[Queen of the Nerds]

Tell me what your favorite is and why!

 

[ptr]

Mahler's Fourth, it encompasses everything the romantic ethos builds on!

/ptr

 

[Ukko]

Dvorak's 9th. It's got 'it'.

 

[Skilmarilion]

From the whole Romantic era -- wow, that's tough.

I still lean towards Tchaikovsky's 6th. Deeply expressive and actually quite radical, with it effectively beginning and ending with slow movements, and with its abandonment of the darkness-to-light idea which he had utilised in the 4th and 5th.

No question, I think this had a great influence on many composers, and is a remarkable achievement for someone who always had nagging doubts regarding his self-worth as a symphonist.

 

[Tristan]

Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique

Maybe I'm just saying that because I have it on my mind right now My other nomination would be Tchaikovsky's 4th.

 

[Dim7]

Kinda broad question, huh? For a lot of people here probably, there isn't any other kind of symphony than a romantic symphony...

 

[csacks]

I would vote for Brahms´first. It is a demonstration of equilibrium, creativity, maturity and a finale with a message full of hope and glory. It may not be the best, but is my favorite.

 

[hpowders]

Brahms Fourth Symphony. It forecasts impending doom more beautifully than any piece I know.

 

[Guest]

Tough one. Up in my top 4 are Tchaikovsky's 6th, Mahler's 2nd and 6th, and Dvorak's 9th. Twist my arm and I will name Mahler's 2nd.

 

[Haydn man]

Schubert 8th gets my nomination.
It is the dark brooding intensity slowly building over the 2 movements, truly a masterpiece

 

[realdealblues]

Wikipedia lists the "Romantic Period" as roughly 1815-1910.

Maybe if you could narrow it down to 1 specific year I could pick one :lol:

Buy yeah, seriously too tough for me.

 

[DiesIraeCX]

I can't choose. It's between Mahler's 4th, 6th, 9th, and Brahm's 4th.

Honorable mention to Bruckner's 9th.

If you consider Beethoven's 9th a romantic symphony, then that would be my #1 choice.

 

[Andreas]

Bizet's C major.

Of the pre-Tristan part of the romantic era, that is. Of the post-Tristan part, it would have to be something by Brahms or Bruckner.

 

[Rhombic]

Romanticism does not have an abrupt end... in fact, it continues and leaves us to try to distinguish the end of that period, when it really merges into 20th Century eventually. Except in some extreme cases (Xenakis, Stockhausen), I cannot clearly trace any perfect division here. Of course, this is only important if your favourite Romantic symphony belongs to this transition period.

 

[PetrB]

Schubert: 8th

Mahler:
4th
Das Lied von der Erde (yes, everyone, it qualifies and counts)
Adagio from the 10th

Nielsen 5th

 

[PetrB]

If you consider Beethoven's 9th a romantic symphony, then that would be my #1 choice.

... but it ain't a romantic symphony

 

[ProudSquire]

I don't have an absolute favorite, but I have many that I like. I'm a greedy person, so my jar is never truly full!

Brahms 1-4
Schumann's 2nd and 3rd
Schubert's 8th and 9th
Mahler's 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th and 9th
Tchaikovsky's 1st, 4th, 5th and 6th
Dvorak's 3rd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 9th
Mendelssohn's 4th
Bruckner's 4th and 5th
Rufinatscha's 5th
Sibelius' 1st, 2nd and 5th

There far too many to list, but these will suffice for the present being. :tiphat:

 

[MoonlightSonata]

If Beethoven's Ninth counts (which apparently it doesn't), that would be my nomination. Instead, then, I shall have to choose between Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique, Dvorak's Ninth, Mahler's 5th and Schubert's 8th.
Vaughan Williams' Sea Symphony is quite romantic in style but probably not romantic era.

 

[Gaspard de la Nuit]

My favorite is prolly Brahms 4 - it unambiguously fits the category 'Romantic' (as opposed to maybe proto-romantic Beethoven or post-romantic Mahler and Sibelius) and is of staggering beauty and power.

Romanticism does not have an abrupt end... in fact, it continues and leaves us to try to distinguish the end of that period, when it really merges into 20th Century eventually. Except in some extreme cases (Xenakis, Stockhausen), I cannot clearly trace any perfect division here. Of course, this is only important if your favourite Romantic symphony belongs to this transition period.

Yeah, for the sake of simplicity I narrowed it down to post-Beethoven but still more or less common practice (although Wagner begins to move away from common practice and even the modal inflections of certain romantic composers does as well).

 

[DiesIraeCX]

If Beethoven's Ninth counts (which apparently it doesn't), that would be my nomination.

MoonlightSonata, you have to realize that PetrB's various opinions on Beethoven are, um... well, he isn't the only opinion! There are ample resources (musicologists, musicians, and the like, which he seems to value so highly, and rightly so) that would say otherwise. Books, essays, and articles have been written on this subject. I don't think simply declaring it "not a romantic symphony" has turned the tide. Lol. It was in his Late Period in which Beethoven often broke free of the "Classical Idiom". From the "American Bach Soloists" article on the Ninth, "Beethoven's Ninth Symphony has always been a masterwork that simultaneously creates a chasm-through the nature of its wide range of summative styles and form-and bridges its own gap. It pushed the instruments of its generation to the limit, and has, for nearly two centuries, elicited highly personalized readings and interpretations. Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is often described as a work which broke free of "Classical" style. Just as one can cite the music of Richard Strauss as having taken the Romantic style-even diatonic harmony-to its very outer limits".

So, yeah, I'm gonna go with Beethoven's 9th as my pick. ;-)