Symphony No. 8 (Mahler) Symphony No. 8 (Mahler) The Symphony No. 8 in E-flat major by Gustav Mahler is one of the largest-scale choral works in the classical concert repertoire. Because it requires huge instrumental and vocal forces it is frequently called the "Symphony of a Thousand", although the work is normally presented with far fewer than a thousand performers and the composer did not sanction that name. The work was composed in a single inspired burst, at Maiernigg in southern Austria in the summer of 1906. The last of Mahler's works that was premiered in his lifetime, the symphony was a critical and
Symphony No. 1 (Harbison) Symphony No. 1 (Harbison) The Symphony No. 1 is the first symphony by the American composer John Harbison. The work was commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra and was composed in 1981. It was given its world premiere in Boston on March 22, 1984 by the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the conductor Seiji Ozawa. The symphony has a duration of roughly 24 minutes and is composed in four movements: The work is scored for a large orchestra comprising three flutes (doubling piccolo and alto flute), three oboes (doubling English horn), three clarinets (doubling bass clarinet), three bassoons (doubling contrabassoon), four