Video: Harnoncourt, VPO Japan Live series It’s a daunting task but I think it could be fun so let’s take a listen to the top nine second-best symphonies ever written. Video: Georg Solti-London Philharmonic Orchestra-1986 Symphony No.7. I’m calling Dvorak’s Symphony No.9 his greatest and most enduring symphonic contribution. It was a close race between Dvorak’s Seventh and Seventh to the more lyrical Eighth. Symphony No. 5. As in the Dvorak Seventh and Fourth and Number seven is Brahms’ Number six is Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10. Again, his Fifth is his most popular and my personal favorite but we’re talking about greatness.