the greatest endings of sympony finales

[gprengel]

One of the greatest achievements of classical music, symphonies in particular, for me is how it is able to build up tension which eventually is released in an awesome climax. I don't reember we ever have had such a topic here, but I would like to know what for you are the greatest endings of symphonies?

What comes to my mind (chronologically):

- Mozart, Jupiter symphony, K 551
- Beethoven 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th symphony
- Mendelssohn 3rd and 5th symphony
- Schumann 2nd, using a gorgeus theme from Beethoven's last song from op. 98
- Brahms 2nd symphony
- Tschaikowsky 5th and Manfred symphony
- Bruckners 8th
- Sibelius 2nd
- Mahler 2nd and 3rd

Gerd
- ...

[Peter]

I would add:

Mahler 8
Bruckner 5
Shostakovich 5
Brahms 1
Schumann 4
Haydn 103

[Albert Gans]

For me:
Mahler 2 and 9
Beethoven 5 and 9
Shostakovitch 10
I don't know if this counts, but the way Mahler's 'Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen' ends sure comes close to the top...

[gprengel]

For me:
Mahler 2 and 9
Beethoven 5 and 9
Shostakovitch 10
I don't know if this counts, but the way Mahler's 'Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen' ends sure comes close to the top...

I checked the 2 Shostacovitch symphonies that Peter and you mentioned. Well, I could not quite get on fire with these yet, but I remembered one of my favourite "Russian" Finales: the one frome from Tchaikowskie's/Bogatyrev's fairly unknown "7th" symphonie :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOhhhIx4pG0 (at 39:07)

(I love also especially the 2nd mov.)