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A symphony is an extended composition usually for orchestra and usually comprising four movements. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Musical composition is: a piece of music the structure of a musical piece the process of creating a new piece of music // A piece of music exists in the form of a written composition in musical notation or as a single acoustic event (a live performance or recorded track). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... In music, a movement is a large division of a larger composition or musical form. ...

Characteristics

The main characteristics of the classical symphony, as it existed by the end of the 18th century in the German-speaking world were: The Classical period in Western music occurred from about 1730 through 1820, despite considerable overlap at both ends with preceding and following periods, as is true for all musical eras. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ...

• 4 movements, of which the first would usually be a fast movement in sonata form, the second a slow movement, the third either a minuet and trio or a ternary dance-like (scherzo) movement in "simple triple" metre, finishing with a fourth, fast movement in rondo and/or sonata form.
• Instrumental, to be played by an orchestra of the relatively moderate size customary at the time.

After Beethoven started experimenting with the movement structure and with programmatic features in his Sixth Symphony, and later added singers to the last movement of his Ninth Symphony, the possibilities for moulding the symphony format appeared limitless, starting from the early Romantic era, for example: Sonata form is a musical form that has been used widely since the early Classical period. ... A minuet, sometimes spelled menuet, is a social dance of French origin for two persons, usually in 3/4 time. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... A scherzo (plural scherzi) is a name given to a piece of music or a movement from a larger piece such as a symphony. ... Metre or meter (US) is the measurement of a musical line into measures of stressed and unstressed beats, indicated in Western music notation by a symbol called a time signature. ... a rondo is played between episode which are played by non solo people Rondo, and its French equivalent rondeau, is a word that has been used in music in a number of ways, most often in reference to a musical form, but also in reference to a character-type that... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A portrait by Joseph Karl Stieler, 1820 Ludwig van Beethoven (IPA: ), (baptized December 17, 1770[1] – March 26, 1827) was a German composer. ... Program music is music intended to evoke extra-musical ideas, images in the mind of the listener by musically representing a scene, image or mood [1]. By contrast, absolute music stands for itself and is intended to be appreciated without any particular reference to the outside world. ... Ludwig van Beethovens Symphony No. ... A singer is a musician who uses their voice to produce music. ... Composer Ludwig van Beethoven The Symphony No. ... The term musical form refers to two related concepts: the type of composition (for example, a musical work can have the form of a symphony, a concerto, or other generic type -- see Multi-movement forms below) the structure of a particular piece (for example, a piece can be written in... The era of Romantic music is defined as the period of European classical music that runs roughly from the early 1800s to the first decade of the 20th century, as well as music written according to the norms and styles of that period. ...

• More variation in the movement structure: More movements and/or multi-layered movement structure (Berlioz, Roméo et Juliette; Mahler, Second and Eighth Symphonies); Olivier Messiaen's Turangalîla-Symphonie; Single-movement structure and/or movements succeeding without interruption (Arnold Schoenberg, Chamber Symphony No. 1; Sibelius, Seventh Symphony; Richard Strauss, Eine Alpensinfonie; Carl Nielsen, Fourth Symphony)
• Hybrids with other forms: with the concerto in Berlioz's Harold in Italy and Benjamin Britten's Cello Symphony; with the opera suite in Sergei Prokofiev's Symphonies No. 3 (from his opera The Fiery Angel) and No. 4 (from his opera The Prodigal Son)
• More variation in the instrumentation: Large, full-blown romantic orchestras (Berlioz, Mahler, Bruckner); Solo and/or choral singing extended to several or all movements of a symphony (Mendelssohn, Second Symphony; Berlioz, Roméo et Julliette; Benjamin Britten, Spring Symphony; Igor Stravinsky, Symphony of Psalms; Shostakovich, 14th Symphony; Mahler, Symphony No. 8)
• Unusual or new instruments (hammer in Mahler's Sixth Symphony and cowbells, guitar, and mandolin in his Seventh; bass oboe, basset horns, contrabass clarinet, bird scare, small chains, and thunder machine in Havergal Brian's Gothic Symphony; Ondes Martenot in the Turangalîla-Symphonie by Olivier Messiaen)
• Symphonies not for a symphony orchestra (symphonies to be played on a single organ by Charles-Marie Widor and Louis Vierne and also the Symphony for Solo Piano by Charles-Valentin Alkan; the Symphony for Voices by Malcolm Williamson; the Percussion Symphony by Charles Wuorinen)
• Extend the programmatic layer: even after the tone poem had split from the symphony genre as such, symphonies were published with extended programs, explicit (as in Berlioz' Roméo et Juliette, after Shakespeare, as well as in his Symphonie Fantastique) with reference to literary, poetic and folklore devices (as in Liszt's Faust Symphony, Shostakovich's Symphony No. 13 ("Babi Yar"), Roy Harris's Symphonies No. 6 ("Gettysburg") and No. 8 ("San Francisco"), or Hans Werner Henze's Symphony No. 8 (after Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream); or more implicit, like a succession of sentiments (as in Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony, or Carl Nielsen's The Four Temperaments)

Portrait of Berlioz by Signol, 1832 Louis Hector Berlioz (December 11, 1803 – March 8, 1869) was a French Romantic composer, best known for his compositions Symphonie Fantastique (first performed in 1830) and Grande Messe des Morts (Requiem). ... Roméo et Juliette is a symphonie dramatique, a large scale work in French for mixed voices and orchestra, by French composer Hector Berlioz. ... This article cites its sources but does not provide page references. ... The Symphony No. ... The Symphony No. ... Olivier Messiaen It has been suggested that List of students of Olivier Messiaen be merged into this article or section. ... The Turangalîla-Symphonie is a large-scale piece of orchestral music by Olivier Messiaen. ... Schoenberg redirects here. ... Johan Julius Christian Jean / Janne Sibelius ( ; December 8, 1865 – September 20, 1957) was a Finnish composer of classical music and one of the most notable composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. ... This article needs to be wikified. ... This article is about the German composer of tone-poems and operas. ... Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony), Op. ... Carl Nielsen Carl August Nielsen (June 9, 1865, Sortelung – October 3, 1931, Copenhagen) was a conductor, violinist, and the most internationally known composer from Denmark. ... The Symphony No. ... Portrait of Berlioz by Signol, 1832 Louis Hector Berlioz (December 11, 1803 – March 8, 1869) was a French Romantic composer, best known for his compositions Symphonie Fantastique (first performed in 1830) and Grande Messe des Morts (Requiem). ... Harold in Italy (Op. ... Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH (November 22, 1913 Lowestoft, Suffolk - December 4, 1976 Aldeburgh, Suffolk) was a British composer, conductor, and pianist. ... The Symphony for Cello and Orchestra or Cello Symphony Op. ... Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (Russian: , Sergej Sergejevič Prokofijev; April 27 (April 151 O.S.), 1891–March 5, 1953) was a Russian and Soviet composer who mastered numerous musical genres and came to be admired as one of the greatest composers of the 20th century. ... “Bruckner” redirects here. ... Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, born and known generally as Felix Mendelssohn (February 3, 1809 – November 4, 1847) was a German composer and conductor of the early Romantic period. ... The Symphony No. ... Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH (November 22, 1913 Lowestoft, Suffolk - December 4, 1976 Aldeburgh, Suffolk) was a British composer, conductor, and pianist. ... The Spring Symphony is Benjamin Brittens Opus 44. ... Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (Russian: Игорь Фёдорович Стравинский, Igor Fëdorovič Stravinskij) (June 17, 1882 – April 6, 1971) was a Russian composer, considered by many in both the West and his native land to be the most influential composer of 20th-century music. ... The Symphony of Psalms by Igor Stravinsky was written in 1930 and was commissioned by Serge Koussevitzky to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. ... Dmitri Shostakovich in 1942 Dmitri Shostakovich   (Russian: , Dmitrij Dmitrievič Å ostakovič) (September 25 [O.S. September 12] 1906–August 9, 1975) was a Russian composer of the Soviet period. ... The Symphony No. ... This article cites its sources but does not provide page references. ... The Symphony No. ... The Symphony No. ... The Symphony No. ... William (Havergal) Brian (January 29, 1876 – November 28, 1972), was a British composer. ... Havergal Brians Symphony No. ... Ondes martenot demonstrated by inventor Maurice Martenot The Ondes Martenot (or Ondes-Martenot or Ondes martenot or Ondium Martenot or Martenot or ondes musicale) is an early electronic musical instrument with a keyboard and slide invented in 1928 by Maurice Martenot, and originally very similar in sound to the Theremin. ... The Turangalîla-Symphonie is a large-scale piece of orchestral music by Olivier Messiaen. ... Olivier Messiaen It has been suggested that List of students of Olivier Messiaen be merged into this article or section. ... Charles-Marie Jean Albert Widor (February 21, 1844 – March 12, 1937) was a French organist, composer and teacher. ... Louis Victor Jules Vierne, (October 8, 1870–June 2, 1937) was a French organist and composer. ... Charles-Valentin Alkan (November 30, 1813–March 29, 1888) was a French composer and one of the greatest virtuoso pianists of his day. ... Malcolm Benjamin Graham Christopher Williamson CBE, AO (November 21, 1931 – March 2, 2003) was an Australian composer. ... Charles Wuorinen (born June 9, 1938 in New York City) is an American composer. ... A symphonic poem or tone poem is a piece of orchestral music in one movement in which some extra-musical programme provides a narrative or illustrative element. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Symphonie Fantastique (Fantastic Symphony) Opus 14, is a symphony written by French composer Hector Berlioz in 1830. ... Portrait by Henri Lehmann, 1839 Franz Liszt (Hungarian: Liszt Ferenc; pronounced , in English: list) (October 22, 1811 – July 31, 1886) was a Hungarian [1] virtuoso pianist and composer of the Romantic period. ... A Faust Symphony in three character studies (Eine Faust-Sinfonie in drei Charakterbildern) (S.108), or simply the Faust Symphony, was written by Hungarian composer Franz Liszt and was inspired by Johann von Goethes drama, Faust. ... Dmitri Shostakovich in 1942 Dmitri Shostakovich   (Russian: , Dmitrij Dmitrievič Å ostakovič) (September 25 [O.S. September 12] 1906–August 9, 1975) was a Russian composer of the Soviet period. ... Roy Ellsworth Harris (February 12, 1898 – October 1, 1979) was an American classical composer who wrote much music on American subjects and is perhaps best known for his . ... Hans Werner Henze (born July 1, 1926 in Gütersloh, Westphalia, Germany) is a composer well known for his left-wing political beliefs. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr (Peter) Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильич Чайкoвский, Pëtr Il’ič ÄŒajkovskij;  )[1] (7 May [O.S. 25 April] 1840 – 6 November [O.S. 25 October] 1893), was a Russian composer of the Romantic era. ... Excerpt from the fourth movement of Tchaikovskys Pathetique Symphony. ... The Symphony No. ...

The word symphony

The word symphony is derived from the Greek Συμφωνία, a combination of syn- ('συν', with, together) and phone ('φωνή', sound, sounding), by way of the Latin symphonia. The term was used by the Greeks, firstly to denote the general conception of concord, both between successive sounds and in the unison of simultaneous sounds; secondly, in the special sense of concordant pairs of successive sounds (i.e. the "perfect intervals" of modern music; the 4th, 5th and octave); and thirdly as dealing with the concord of the octave, thus meaning the art of singing in octaves, as opposed to singing and playing in unison. In Roman times the word appears in the general sense which still survives in poetry, that is, as harmonious concourse of voices and instruments. It also appears to mean a concert. In the Gospel of Luke, chapter xv verse 25, it is distinguished from χορῶν, and the passage is appropriately translated in the English Bible as "music and dancing." Polybius and others seem to use it as the name of a musical instrument. In music theory, the term interval describes the difference in pitch between two notes. ... In music, an octave (sometimes abbreviated 8ve or P8) is the interval between one musical note and another with half or double its frequency. ... A classical music concert in the Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne 2005 Kasia Kowalska concert in Warsaw A concert is a live performance, usually of music, before an audience. ... The Gospel of Luke is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels of the New Testament, which tell the story of Jesus life, death, and resurrection. ... Polybius (c. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ...

In the sense of "sounding together", the word appears in the titles of works by Giovanni Gabrieli (the Sacrae symphoniae) and Heinrich Schütz (the Symphoniae sacre) among others. Through the 17th century, the Italian word sinfonia was applied to a number of types of works, including overtures, instrumental ritornello sections of arias, and works which would later be classified as concertos or sonatas. In the late 17th and early 18th century, the terms “sonata”, “concerto”, and “sinfonia” reached “a short-lived but total synonymity . . . paralleling that of ‘sonata’ and ‘canzona’ at the previous mid century” (Newman 1972, 140). A particularly striking example is a composition by Giuseppe Torelli, a piece with two trumpets dating from after 1702, no. 27 in the Giegling catalog of Torelli's works, whose title in the manuscript score is Concerto con trombe, oboy, e violini, but in the set of parts is variously called Sinfonia and Sonata (Tarr 1974). Giovanni Gabrieli Giovanni Gabrieli (c. ... Heinrich Schütz. ... In music, a sinfonia can be one of three things: 1) In the very late Renaissance and early Baroque, a sinfonia was an alternate name for a canzona, fantasia or ricercar. ... Overture (French ouverture, meaning opening) in music is the instrumental introduction to a dramatic, choral or, occasionally, instrumental composition. ... An aria (Italian for air; plural: arie or arias in common usage) in music was originally any expressive melody, usually, but not always, performed by a singer. ... The term concerto (plural is concerti or concertos) usually refers to a musical work in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra. ... Sonata (From Latin and Italian sonare, to sound), in music, literally means a piece played as opposed to cantata (Latin cantare, to sing), a piece sung. ... Giuseppe Torelli Giuseppe Torelli (Verona, April 22, 1658 - Bologna, February 8, 1709) was an Italian violinist, pedagogue and composer. ...

History of the form

Origins

In the 17th century, the majority of the Baroque period, the terms symphony and sinfonia were used to describe a range of different works, including instrumental pieces used in operas, sonatas and concertos. The common factor in this variety of usage was that symphonies or sinfonias were usually part of a larger work. The most direct forerunner of the symphony is commonly considered to be the opera sinfonia, which by the 18th century had a standard structure of three contrasting movements: fast, slow, and fast dance-like, much like the modern symphony. The terms overture, symphony and sinfonia were widely regarded as interchangeable for much of the 18th century. This article is about opera as an art form. ... Sonata (From Latin and Italian sonare, to sound), in music, literally means a piece played as opposed to cantata (Latin cantare, to sing), a piece sung. ... Origin Etymology Concerto (from the Latin concertus, from certare, to strive, also confused with concentus), in its most general sense, is a name for a piece of classical music in which there are two distinct groups of instruments, one larger than the other. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ...

The 18th century symphony

The form that we now recognise as the symphony took shape in the early 18th century. It is commonly regarded to have grown from the Italian overture, a three-movement piece used to open operas, often used by Alessandro Scarlatti among others. Another important progenitor of the symphony was the ripieno concerto — a relatively little-explored form resembling a concerto for strings and continuo, but with no solo instruments. The earliest known ripieno concerti are by Giuseppe Torelli (his set of six, opus five, 1698). Antonio Vivaldi also wrote works of this type. Perhaps the best known ripieno concerto is Johann Sebastian Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 3. The Italian overture is a piece of orchestral music with which in the late 17th and early 18th century several operas, oratorios and other large-scale works opened. ... The Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy. ... Alessandro Scarlatti Alessandro Scarlatti (May 2, 1660 – October 24, 1725) was a Baroque composer especially famous for his operas and chamber cantatas. ... The term concerto (plural is concerti or concertos) usually refers to a musical work in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra. ... A string instrument (or stringed instrument) is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. ... Figured bass, or thoroughbass, is a kind of integer musical notation used to indicate intervals, chords, and nonchord tones, in relation to a bass note. ... Giuseppe Torelli Giuseppe Torelli (Verona, April 22, 1658 - Bologna, February 8, 1709) was an Italian violinist, pedagogue and composer. ... Events January 4 - Palace of Whitehall in London is destroyed by fire. ... Portrait of Antonio Vivaldi Antonio The Ass-Toucher Lucio Vivaldi (March 4, 1678 – July 27 or 28, 1741), nicknamed Il Prete Rosso (The Big Time Loser), was a Venetian priest and baroque music composer, as well as a famous violinist. ... Bach in a 1748 portrait by Haussmann Places in which Bach resided throughout his life Johann Sebastian Bach (pronounced ) (21 March 1685 O.S. – 28 July 1750 N.S.) was a prolific German composer and organist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra and solo instruments drew together the... The six Brandenburg concertos (BWV 1046-1051) by Johann Sebastian Bach are a collection of instrumental works presented by Bach to the Margrave of Brandenburg in 1721, but probably composed earlier. ...

Early symphonies, in common with both Italian overtures and concertos, have three movements, in the tempi quick-slow-quick. However, unlike the ripieno concerto, which uses the usual ritornello form of the concerto, at least the first movement of these symphonies is in some sort of binary form. They are distinguished from Italian overtures in that they were written for concert performance, rather than to introduce a stage work, although for much of the 18th century the terms overture and symphony were used interchangeably, and a piece originally written as one was sometimes later used as the other. The vast majority of these early symphonies are in a major key. This article is about tempo in music. ... In Baroque music, ritornello was the word for a recurring passage for orchestra in the first or final movement of a solo concerto or aria (also in works for chorus). ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... In music theory, the key identifies the tonic triad, the chord, major or minor, which represents the final point of rest for a piece, or the focal point of a section. ...

Symphonies at this time, whether for concert, opera, or church use, were not considered the major works on a program: often, as with concerti, they were divided up between other works, or drawn from suites or overtures. Vocal music was considered the heart of the musical experience, and symphonies were supposed to provide preludes, interludes, and postludes to this. At the time most symphonies were relatively short, running between 10 and 20 minutes at the most.

The "Italian" style of symphony, often used as overture and entr'acte in opera houses, became a standard three movement form: a fast movement, the "allegro"; a slow movement; and then another fast movement. Mozart's early symphonies are in this layout. The early three-movement form was eventually replaced by a four-movement layout which was dominant in the latter part of the 18th century and most of the 19th century. This symphonic form was influenced by Germanic practice, and would come to be associated with the "classical style" of Haydn and Mozart. The important changes were the addition of a "dance" movement and the change in character of the first movement to becoming "first among equals." Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (IPA: , baptized Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart) (January 27, 1756 – December 5, 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. ...

The normal four movement form became, then:

1. Quick, in a binary form or later sonata form
2. Slow
3. Minuet and trio (later developed into the scherzo and trio), in ternary form
4. Quick, sometimes also in sonata form. Other common possibilities are Rondo form or sonata-rondo

Even in the mid-18th century, variations on this layout were not uncommon; in particular, the middle two movements sometimes switched places, or a slow introduction was added to the beginning, sometimes resulting in a four-movement, slow-quick-slow-quick form. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Sonata form is a musical form that has been used widely since the early Classical period. ... A minuet, sometimes spelled menuet, is a social dance of French origin for two persons, usually in 3/4 time. ... Trio is generally used in any of the following ways: Three musicians playing the same or different musical instrument. ... A scherzo (plural scherzi) is a name given to a piece of music or a movement from a larger piece such as a symphony. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Sonata form is a musical form that has been used widely since the early Classical period. ... Rondo, and its French equivalent rondeau, is a word that has been used in music in a number of ways, most often in reference to a musical form, but also in reference to a character-type that is distinct from the form. ... Sonata rondo form was a form of musical organization often used during the Classical music era. ...

The first symphony to introduce the minuet as the third movement appears to be a 1740 work in D major by Georg Matthias Monn. However, this is an isolated example: the first composer to consistently use the minuet as part of a four-movement form was Johann Stamitz. Events May 31 - Friedrich II comes to power in Prussia upon the death of his father, Friedrich Wilhelm I. October 20 - Maria Theresia of Austria inherits the Habsburg hereditary dominions (Austria, Bohemia, Hungary and present-day Belgium). ... Matthias Georg Monn (sometimes Mann) (April 9, 1717, Vienna - October 3, 1750, Vienna) was an Austrian composer, organist and music teacher. ... Johann Wenzel Anton Stamitz (Czech: Jan Václav Stamic) (June 19, 1717 – March 27, 1757) was a Czech composer and violinist. ...

Two major centres for early symphony writing were Vienna, where early exponents of the form included Georg Christoph Wagenseil, Wenzel Raimund Birck and Georg Matthias Monn; and Mannheim, home of the so-called Mannheim School. Symphonies were written throughout Europe, however, with Giovanni Battista Sammartini, Andrea Luchesi and Antonio Brioschi active in Italy, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach in northern Germany, Leopold Mozart in Salzburg, François-Joseph Gossec in Paris, and Johann Christian Bach and Karl Friedrich Abel in London. “Wien” redirects here. ... Georg Christoph Wagenseil (January 29, 1715 – March 1, 1777) was an Austrian composer. ... Wenzel Raimund Johann Birck (1718-1763)[1] was one of the early proponents of Symphonic music in Vienna, along with Georg Christoph Wagenseil and Georg Matthias Monn, and an early tutor for Mozart[2]. Birck was also, along with Georg Christoph Wagenseil tutored a young Joseph Haydn[3]. Wolfgang Amadeus... Matthias Georg Monn (sometimes Mann) (April 9, 1717, Vienna - October 3, 1750, Vienna) was an Austrian composer, organist and music teacher. ... Mannheim is a city in Germany. ... Mannheim school refers to both the orchestral techniques pioneered by the court orchestra of Mannheim in the latter half of the 18th century as well as the group of composers who wrote such music for the orchestra of Mannheim and others. ... Giovanni Battista Sammartini (ca. ... Andrea Luca Luchesi (May 23, 1741, Motta di Livenza - March 21, 1801, Bonn), was an Italian composer. ... Antonio Brioschi ( 1725–1750) was an Italian symphony composer who wrote at least twenty six symphonies. ... Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (March 8, 1714 – December 14, 1788) was a German musician and composer, the second of five sons of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach. ... Leopold Mozart Johann Georg Leopold Mozart (November 14, 1719 – May 28, 1787) was a composer, music teacher and violinist. ... François-Joseph Gossec (1734 — February 16, 1829) was a Belgian composer of operas, string quartets, symphonies, and choral works who worked in France. ... Johann Christian Bach (September 5, 1735 – January 1, 1782) was a composer of the Classical era, the eleventh and youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach. ... Karl Friedrich Abel (December 22, 1723 – June 20, 1787) was a German composer of the Classical era. ...

Later significant Viennese composers of symphonies include Johann Baptist Vanhal, Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf and Leopold Hoffmann. The most important symphonists of the latter part of the 18th century, however, are considered to be Joseph Haydn, who wrote 106 symphonies over the course of 40 years, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Their many widely performed and emulated works are commonly considered the apotheosis of the Classical style. Johann Baptist Vanhal (Jan KÅ™titel Vaňhal) also spelled Wanhal or Wanhall (May 12, 1739 - August 20, 1813) was a composer. ... Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (November 2, 1739 – October 24, 1799) was an Austrian composer and violinist. ... Leopold Hofmann (also Ludwig Hoffman, Leopold Hoffman, Leopold Hoffmann) (August 14 1738– March 17 1793) was an Austrian composer of classical music. ... Portrait by Thomas Hardy, 1792 Franz Joseph Haydn[1] (March 31, 1732 – May 31, 1809) was one of the most prominent composers of the Classical period, and is called by some the Father of the Symphony and Father of the String Quartet. A life-long resident of Austria, Haydn spent... Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (IPA: , baptized Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart) (January 27, 1756 – December 5, 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. ... The Classical period in Western music occurred from about 1730 through 1820, despite considerable overlap at both ends with preceding and following periods, as is true for all musical eras. ...

The 19th century symphony

In the late 18th century, vocal music, particularly cantatas and operas, were considered the major form of concert music, with concerti being next. With the rise of standing orchestras, the symphony assumed a larger and larger place in concert life. The period of transition was from approximately 1790 to 1820. For Ludwig van Beethoven his first Academy Concert had "Christ on the Mount of Olives" as the featured work, rather than the two symphonies and piano concerto he had performed on the same concert. A portrait by Joseph Karl Stieler, 1820 Ludwig van Beethoven (IPA: ), (baptized December 17, 1770[1] – March 26, 1827) was a German composer. ...

Beethoven took the symphony into new territory by expanding, often dramatically, each of its parts. His nine symphonies set the standard for symphonic writing for generations afterwards. After two symphonies rather in the style of Haydn, his Symphony No. 3 (the Eroica), has a scale and emotional range which sets it apart from earlier works, often cited as ushering in the Romantic era. His Symphony No. 5 demonstrated his ability to write an entire large-scale, multi-movement work on a single rhythmic motif. His Symphony No. 9 takes the unprecedented step of including parts for vocal soloists and choir in the last movement. Beethoven, together with Franz Schubert, was also responsible for replacing the genteel minuet with the livelier scherzo as an inner movement (most often the third of four). The scherzo, with its greater scope for emotional expression, was more suited to the Romantic style. Eroica Symphony Title Page The Symphony No. ... In music, a motif is a perceivable or salient reoccurring fragment or succession of notes that may used to construct the entirety or parts of complete melodies, themes. ... Composer Ludwig van Beethoven The Symphony No. ... Franz Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (January 31, 1797 – November 19, 1828) was an Austrian composer. ... A scherzo (plural scherzi) is a name given to a piece of music or a movement from a larger piece such as a symphony. ... The era of Romantic music is defined as the period of European classical music that runs roughly from the early 1800s to the first decade of the 20th century, as well as music written according to the norms and styles of that period. ...

The next generation of symphonists desired to combine the expanded harmonic vocabulary developed by chromatic composers such as John Field, Ludwig Spohr and Carl Maria von Weber, with the structural innovations of Beethoven. Robert Schumann and Felix Mendelssohn were two leading Germanic composers whose works attempted this fusion. At the same time a more experimental form of symphonic writing was coming into being, featuring a greater number of symphonies with textual meaning or specific programs. While "program symphonies" had been written as early as 1790, their place and role became expanded with Hector Berlioz' Symphonie Fantastique (1830) and then Liszt's program symphonies, such as the Dante Symphony and the Faust Symphony (both 1857). John Field John Field (July 26, 1782 – January 23, 1837) was an Irish composer and pianist. ... Louis Spohr as a young man: a self-portrait Louis Spohr (April 5, 1784 - October 22, 1859) was a German composer, violinist and conductor. ... Carl Maria von Weber Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst, Freiherr von Weber (November 18, 1786 in Eutin, Holstein – June 5, 1826 in London, England) was a German composer, conductor, pianist and critic, one of the first significant composers of the Romantic school. ... For others with the same name see Robert Schumann (disambiguation). ... Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, born and known generally as Felix Mendelssohn (February 3, 1809 – November 4, 1847) was a German composer and conductor of the early Romantic period. ... Portrait of Berlioz by Signol, 1832 Louis Hector Berlioz (December 11, 1803 – March 8, 1869) was a French Romantic composer, best known for his compositions Symphonie Fantastique (first performed in 1830) and Grande Messe des Morts (Requiem). ... Symphonie Fantastique (Fantastic Symphony) Opus 14, is a symphony written by French composer Hector Berlioz in 1830. ... Portrait by Henri Lehmann, 1839 Franz Liszt (Hungarian: Liszt Ferenc; pronounced , in English: list) (October 22, 1811 – July 31, 1886) was a Hungarian [1] virtuoso pianist and composer of the Romantic period. ... Dante Symphony is a symphony by Franz Liszt. ... A Faust Symphony in three character studies (Eine Faust-Sinfonie in drei Charakterbildern) (S.108), or simply the Faust Symphony, was written by Hungarian composer Franz Liszt and was inspired by Johann von Goethes drama, Faust. ...

This period corresponds with what is generally labelled the "Romantic" period, and ends around the middle of the 19th century, though the term "Romantic" is often used in music to correspond with the longer musical era from Beethoven all the way through Sergei Rachmaninoff. Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff (Russian: , Sergej Vasilevič Rakhmaninov, 1 April 1873 (N.S.) or 20 March 1873 (O.S.) – 28 March 1943) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor, one of the last great champions of the Romantic style of European classical music. ...

In the second half of the 19th century, symphonies included movements using a much-expanded but often strict Sonata Form. Johannes Brahms, who took Schumann and Mendelssohn as his point of departure, set the standard for composing symphonies which very high levels of structural unity. At the same time symphonies grew in length, and became the centerpiece of the expanding number of symphony orchestras. Other important symphonists of the late 19th century include Anton Bruckner, Felix Draeseke, Antonín Dvořák, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Camille Saint-Saëns. Sonata form is a musical form that has been used widely since the early Classical period. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... “Bruckner” redirects here. ... Felix Draeseke, oil portrait by Robert Sterl (1907) Felix August Bernhard Draeseke (October 7, 1835 – February 26, 1913) was a composer of the New German School admiring Liszt and Wagner. ... Antonín Leopold Dvořák ( ; September 8, 1841–May 1, 1904) was a Czech composer of Romantic music, who employed the idioms and melodies of the folk music of his native Bohemia in symphonic and chamber music. ... Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr (Peter) Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильич Чайкoвский, Pëtr Il’ič ÄŒajkovskij;  )[1] (7 May [O.S. 25 April] 1840 – 6 November [O.S. 25 October] 1893), was a Russian composer of the Romantic era. ... Charles Camille Saint-Saëns () (9 October 1835 – 16 December 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor, and pianist, known especially for his orchestral works The Carnival of the Animals, Danse Macabre, and Symphony No. ...

By the end of the 19th century French organists like Widor named some of their organ compositions symphony too: the "romantic" type of organs they played on (like the ones built by Cavaillé-Coll) allowed a thorough orchestral approach and sound, so these composers didn't think of their symphonies as inferior to those written for execution by a symphonic orchestra. In the cases of Widor and Vierne in particular it is much less usual to hear their symphonies for "orchestra alone", of which Vierne wrote one and Widor several, than those they wrote for organ. An organist is a musician who plays the organ, whether pipe or electronic. ... Charles-Marie Jean Albert Widor (February 21, 1844 – March 12, 1937) was a French organist, composer and teacher. ... Aristide Cavaillé-Coll His grave in Montparnasse Cemetery, Paris Aristide Cavaillé-Coll (February 4, 1811–October 13, 1899) was a French organ builder. ... Louis Victor Jules Vierne, (October 8, 1870–June 2, 1937) was a French organist and composer. ...

The 20th century symphony

In the 19th century the symphonies got bigger and bigger, both in play time and size of the orchestra. That development finished with Gustav Mahler in the beginning of the 20th century. The twentieth century saw further diversification in the style and content of works which composers labelled "symphonies" - the idea that the "symphony" was a definite form which had certain standards was eroded, and the symphony instead came to be any major orchestral work which its composer saw fit to label such. While some composers - such as Sergei Rachmaninoff and Carl Nielsen, continued to write in the traditional four-movement form, other composers took different approaches. Gustav Mahler, whose second symphony written at the end of the 19th century is in five movements, continued to write novel works in the form: his third symphony, like the second, has parts for soloists and choir and is in six movements, the fifth, seventh and tenth symphonies are in five movements, and the eighth symphony, which in another age would more likely have been called a cantata or oratorio, is in two large parts, with vocalists singing for virtually the duration of the work. Jean Sibelius' Symphony No. 7, his last, is in just one movement. This article cites its sources but does not provide page references. ... Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff (Russian: , Sergej Vasilevič Rakhmaninov, 1 April 1873 (N.S.) or 20 March 1873 (O.S.) – 28 March 1943) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor, one of the last great champions of the Romantic style of European classical music. ... Carl Nielsen Carl August Nielsen (June 9, 1865, Sortelung – October 3, 1931, Copenhagen) was a conductor, violinist, and the most internationally known composer from Denmark. ... This article cites its sources but does not provide page references. ... The Symphony No. ... The Symphony No. ... The Symphony No. ... The Symphony No. ... The Symphony No. ... The Symphony No. ... A cantata (Italian, sung) is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment and generally containing more than one movement. ... An oratorio is a large musical composition for orchestra, vocal soloists and chorus. ... Johan Julius Christian Jean / Janne Sibelius ( ; December 8, 1865 – September 20, 1957) was a Finnish composer of classical music and one of the most notable composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. ... This article needs to be wikified. ...

Despite this diversification, there remained certain tendencies - symphonies were still limited to being works for orchestra. Vocal parts were sometimes used alongside the orchestra, but remained rare, and the use of solo instruments was virtually unheard of. Notable exceptions were the "organ symphonies" composed for solo organ by French composers such as Louis Vierne and Charles-Marie Widor which exploited the power and increased resources of the modern organ to present an orchestral effect. Designating a work a "symphony" still implied a degree of weightiness - very short or very frivolous works were rarely called symphonies. The label sinfonietta came into use to designate a work that was "lighter" than the term "symphony" implied (Leoš Janáček's Sinfonietta is one of the best known examples). Louis Victor Jules Vierne, (October 8, 1870–June 2, 1937) was a French organist and composer. ... Charles-Marie Jean Albert Widor (February 21, 1844 – March 12, 1937) was a French organist, composer and teacher. ... The Sinfonietta (subtitled Military Sinfonietta or Sokol Festival) is a late work for large orchestra by the Moravian/Czech composer LeoÅ¡ Janáček. ... LeoÅ¡ Janáček in 1928 LeoÅ¡ Janáček ( ; July 3, 1854 in Hukvaldy, Moravia, then Austrian empire – August 12, 1928 in Ostrava, then Czechoslovakia) was a Czech composer. ... Sinfonietta is an orchestral piece written by Czech composer, LeoÅ¡ Janáček. ...

Along with a widening of what could be considered a symphony, the 20th century saw an increase in the number of works which could reasonably be called symphonies but which were given some other name by their composer. The Concerto for Orchestra by Béla Bartók is just one such example (Bartók never wrote a work he called a symphony). Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde is sung throughout but would likely have been christened a symphony, with justification, but for the Curse of the Ninth. Some present-day composers continue to write works which they call "symphonies" (Philip Glass, for example, has written eight as of 2005), but the tendency in the 20th century has been for the symphony to be less a recognisable form with its own conventions and norms, and more a label which composers apply to orchestral works of a certain ambition, or even non-orchestral works. Glenn Branca, for example, composes symphonies for electric guitars and percussion, which blend droning industrial cacophony and microtonality with quasi-mysticism and advanced mathematics. The Concerto for Orchestra Sz. ... Béla Bartók in 1927 Béla Viktor János Bartók (March 25, 1881 – September 26, 1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist and collector of Eastern European and Middle Eastern folk music. ... Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth) is particularly interesting among Gustav Mahlers symphonic works. ... The curse of the ninth is the superstition that any composer of symphonies, from Beethoven onwards, will die soon after writing his or her own Ninth Symphony. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... Glenn Branca (born October 6, 1948 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) is an avant-garde composer and guitarist. ... The band Cacophony Cacophony - Sounding badly, antonym to harmony. ... Microtonal music is music using microtones -- intervals of less than a semitone, or as Charles Ives put it, the notes between the cracks of the piano. ... Euclid, Greek mathematician, 3rd century BC, as imagined by by Raphael in this detail from The School of Athens. ...

Composers of symphonies

Main article: List of symphony composers

A list of composers who have written symphonies can be found in the link above. Among composers who have composed symphonies are (listed in chronological order of birth): Giuseppe Torelli, Italian composer of the Sinfonie à 2–4 (1687), chamber works with one to three melodic instruments plus bass. ...

Symphonies by number and name

This page gives access to several pages listing symphonies by number: Category: Symphonies ... This is a list of famous symphonies sorted by key. ... Among the pieces of music with the title Symphony No. ... Among the pieces of music with the title Symphony No. ... Among the pieces of music with the title Symphony No. ... Among the pieces of music with the title Symphony No. ... Among the pieces of music with the title Symphony No. ... Works with the title Symphony No. ... Works with the title Symphony No. ... Works with the title Symphony No. ... Works with the title Symphony No. ... Works with the title Symphony No. ... Works with the title Symphony No. ... Works with the title Symphony No. ... There are 104 symphonies by the Classical composer Joseph Haydn on which numbers are now generally agreed upon. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with List of compositions by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. ... This is a list of Dmitri Shostakovichs compositions by opus number. ... Alan Hovhaness with an Indonesian rebab Alan Hovhaness (March 8, 1911 – June 21, 2000) was an American composer of Armenian and Scottish descent. ... While most symphonies have a number, many symphonies are known by their (nick)name. ... This is a list of famous symphonies sorted by key. ... Among composers who have composed symphonies are (listed in chronological order of birth): Giuseppe Torelli, Italian composer of the Sinfonie à 2–4 (1687), chamber works with one to three melodic instruments plus bass. ... In music, a sinfonia can be one of three things: 1) In the very late Renaissance and early Baroque, a sinfonia was an alternate name for a canzona, fantasia or ricercar. ... Sinfonia concertante is a musical form that originated in the classical music era, and is a mixture of the symphony and the concerto genres: It is a concerto, in that it has one or more soloists (in the classical music era usually more than one). ... Several (classical) composers left fragments of symphonies that for various reasons could be considered incomplete or unfinished. ... The curse of the ninth is the superstition that any composer of symphonies, from Beethoven onwards, will die soon after writing his or her own Ninth Symphony. ...

Symphony as "orchestra"

In a more modern usage, a symphony or symphony orchestra is an orchestra, particularly one that plays or is equipped to play symphonies. Going to hear a symphony orchestra play is sometimes called "going to the symphony," whether or not an actual symphony is on the programme. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Media

Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphonie 5 c-moll - 1. ... Software development stages In computer programming, development stage terminology expresses how the development of a piece of software has progressed and how much further development it may require. ... The coversheet to Beethovens 5th Symphony. ... Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphonie 5 c-moll - 2. ... Software development stages In computer programming, development stage terminology expresses how the development of a piece of software has progressed and how much further development it may require. ... The coversheet to Beethovens 5th Symphony. ... Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphonie 5 c-moll - 3. ... Software development stages In computer programming, development stage terminology expresses how the development of a piece of software has progressed and how much further development it may require. ... The coversheet to Beethovens 5th Symphony. ... Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphonie 5 c-moll - 4. ... Software development stages In computer programming, development stage terminology expresses how the development of a piece of software has progressed and how much further development it may require. ... The coversheet to Beethovens 5th Symphony. ...

See also

• List of symphony orchestras
• List of conductors
• List of symphony orchestra concert halls

// World Philharmonic Orchestra Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra CBC Radio Orchestra Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, official site I Musici de Montréal Chamber Orchestra Kanata Symphony Orchestra, official site Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony,official site Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, official site Montreal Symphony Orchestra, (Orchestre symphonique de Montréal) Montreal Pop Symphonic... This is a list of conductors of music in the broad genre of classical music, including symphonies, operas, chamber music, and choral music, including music by modern composers considered within this genre. ... A Concert hall is a cultural building, which serves as performance venue, chiefly for classical instrumental music. ...

Sources

• Bukofzer, Manfred F. 1947. Music in the Baroque Era: From Monteverdi to Bach. New York: W. W. Norton.
• Newman, William S. 1972. The Sonata in the Baroque Era. New York: W. W. Norton.
• Tarr, Edward H. 1974. Unpaginated editorial notes to his edition of Giuseppe Torelli, Sinfonia a 4, G. 33, in C major. London: Musica Rara.

External links

• A Chronology of the Symphony 1730-2005 A list of selected major symphonies composed 1800-2005, with composers of 18th century symphonies

• the Tsanoff's symphony