the product", one of my long-running frustrations is concerts that get promoted as "featuring works by x, y and z" - as if that's enough information for a potential concertgoer to decide to part with their time and money (or worse, as if the fact that you're playing should be the only factor to entice everybody to just rush to the concert without knowing what they're going to hear).

[@8thman8]

Bravo. Great job! I think a big reason many great works don't get played is because of one question that orchestra management and directors have......"will this sell tickets?"

[@rationalistssj6540]

How about Saint-sahns symphonies 1 and 2? They are beautiful and almost never heard

[@juancarlosdosgarcia]

Schubert 4th: Underplayed, maybe because underrated

[@rickscherer5939]

Great list, Dave! I agree with your choices, although I have never heard the Sgambati. I would like to add Walton's Second Symphony. I think it is much better than his First, but is NEVER played. I appreciate your mention of Piston's #2, which is one of my favorite works by anyone. I have had the good fortune of living near the Oregon Symphony, which I have heard playing Nielsen's 5 and Haydn's 102, both absolute masterpieces. Here is some trivia that some of your viewers might not know. The chandelier which fell from the ceiling at the performance of a Haydn symphony gave the nickname of "Miracle" to Symphony No. 96. However, the actual symphony performed at that concert was 102. Maybe if that one got the nickname it would be more frequently played. It is sad that nicknamed works seem to be played much more than others. Case in point: The only Dvořák string quartet I ever hear on the radio is the "American," even though several others are just as great.

[@Richard.Atkinson]

When people ask me this question, I always say Nielsen’s 1st.

[@MisterPathetique]

Nice to see you here by the way!

[@jp-gl9fm]

I've just started to study No1. Perhaps this will inspire a follow up to the Nielsen Badass video.

[@Cesar_SM]

Last year I had the opportunity to hear that work live, it is such a fresh, memorable and vigorous piece. Nielsen had an instantly recognizable voice from his first symphony, and a very interesting one.

[@francispanny5068]

the benchmark of that is Previn and LSO.

[@davidsilverman1741]

I’m happy to report I heard a terrific performance of Prokofiev’s 6th by the LA Phil. Granted it was 2017 - but recent enough in my experience.

[@lesonyrra]

I have a growing loathing for the word "underrated," because it seems to inevitably enter online discussions of, well, everything, and almost always with absolutely no context -- and therefore no meaning. Great list!

[@markovelikonja5399]

I don’t know all of them, but totally agree about Nielsen 5, Martinu 4 (and the Martinu symphonies generally), Prokofiev 6, and Dvorak 5 (I also really like #3). And even more neglected is Harold Shapero’s Symphony for Classical Orchestra.

[@jbiwer32]

Shostakovich Symphony No 1. It a fun, catchy, quirky, dramatic, available work

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

And still quite popular--not underplayed at all. I've seen it many times.

[@jbiwer32]

😮👍🏻 neat! Here’s one: Stenhammar Symphony No 2. I can practically feel the spray of the ocean, Especially the scherzo. Powerful, moving. Would love to see it live some day.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Me too!

[@PGBrown-qu8yz]

Also by Goldmark his underplayed and under-rated Violin Concerto No 1. I heard the Nathan Milstein recording on the BBC many years ago and was hooked.

[@1brewski2]

Lots of good tips in this session. Haydn, still improving in advanced age, saved the best for last. 102 is hardly obscure, though. Happy to see a good word for Dvorak's middle symphonies. They're worthy of a listen. And nice to see some respect for Nielsen as well. One through six are all fine works. I'll seek out the ones you mentioned that I don't know.

[@jonathandebruyn6781]

I played Rustic Wedding in youth orchestra, believe it or not. What a wonderful piece!

[@silentgreybox]

It's maybe not the Piston symphony I would have picked (2, 6, and 7 are my favorites) but I'm delighted that you included him at all!

[@sedna90377]

Schubert’s 4th. It’s so tragic how rarely it’s performed

[@richardfrankel6102]

@sedna90377 Ah, so 0:03 that's why it's nicknamed "The Tragic". 🙂

[@LinaWainwright]

Dvorak is such an underplayed composer. Him and Mahler are my favourite composers, and whilst there's always some concert with Mahler on, you pretty much never see any Dvorak, and if you do, it's pretty much always the same set of pieces... the last couple of symphonies and the cello concerto (which are still amazing pieces of music). All of Dvorak's symphonies are worth listening to. They're some of the best ever written! On a side note, I've played the 1st movement of Dvorak's 5th on the clarinet and it's really fun ...I mean, do people even know this composer exists? Sometimes it doesn't feel like it. Nobody talks about his requiem, almost as if it weren't one of the most incredible, powerful, nostalgic... pieces/requiems ever written. His piano trios, slavonic dances and symphonic poems are also quite good, as well as his piano concerto, which is probably overshadowed by his other two concertos (cello and violin). I just wish Dvorak was given more attention...

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Me too!

[@andreasbyczkowski3435]

Yes, and appreciating unjustly obscure works enhances one’s appreciation for the famous masterworks because one can listen to them afterwords with “freshened ears” and deeper historical context.

[@antonbru8]

I heard Prokofiev 6 live several years ago in Tokyo. The orchestra was New Japan Philharmonic; the conductor was none other than Dennis Russell Davies. The performance was OK. We had kind of a bumper year for Prokofiev 6 back then as Paavo Jarvi and Kazushi Ono took it up with NHK Symphony and Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony, respectively, all within the space of a few months as I recall.

[@ericleiter6179]

Very good list here, I especially agree with you about the Mendelssohn, Dvorak, and Martinu...I might add the 4th symphonies of Beethoven and Shostakovich to make it a dozen, but thats just me!

[@AlexMadorsky]

Yes, the 4ths of LVB and DSCH are both uniquely magnificent! The Chicago Youth Symphony is playing Shostakovich’s 4th in the late spring and I’m very grateful I will have the opportunity to see this masterpiece live.

[@christopherpickles7541]

Can I say Parry, symphonies no 3 and 4.... OK, I'll go and hang my head in shame.

[@bbailey7818]

3 is a masterpiece.

[@oakwoodian4465]

Boult's recording of the 5th Symphony is marvellous.

[@garyhofmeister5556]

Vittorio Giannini symphony 3. Wonderfully engaging American composition. Dave did a piece on it in the past

[@steveonmareisland5268]

I love Martinu, but number 1 is my favorite of his symphonies, which might only mean that I like it so much that I haven't listened to the others enough. Some years ago the Oakland East Bay Symphony was auditioning for a new conductor, and the auditioners had to guest conduct one concert each. The one I went to featured Martinu's 1st, and the conductor asked the audience how many people were familiar with it. My hand went up, along with a paltry few others. Oh well. I thoroughly enjoyed the performance, but I don't think he got the job--not sure though.

[@billhamilton]

My favorite Dvořák symphony by far is the 6th. I've heard it only once or twice in concert, which amazes me. It should replace the ridiculously overplayed 9th at least part of the time. I have the complete symphonies conducted by Kertész and listen to the 6th frequently.

[@Dan6erous]

Dvorak 6 - I've conducted it twice and love it! Audiences do too.

[@sevenoranges]

I'd like to add Gliere's 3rd which I love! Others include Dvorak's 6th, Franz Schmidt 2. I adore the Prokofiev 6th too and Neilsen's 2&3. Why do Neilsen's symphonies still remain so underplayed? Also a symphony that is likely to be played even less now, Ben-Haim Symphony No. 1.

[@cimbalok2972]

I don't know all of the above but I love the Goldmark and the Dvorak. I'll have to check out the others.

[@stpd1957]

Now that’s a great list

[@stradivariouspaul1232]

Its great that you have championed Dvorak's 5th as an unjustly neglected great symphony, I would love to hear your take on Dvorak's 6th which if anything seems even rarer in recording terms, where they both lose out massively to the last 'big three". If the pastoral tone of Dvorak's 5th helped to inspire Brahms'3rd, I think you can really here the influence of Brahms in Dvorak's lovely 6th symphony.

[@ianp2911]

Dvorak 6 has a sensational scherzo.

[@packer812]

The "other" symphonies of Saint-Saens. His first is a very delightful piece.

[@daviddavenport9350]

MIght I suggest that Haydns late Masses are the precursors to Beethoven's 9th Symphony? I have done a bunch of them (some more that once) and find them squarely in the mid to late Beethoven style....the Masses are all Choral Symphonies!!!

[@dorette-hi4j]

Not only the Masses. The introduction to the Creation, quite obviously.

[@ericm.7921]

Martinů's 4th symphony was the first work of his I ever heard performed live--I still remember it vividly, and it made me a fan of his music for life. What I can't remember, unfortunately, was the conductor...but it was with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in the mid '70s, back when they were a truly great orchestra under Thomas Schippers' leadership. Even more beautiful in some ways is the 5th piano concerto, a piece I have always wanted to play. Any orchestras out there in the market for an eager piano soloist? 😉

[@alanrobertson9790]

Only one I know was Dvorak No5 but good to have recommendations.

[@kbaptet]

There was a period in the early 20th century, after Dvorak's death, when Goldmark's Rustic Wedding Symphony was the most-played in the US of all symphonies by living composers. Amazing!

[@rationalistssj6540]

All of Mendelsohn's five symphonies and stunningly gorgeous and criminally underrated in my opinion. Of course, the Itallian is more well known, but as great as that is, the Scottish (#3) is even more beautiful. And the first symphony, written when he was only 15 (!), is like Mozart on steroids, eclipsing anything Mozart wrote in his early years.

[@henrygingercat]

Totally agree about the Prokofiev..

[@cabbagepatch8947]

I admit I have not got to the end of this yet but must recommend the four symphonies by Franz Berwald. Tuneful. I have the Neeme Jarvi set.