About contemporary symphonies, Steve Schwarz wrote:

>We're probably hearing less than 1% of what's out there.  You can't make a
>sound judgment on such hit-or-miss.  If I went strictly on what I've heard,
>I would say that older composers - those who started around the Thirties
>and Forties - are writing very good symphonies indeed - Diamond, Lees, and
>so on.  But I haven't heard younger people.  ...

I suggest the second symphonies of Rouse and Kernis, especially Kernis' as
well as every symphony I have ever heard by Aho (the 5th and 7th through
10th so far).  And you might try listening to the symphonies of Segerstam
and Gloria Coates although I can't say I'd recommend them because I have
yet to decide whether I like them myself.  But you're right...It's a short
list.  I thought I would find more when I started going through my
collection.

John Parker
Tucson, Arizona