Curse of the Ninth

[rojo]

I thought this article was interesting-

http://www.baltimoresun.com/features...0,567202.story

So, are you a believer, or not? Personally I try not to be superstitious; it brings bad luck...

[Krummhorn]

Great article ... creepy, too ...
I tend to not believe in supersitions either ... but after reading this material ... it does make one think about such things, at least in some historic way.

How many made it past 9 symphonies, though?

[Andrew Roussak]

Yep, then what about Schostakovich who wrote 15 symphonies? Or Haydn who composed 104???

Well , being superstitious may be sometimes worth it - sure it must rain after one has washed his car! That's why I don't wash mine at all!!

[janny108]

Didn't Mahler write 10 symphonies?
Jan

[Art Rock]

you can even argue he wrote 11....

When it was time for #9, he composed Das Lied von der Erde, which was intended to be a numbered symphony. Out of superstition, he declined to number it, and then went on to compose the real #9, arguing this was actually his 10th. He started a #10 (or 11), but could not finish it. Only one movement is considered reasonably complete and is sometimes performed on its own. From sketches, others (notably Derek Cooke) have construed a performing version of Mahler's Symphony 10.

[some guy]

Andrzej Panufnik, 10
Eduard Tubin, 10
Robert Simpson, 11
Edmund Rubbra, 11
George Lloyd, 12
Vagn Holmboe, 13
Allan Petterson, 16 (and he was sick from five to sixteen)
Rued Langgaard, 16 or 17 (two very different versions of no. 5)
Nicolai Myaskovsky, 27
Havergal Brian, 32

And one can always do as Bill Schuman did and withdraw the first two, so his eight symphonies are indeed numbered three through ten.

Well, that's it for me. Back to you all.

[Deeru Piotr]

Didn't Mahler write 10 symphonies?
Jan

Mahler never finished his tenth symphony and I read he believed in this curse

so sorry I wrote this having not read what Art Rock wrote, he is much more explicit than I

[tomato]

I once heard someone comment that Sibelius composed "only eight symphonies," but never felt the inspiration to write another one.

That made me wonder: is every composer expected to compose at least nine?

[Art Rock]

Of course not, there are numerous grandmasters of the symphony that did not get to nine. Apart from Sibelius (who wrote seven numbered ones and the Kulelervo), the most famous example is undoubtedly Brahms. And Sibelius did not just stop composing symphonies - he stopped composing altogether.

[LaValseDeLune]

hey can't find that article...

[rojo]

Sorry about that; it's out of my control!

[Gustav]

Curse of nineth is nonsense, of all the greatest symphonists. Only Beethoven wrote EXACATLY 9 symphonies. Mahler wrote 11 symphonies, Bruckner wrote 11 symphonies, Schubert wrote 9 and a half. Schumann wrote 4 + an early symphonic sketch.

[Oneiros]

We had a performance of Mahler's Tenth (by a new arranger) about a week ago. I can safely say that it was the worst concert I've been to. Not only was Mahler mad as a hatter, but the arranger really made a mess of it. And bad went to worse when it went on for well over an hour. Ack!

Curse of the Ninth is nonsense, yet another side effect of the Beethoven myth.

[Corno Dolce]

Hi Oneiros,

Oh My!!!!!!!!!!!!! - Mad-Hatter Mahler - Oh Dear!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Goodness Gracious Great Balls Of Fire!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have heard too many butchered arrangements of symphonic masterpieces in my days - GAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Those arrangers who *butcher* - Ooooh, I'd love to strangle them with their own entrails(figuratively speaking).

True, an arrangement will reflect upon the arranger's ideas and proclivities but sometimes you get real duds.


Cheers,

Corno Dolce

[Oneiros]

I don't get it... Are you trying to tell me that Mahler was sane?

From what I've read, the poor fellow sounds like a Romantic in the wrong era.

And yes, this arrangement was certainly one of those duds.