Symphonies in One Movement

[Sydney Grew]

The best we know is Alwyn's Fifth: obviously written in one continuous flush of inspiration. He was so particular about the precise polishing of every detail was he not - in that respect miles ahead of his fat and to-day (inexplicably) much more popular rival Dr. Williams. Of course he was a professional flautist and Williams was not.

The work in question is also far superior to jolly old Zimmermann's - again despite the latter's receiving we think far more performances.

And then there is the much-praised Seventh of Sibelius: in respect of inspiration and craftsmanship probably just about on a par with Alwyn's above-mentioned Fifth do not Members think?

There are a good many more, some (we think of Pettersson) very lengthy.

[subcontrabass]

Schoenberg's First Chamber Symphony integrates the four movements of the classical symphony into a single movement.

Was Schubert the first to do this in the F minor Fantasia for Piano Duet?

[Pianorak]

This set me thinking about JS Bach's "Sinfonias" or 3-Part Inventions. Could they be considered forerunners of the single movement symphony?
Some scholars believe that Beethoven modelled his Sonatas on them.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It very much depends on what you consider qualifies as a symphony. In baroque times, it was generally a single movement overture and Richard Strauss attached the term to two of his tone poems, one of which I'm particularly fond of...

[Norfolk Born]

I greatly admire the 3rd symphony of Roy Harris.

[Thomas Roth]

Yes the third of Roy Harris is a masterpiece. There are many single movement symphonies around. Blomdahl, Lilburn, Vine, Norgård...

[Suffolkcoastal]

If we ignore the sickening personal insults on Vaughan Williams by Grew, this could be an interesting thread (dislike & derogatory remarks on a composers music are fair enough, but personal attacks on a composer's physique are a step to far & offensive). Regarding Harris's 3rd Symphony, his other one movement symphonies are equally interesting. The 7th is a much finer work than the 3rd, the 8th is a one movement symphony though in 5 sections and the 11th is in two sections each of these symphonies shows a different and imaginative take on the one movement symphony. I agree about Lilburn's 3rd Symphony a fine work, there is also Barber's 1st symphony, which is perhaps closer in modelling to the Sibelius 7th, the Brian one movement symphonies and many others which I will leave other MB's to continue to enthuse about their favourites.

[Thomas Roth]

Not being British I didn´t get the attack on my beloved Vaughan Williams. The Harris 7th is surely one of the most neglected symphonies of the last century.

[maestro267]

If I recall correctly, quite a few of Allan Pettersson's symphonies are lengthy single-movement works (lengthy for one movement anyway).

[JimD]

If we ignore the sickening personal insults on Vaughan Williams by Grew

Indeed. But such self-indulgence can and should attract a penalty, as some on R3OK may have decided in the recent moderator election.

[salymap]

I only know the Sibelius sym 7 when thinking of one movement symphonies. Shame on me.

I have only just connected Grew with Muchgodery or some such, via the plurals and calling me Madame Salymap
Shame on him/her if they criticized RVW, which I luckily didn't read.

[rauschwerk]

...the sickening personal insults on Vaughan Williams by Grew....

That's a bit of an over-reaction, wouldn't you say? I read only one derogatory remark and besides, I cannot see what a composer's girth has to do with the quality of his music. As usual, Mr Grew has nothing specific to say about that aspect of either Alwyn's or Vaughan Williams's output. This makes his post a simple waste of space.

[verismissimo]

Have you all been waiting politely for KC II? As Suffolk mentions in passing, Sibelius 7!

[Sydney Grew]

A pity replies 10, 11 and 12 are so wide wide wide of the topic! Members were intended to exercise what powers of imagination and senses of humour they have and to picture to themselves a rotund and puffing Dr. Williams being thrashed by Alwyn in a spiritual hundred-yard dash. And do you know something? "fat" is no insult to a Buddhist - nor even to dear Dr. Williams we should think since he evidently took unperturbed delight in the condition of being it.

Anyway, we are grateful to Member Subcontrabass for his having mentioned Schönberg's memorable Chamber Symphony, since it reminded us of Schreker's - just as inspired in its own way and of equal harmonic interest. It too we rank with the Alwyn. Here is what Hull that fine critic writes about the Schönberg:

"With all its modernity, it follows the older 'sonata' form. After a short introduction of purposely vague tonality, we have the first subject given out, and the rest is a model of orthodoxy in form. It contains some interesting duodecuple scale writing, whilst the accompanying arpeggio to the eerie second subject shows what trouble the modern composer will take to secure coherence of tone-colour. There is a strong grip of tonality felt throughout this forceful composition, just as there is, only in another way, in Scryabine's tone-poem 'Prometheus'."

Well! There we have another invaluable reminder. Scryabine's "Poem of Ecstasy" and "Prometheus" are in all but name symphonies in one movement are they not, and indeed persons of sound judgement rank them among the supreme achievements of composers in the twentieth century.

[Lion-of-Vienna]

If I recall correctly, quite a few of Allan Pettersson's symphonies are lengthy single-movement works (lengthy for one movement anyway).

Most of Pettersson's symphonies are indeed in one movement lasting between 40 and 70 minutes! They are well worth listening to but some of my CDs of the works have only one track, making it difficult to get to know them easily.

I have an old LP of the Symphony in One Movement by Robin Orr which I often return to. He is a composer who should be better known.