This is fun and a bit of a challenge. I'm going with:
1. Brahms
2. Sibelius
3. Mahler
4. Shostakovich
5. Mendelssohn
6. Tchaikovski
7. Beethoven
8. Schubert
9. Bruckner
This arrangement permitted me to choose my favorite classical and post classical symphony composers, although it necessitated exclusion of Dvorak. It permitted me to select my favorite symphonies of Brahms, Sibelius, Mahler, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovski (Manfred is close to 6), Beethoven, and Schubert. Selecting Shostakovich at 4 is a stretch, but the wonderful account by Mariss Jansons allows me to slot Shostakovich here. If you haven't heard Janson's 4th, you haven't heard the 4th. In truth, Babi Yar would be my favorite, but you stopped at 9, so Dmitri had to go somewhere. I'd probably call #9 Bruckner's best, so this isn't much of a stretch. If I go HvK Bruckner, its #9, If I go Eugen Jochim, probably 6 or 8,
1. Brahms
2. Sibelius
3. Mahler
4. Shostakovich
5. Mendelssohn
6. Tchaikovski
7. Beethoven
8. Schubert
9. Bruckner
This arrangement permitted me to choose my favorite classical and post classical symphony composers, although it necessitated exclusion of Dvorak. It permitted me to select my favorite symphonies of Brahms, Sibelius, Mahler, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovski (Manfred is close to 6), Beethoven, and Schubert. Selecting Shostakovich at 4 is a stretch, but the wonderful account by Mariss Jansons allows me to slot Shostakovich here. If you haven't heard Janson's 4th, you haven't heard the 4th. In truth, Babi Yar would be my favorite, but you stopped at 9, so Dmitri had to go somewhere. I'd probably call #9 Bruckner's best, so this isn't much of a stretch. If I go HvK Bruckner, its #9, If I go Eugen Jochim, probably 6 or 8,