Prior to the 20th century, only a handful of original symphonies for

wind band A concert band, also called a wind band, wind ensemble, wind symphony, wind orchestra, symphonic band, the symphonic winds, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of members of the woodwind, brass, and percussion famil ...

existed. Symphonies were almost exclusively written for

orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * String instruments, such as the violin, viola, cello, ...

at the time, but, beginning in the early-mid 20th century, numerous symphonies for concert band began to appear. There are also numerous orchestral symphonies that have been transcribed for concert band, but those are not included in this article. Note: 20th and 21st century symphonies labelled with an asterisk (*) are for a smaller band, typically the wind section of the orchestra.

18th and 19th centuries

; François-Joseph Gossec :"Military" Symphony in F (1794) ; Louis-Emmanuel Jadin :Symphony in F (1794) ;

Anton Reicha Anton (Antonín, Antoine) Joseph Reicha (Rejcha) (26 February 1770 – 28 May 1836) was a Czech-born, Bavarian-educated, later naturalization, naturalized French composer and music theorist. A contemporary and lifelong friend of Ludwig van Be ...

:''Commemoration Symphony''Commemoration symphony
(

WorldCat WorldCat is a union catalog that itemizes the collections of tens of thousands of institutions (mostly libraries), in many countries, that are current or past members of the OCLC global cooperative. It is operated by OCLC, Inc. Many of the O ...

) (''Musique pour célébrer la mémoire des grands hommes'') (1815) ;

Hector Berlioz Louis-Hector Berlioz (11 December 1803 – 8 March 1869) was a French Romantic music, Romantic composer and conductor. His output includes orchestral works such as the ''Symphonie fantastique'' and ''Harold en Italie, Harold in Italy'' ...

:'' Grande symphonie funèbre et triomphale'' (1840) ;

Charles Gounod Charles-François Gounod (; ; 17 June 181818 October 1893), usually known as Charles Gounod, was a French composer. He wrote twelve operas, of which the most popular has always been ''Faust (opera), Faust'' (1859); his ''Roméo et Juliette'' (18 ...

:'' Petite symphonie pour neuf instruments à vent'' (1885)

1900–1959

;

Ernst Krenek Ernst Heinrich Krenek (, 23 August 1900 – 22 December 1991) was an Austrian, later American, composer. He explored atonality and other modern styles and wrote a number of books, including ''Music Here and Now'' (1939), a study of Johannes Ock ...

:Symphony for winds and percussion op. 34 (1924-25) ; Paul Fauchet :Symphony in B-flat (Symphonie pour musique d'harmonie） (1926) ; Arthur Meulemans :Symphony No. 4 (1935) ;

Nikolai Myaskovsky Nikolai Yakovlevich Myaskovsky (; ; 20 April 18818 August 1950), was a Russian and Soviet composer. He is sometimes referred to as the "Father of the Soviet Symphony". Myaskovsky was awarded the Stalin Prize five times. Early years Myaskovsky ...

:Symphony No. 19 (1939) ; Nikos Skalkottas :Classical Symphony (1947) ; H. Owen Reed :"La Fiesta Mexicana", A Mexican Folk Song Symphony for Concert Band (1949) ; Boris Kozhevnikov :Symphony No. 3, "Slavyanskaya" (1950/rev. 1958) ;

Paul Hindemith Paul Hindemith ( ; ; 16 November 189528 December 1963) was a German and American composer, music theorist, teacher, violist and conductor. He founded the Amar Quartet in 1921, touring extensively in Europe. As a composer, he became a major advo ...

: Symphony in B-flat for Band (1951) ;

Morton Gould Morton Gould (December 10, 1913February 21, 1996) was an American composer, conductor, arranger, and pianist. Biography Morton Gould was born in Richmond Hill, New York, United States. He was of Austrian-Jewish heritage. He was recognized ear ...

:Symphony No. 4, "West Point" (1952) ; Roy Harris :Symphony for Band, "West Point" (1952) ; Vincent Persichetti :Symphony No. 6, Op. 69 (1956) ; Frank Erickson :Symphony No. 1 for Band (1954 rev 1956) :Symphony No. 2 for Band (1958) ; Alan Hovhaness :Symphony No. 4, Op. 165* (1958) :Symphony No. 7, "Nanga Parvat," Op. 178* (1959) ;

Vittorio Giannini Vittorio Giannini (October 19, 1903 – November 28, 1966) was an American neoromanticism, neoromantic composer of operas, songs, symphonies, and band works, and member of the Giannini family. Life and work Giannini was born in Philadelphia on Oct ...

:Symphony No. 3 (1959)

1960–1999

; James Barnes :Symphony No. 1, Op. 35 (1974) :Second Symphony, Op. 44 (1980-1981) :Third Symphony, Op. 89 (1994) ;

Warren Benson Warren Frank Benson (January 26, 1924 – October 6, 2005) was an American composer. His compositions consist mostly of music for wind instruments and percussion. His most notable piece is titled ''The Leaves Are Falling'' (1964). Biography Benso ...

:Symphony for Drums and Wind Orchestra* (1962) :Symphony No. 2, "Lost Songs" (1983) ; Derek Bourgeois :Symphony No. 4 "A Wine Symphony", Op. 58a (1978) :Symphony of Winds, Op. 67 (1980) :Symphony No. 6 "A Cotswold Symphony", Op. 109a (1988) ;Andrew Boysen Jr. :Symphony No. 1 (1997) :Symphony No. 2 (1999) :Symphony No. 3 "JFK" (1999) ; John Barnes Chance :Symphony No. 2 (1972) ;

Johan de Meij Johannes Abraham "Johan" de Meij (; born November 23, 1953 in Voorburg) is a Dutch conductor, trombonist, and composer, best known for his '' Symphony No. 1'' for wind ensemble, nicknamed ''The Lord of the Rings'' symphony. Biography Johan d ...

: Symphony No. 1, "The Lord of the Rings" (1988) :Symphony No. 2, "The Big Apple" (1993) ; Martin Ellerby :"Natalis", (Symphony No. 1) (1993) :Symphony for Winds (Symphony No. 2) (1997) ;

Donald Erb Donald Erb (January 17, 1927 – August 12, 2008) was an American composer best known for large orchestral works such as Concerto for Brass and Orchestra and ''Ritual Observances''. Early years Erb was born in Youngstown, Ohio, graduate ...

:Symphony for Winds (1995) ; Frank William Erickson :Symphony No. 3 (1984) ; Nicolas Flagello :Symphony No. 2, "Symphony of the Winds," Op. 63 ; Nancy Galbraith :Wind Symphony No. 1 (1996) ; David Gillingham :Symphony No. 1, "Apocalyptic Dreams" (1995) ; Ida Gotkovsky :Symphonie pour quatre-vingt instruments a vent (Symphony for 24 wind instruments)* (1960) :Symphonie pour Orgue & Orchestre d'Harmonie (Symphony for Organ and Concert Band) (1982) :Brillante Symphonie (Brilliant Symphony) (1988-1989) ; Alan Hovhaness :Symphony No. 14, "Ararat," Op. 194* (1961) :Symphony No. 20, "Three Journeys to a Holy Mountain," Op. 223 (1969) :Symphony No. 23, "Ani, City of a Thousand and One Cathedrals," Op. 249 (1972) :Symphony No. 53, "Star Dawn" (1983) ; Yasuhide Ito :Symphony (1990) :A Jubilee Symphony (1994) :"La Vita", Symphony in 3 Scenes (1998) ;

Gordon Jacob Gordon Percival Septimus Jacob CBE (5 July 18958 June 1984) was an English composer and teacher. He was a professor at the Royal College of Music in London from 1924 until his retirement in 1966, and published four books and many articles about ...

:Symphony A.D. 78 (1978) ; Robert E. Jager :Symphony No. 1 (1964) :Symphony No. 2 (1980) ; Serge Lancen :Manhattan Symphony (1961) :Symphonie de Noël (1964) :Mini-symphonie (1967) :Symphonie de l'eau (1984) :Symphonie joyeuse (1993) ;

Libby Larsen Elizabeth Brown Larsen (born December 24, 1950) is a contemporary American classical composer. Along with composer Stephen Paulus, she is a co-founder of the Minnesota Composers Forum, now the American Composers Forum. A former holder of the Pa ...

:Short Symphony (1996) ; David Maslanka :Symphony No. 2 (1986) :Symphony No. 3 (1991) :Symphony No. 4 (1993) ; W. Francis McBeth :"Divergents", A Short Symphony for Symphonic Band, Op. 49 (1969) ;

Alfred Reed Alfred Reed (born as Alfred Friedman) (January 25, 1921 – September 17, 2005) was an American Neoclassicism (music), neoclassical composer, with more than two hundred published works for concert band, orchestra, choir, chorus, and chamber e ...

:Symphony No. 2 (1979) :Symphony No. 3 (1988) :Symphony No. 4 (1992) :Symphony No. 5 (1994) ;

Gunther Schuller Gunther Alexander Schuller (November 22, 1925June 21, 2015) was an American composer, conductor, horn player, author, historian, educator, publisher, and jazz musician. Biography and works Early years Schuller was born in Queens, New York City ...

:Symphony No. 3, "In Praise of Winds" (1981) ; Claude T. Smith :Symphony No. 1 for Band (1977) ; Dan Welcher :Symphony No. 3, "Shaker Life" (1997)

2000–Present

; Bert Appermont :Symphony No. 1 "Gilgamesh" (2003) :Symphony No. 2 (2011) ; James Barnes :Fifth Symphony, "Phoenix", Op. 110 (2000) :Sixth Symphony, Op. 130 (2008) :Seventh Symphony, "Symphonic Requiem", Op. 135 (2011) :Eighth Symphony, "Symphony for Wangen", Op. 148 (2015) ; Jodie Blackshaw :Symphony no. 1 "Leunig's Prayer Book" (2019) ;

William Bolcom William Elden Bolcom (born May 26, 1938) is an American composer and pianist. He has received the Pulitzer Prize, the National Medal of Arts, a Grammy Award, the Detroit Music Award and was named 2007 Composer of the Year by Musical America. He ...

:First Symphony for Band (2008) ; Derek Bourgeois :Symphony No. 8 "The Mountains of Mallorca", Op. 184a (2002) :Symphony for William, Op. 212 (2004) :Symphony No. 41 "Sinfonia Andalucia", Op. 261a (2007) :Symphony No. 68 "The Tower of Babel", Op. 316a (2012) ; Andrew Boss :Tetelestai (2014) ; :Symphony No. 1, "The Archangels", Op. 50 (2015) :Symphony No. 2, "Views of Edo" Op.54 (2018) :Symphony No. 3, "Urban Landscapes" Op. 55 (2020) ; Nigel Clarke :Symphony No. 1, "A Richer Dust" for Speaker and Wind Orchestra (2014) ;

John Corigliano John Paul Corigliano (born February 16, 1938) is an American composer of contemporary classical music. With over 100 compositions, he has won accolades including a Pulitzer Prize, five Grammy Awards, Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition, and a ...

: Symphony No. 3, "Circus Maximus" (2004) ; Hugh Dixon : Symphony for Concert Band (2006) ;

:Symphony No. 3, "Planet Earth" (2006) :Symphony No. 4, "Sinfonie der Lieder (Symphony of Songs)" (2013) :Symphony No. 5, "Return to Middle Earth" (2018) ; Martin Ellerby :A Little Symphony of English Carols (Symphony No. 4) (2009) ; David Gillingham :Symphony No. 2, "Genesis" (2007) ; Julie Giroux :Symphony No. 1, "Culloden" (2000) :Symphony No. 2, "No Finer Calling" (2006) :Symphony No. 3, "A Symphony of Fables" (2006) :Symphony No. 4, "Bookmarks from Japan" (2013) :Symphony No. 5, "Elements" (2017) :Symphony No. 6, "The Blue Marble" (2021) :Symphony No. 7, "Titan" (2024) ; Samuel Hazo :"Blessings", Symphony No. 1 (2001-2003) ; Yasuhide Ito :Sinfonia Singaporiana (2005) ; Matt Klohs :Symphony no. 1 "H20" (2022) ; John Mackey :"Wine-Dark Sea", Symphony for Band (2014) ; Marcin Masecki :"Victory" ("Zwycięstwo"), Symphony No. 1 (2013) ; David Maslanka :Symphony No. 5 (2000) :Symphony No. 7 (2005) :"Give Us This Day", Short Symphony for Wind Ensemble (2006) :Symphony No. 8 (2008) :Symphony No. 9 (2011) :Symphony No. 10 (left unfinished at the composer's death in 2017, completed by his son Matthew Maslanka in 2018) ; Francisco José Martínez Gallego :Symphony No. 1, "Kaprekar" (2011) ; :Symphony No. 1, "Colors of live" (2016) ; Steven Reineke :Symphony No. 1, "New Day Rising" (2007) ; Robert W. Smith : "The Divine Comedy", Symphony No. 1 :"The Odyssey", Symphony No. 2 :"Don Quixote", Symphony No. 3 (2008) ; Philip Sparke :"Earth, Water, Sun, Wind", Symphony No. 1 (2006) :"A Savannah Symphony", Symphony No. 2 (2012) :"A Colour Symphony", Symphony No. 3 (2014) ;James M. Stephenson :Symphony No. 2 (2016) ;

Frank Ticheli Frank Ticheli ( ; born January 21, 1958) is an American composer of orchestral, choral, chamber, and concert band works. He lives in Los Angeles, California, where he is a Professor Emeritus of Composition at the University of Southern Califo ...

:Symphony No. 2 (2003) ; Jess Langston Turner :Symphony No. 1, "If I am to leave..." (2019) ; Jan Van der Roost :Sinfonia Hungarica (2001) ; Dan Welcher :Symphony No. 4, "American Visionary" (2005) ; Judith Lang Zaimont :Symphony for Wind Orchestra in Three Scenes (2003)

References

{{Reflist

External links

A History of the Wind Band, by Dr. Stephen L. RhodesThe Wind Repertory ProjectThe Wind Band Symphony Archive
Classical music styles