I was reading a review of Tansman's 4th symphony, in which was mentioned the fact that here was yet another composer who wrote just nine symphonies. The accepted wisdom is that there are quite a lot, so I decided to come up with a list based on those composers familiar to me. There were a few additional considerations. Despite the usual numbering, we know that Schubert, Bruckner and Mahler all wrote more than nine symphonies, even if they didn't complete them. Glazunov's 9th (unfinished) is a single movement, but I've included him. Although Arnold wrote nine numbered symphonies and is still with us, he has already stated there will be no more, but there are also the unnumbered Symphony for Strings and the Symphony for Brass, so I've omitted him. Daniel Jones's 9th appeared nearly 20 years before his death, and there may be more, but in the absence of other information, I've left him in. The most recent Hoddinott symphony I know of is #6, recorded 12 years ago, so there may be more. The last item in the work list in Panufnik's autobiography is his 9th symphony, so he's in. And did Diamond and Persichetti stop at 8? Is Beethoven's "10th" part of the canon? Given all these constraints, we have a smaller list than I would have expected: Atterberg Beethoven Dvorak Glazunov Jones, Daniel Lajtha Panufnik Tansman Vaughan Williams Any additions or disagreements? Incidentally, in checking for this list, I found a surprising number of composers who stopped at eight symphonies. One can but guess why. Richard Pennycuick [log in to unmask] [A couple of others: Mennin and Spohr. -Dave]