symphony

A symphony is a large piece of music written for an orchestra (Like the New York Philharmonic, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra). They started with Haydn during the Classical period, and are still written today. They consist usually of 3 main movements, or sections each lasting several minutes. (the number does vary depending on composer-- Olivier Messiaen wrote one that is 10 movements long!). In classical music, a symphony is an extended musical composition, scored almost always for orchestra. "Symphony" does not necessarily imply a specific form though most are composed according to the sonata principle. ...

In Western classical music, a symphony is an extended musical composition, scored almost always for orchestra. "Symphony" does not necessarily imply a specific form, though most are composed according to the sonata principle. Many symphonies are tonal works in four movements with the first in sonata form, which is often described by music theorists as the structure of a "classical" symphony, although many symphonies by the acknowledged classical masters of the form, Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Ludwig van Beethoven do not conform to this model.

A symphony is any piece of music played by an orchestra - usually in several movements. Done!

Well that was simple enough - but now I have two more words to define...

A movement is a complete section of music (usually all one overall speed and style) that you DON'T clap after. I know it may feel as though you should clap after some movements are done - but don't. You may be shunned by society and ridiculed behind your back for years should you commit such a musical mistake (yes, it IS possible to commit a musical mistake while in the audience.)

I guess you could applaud between movements at home where no one could hear you, but I don't recommend it - inter movement clapping could be habit forming and you wouldn't want to mess up if you actually go out in public. Also the people who recorded the music you are listening to in your home can't hear you!

You're just like those people who clap at the end of movies. THE ACTORS CAN'T HEAR YOU!!!! If you feel the need to applaud a lot - go down to your local jazz club. There you can clap after every solo (five, maybe six times each song!) And the live performers CAN hear you. And they like to hear clapping. Anyway...

An orchestra is a group of musicians - frequently in tuxes and black dresses who play a variety of instruments. The first orchestras had the fewest people (there were just less people around back then...) But they had strings! (violin, viola, cello, and bass) All orchestras have string sections. It is a rule. Later, as more musicians became available, more were added. Mozart and Haydn added trumpets, drums, flutes, and more.

Then Beethoven came along and added a whole load of new people - musicians and also singers.* Sometimes you'll see a 180+ piece orchestra playing Mozart (this happened a lot in the 1950's - I don't know why.) It's wrong. Mozart had somewhere around 40 people in his orchestras.

Symphonies started round about 1720 - but you probably wouldn't recognize those early ones. The "modern" symphony started with Haydn in about 1745. Haydn is THE symphony man He wrote 108** of them. Mozart is also a big name in the symphony scene - he only wrote 41 - but then again, Mozart died early (age 38). The next big name is Beethoven. He only wrote 9 symphonies but each of his is much longer than any of Haydn's symphonies.

Some other people to remember are Dvorak, Bruckner, and Zappa. Yes, Frank Zappa wrote one (I have the CD). The point here is symphonies are not dead. People still write them. I doubt though that a modern symphony - no matter how good - would ever be as popular as Beethoven's 9th or 5th.