Longest symphony in the world - standard repertoire - RODIN'S BUST

*sigh*, and the movie score was so good, too.....

The longest "symphony" in the world is Mysterium, at 7 days !

Of course, it was never finished (barely worked on, in fact) ....but it would've been grand!!

Originally Posted by QcCowboy

the only problem with this particular Shore work, is it's not really a symphony in any sense of the word. It's just a big suite of excerpts from the filmscore. It has no real cohesion. I admire the filmscore he composed. However, the "symphony" is nothing more than 2 hours of excerpts from the soundtrack with no development, and nothing linking it all together except its position in the film.

I agree!

The soundtrack is not a Symphony! A lot of youngsters today have to be educated about form...

So... Mahler's Symphony nr 3 is still the longest Symphony in the world, according to the standard repertoire...?

Fred (as stubborn as Stallone....?)

"in the standard repertoire", yes.

However, not the actual longest, which if we stick to the title "symphony" would have to go to Kaikhosru Sorabji's "Jami" Symphony (Symphony no. 3), which clocks in at around 4 hours, 30 minutes.

This is actually a symphony, not a filmscore, not some extended concert work, nor a piece of experimental theatre music performed in the forest overnight...
Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji

you will find this work listed on the McGill university website above, and it is clearly listed as a symphony. It is in 4 movements.

The timing I found has the 1st movement clocking in at 1 hour 34 minutes (the entire length of the Mahler symphony), the second movement nearing 20 minutes, the 3rd movement alone at 2 hours, and the finale just shy of 45 minutes.

Now, for all I know, the music is crap.. but then, Sorabji IS a known composer. His works have been recorded numerous times, as well as published.

He is also known for writing LOOOOOOOOONG pieces of music (his "Opus Clavicembalisticum" lasts just under 4 hours, and HAS been recorded a number of times (takes up 5 CDs).

***************************************


Now, all this brings up is, SO WHAT!!!???

Who really honestly CARES if composer-X wrote the longest / shortest / loudest / softest /biggest / smallest / weirdest / most boring /whatever-est symphony?

I think it is considerably more important that you understand what makes "Victory at Sea" NOT a symphony, or the "Lord of the Rings Symphony" again, NOT a symphony.

What makes a symphony a symphony? Putting the name on the score doesn't cut the mustard.

There are many composers who have written symphonies that are just NOT the cohesive, integrated works that a symphony should be. (For purposes of this discussion, we will ignore symphonies from the early period, since many of those WERE "a bunch of separate movements strung together and simply called symphony")

What is the cohesive factor that makes Schostakowitch's 14th symphony, with its odd orchestration, and stranger-still form, BE a symphony?

Why are single movement works like Sibelius' 7th symphony, Samuel Barber's 1st Symphony, or Roy Harris' Symphony no.3, still "symphonies"?

These are some of the most exciting music, with some of the most intriguing formal innovations you can study during your life as a composer. To fully understand HOW these composers came to synthesize the symphonic stucture into a tightly constructed single movement is mind boggling and inspirational.

/professor mode off

Originally Posted by Fredrik

Mahler 3rd Symphony - Longest symphony in the world (2 hours long)

From Bruno Walter's (famous Mahler conductor) memoir of Mahler: "I arrived by steamer on a glorious July day; Mahler was there on the jetty to meet me, and despite my protests, insisted on carrying my bag until he was relieved by a porter. As on our way to his house I looked up to the Höllengebirge, whose sheer cliffs made a grim background to the charming landscape, he said: 'You don't need to look — I have composed all this away!" The rockface became the introductory theme of the Third Symphony, the unison chant for eight horns, which he dubbed in one sketch "What the rocky mountain tells me."

Last movement - Finale : MySpaceTV Videos: Mahler 3rd Symphony - Finale by Gustav Mahler

Hi everybody,

Welcome to listen to the video of Mahler's symphony nr 3!

And thank you all for posting all threads that have made this the LONGEST THREAD about SYMPHONIES OF THE PAST AND PRESENT...

Kommt und hört diese schöne musik von GUSTAV MAHLER...

FRED

Originally Posted by Romanticist

Well, perhaps you are correct, but I have an article that proves that he was infact influenced by gustav Mahler so...

Hi Romanticist,

Have digged in my dear Mahler archive and guess what!

Here it is! Get ready for some hard headed statements from the Mahler prophet no 1: Leonard Bernstein. Ready?

"In one way or another, Mahler lies at the essential core of all the significant music written after him... whether tonal or non tonal.
Even such diverse composers as Varèse and Dallapiccola, are inconcievable without Mahler!

Schostakovich and Britten are greatest when they're most like Mahler!"

`Leonard Bernstein.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

pic 1-4:

Edgar Varèse - Luigi Dallapiccola - Dmitrij Schostakovich - Benjamin Britten

Originally Posted by QcCowboy

"in the standard repertoire", yes.

However, not the actual longest, which if we stick to the title "symphony" would have to go to Kaikhosru Sorabji's "Jami" Symphony (Symphony no. 3), which clocks in at around 4 hours, 30 minutes.

This is actually a symphony, not a filmscore, not some extended concert work, nor a piece of experimental theatre music performed in the forest overnight...
Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji

you will find this work listed on the McGill university website above, and it is clearly listed as a symphony. It is in 4 movements.

The timing I found has the 1st movement clocking in at 1 hour 34 minutes (the entire length of the Mahler symphony), the second movement nearing 20 minutes, the 3rd movement alone at 2 hours, and the finale just shy of 45 minutes.

Now, for all I know, the music is crap.. but then, Sorabji IS a known composer. His works have been recorded numerous times, as well as published.

He is also known for writing LOOOOOOOOONG pieces of music (his "Opus Clavicembalisticum" lasts just under 4 hours, and HAS been recorded a number of times (takes up 5 CDs).

The person who is editing the score created a computer realisation. So anyone who has 4 hours to spare can hear it! The Jami Symphony is on this page with a bunch of other Sorabji works, many being live performances, including part one of Opus Clavicembalisticum.

Sorabji Files - The life and music of Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji

Originally Posted by Fredrik

Hi Romanticist,

Have digged in my dear Mahler archive and guess what!

Here it is! Get ready for some hard headed statements from the Mahler prophet no 1: Leonard Bernstein. Ready?

"In one way or another, Mahler lies at the essential core of all the significant music written after him... whether tonal or non tonal.
Even such diverse composers as Varèse and Dallapiccola, are inconcievable without Mahler!

Schostakovich and Britten are greatest when they're most like Mahler!"

`Leonard Bernstein.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

pic 1-4:

Edgar Varèse - Luigi Dallapiccola - Dmitrij Schostakovich - Benjamin Britten

Hi everybody! Here is an interesting article about the very special posthorn solo in MAHLER's SYMPHONY NO 3:

Charlie Schlueter blows his first notes on the new Monette Rotary Posthorn. Dave Monette designed the horn for Charlie to use on Mahler III.


Charlie Schlueter

What the hell are you even talking about?

Whilst I'm not sure about the longest symphonies in existence, Cage's 'As Slow as Possible' and Jem Finer's 'Longplayer' are sure contenders to the title of longest composition. 'Longplayer' is an algorithm-based composition (muddying the issue slightly) which is intended to last a thousand years, whilst 'As Slow as Possible' is a notated work, a current performance of which is scheduled to end after 639 years.

"A 1997 conference of musicians and philosophers discussed the implications of his instruction to play the piece "as slow as possible", given that an organ imposes virtually no time limits. A project emerged to perform the piece so that it would take a total of 639 years to play. This length was decided based on the estimated lifespan of the organ. The origin of this number is as follows: the piece was to be performed in the St. Burchardi church in Halberstadt, Germany, beginning in the year 2000; 639 years earlier, in the year 1361, the first big organ had been constructed in that church."

As Slow As Possible - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hi Jamie,

I'm talking about 2 things!

1. "In one way or another, Mahler lies at the essential core of all the significant music written after him... whether tonal or non tonal.
Even such diverse composers as Varèse and Dallapiccola, are inconcievable without Mahler!

Schostakovich and Britten are greatest when they're most like Mahler!"

`Leonard Bernstein.

2. The very unique posthorn solo in Gustav Mahler's symphony no 3.

Fred