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Listening and understanding the symphony
What is the difference between classical, academic, symphonic and philharmonic music? Can a string quartet be considered an orchestra, and can such an “orchestra” then be called a violin orchestra? Answers to these and others popular questions about symphonies - in the material of the portal "Culture.RF".
Let's go to the concert
Ilya Repin. Slavic composers. 1872. Moscow State Conservatory named after P.I. Tchaikovsky
A standard symphony concert consists of an overture and a concerto for some instrument (usually piano or violin) with an orchestra in the first movement and the symphony itself in the second. Most often, they perform either overtures from famous theatrical works, or those that have their own plot, which allows even completely unprepared listeners to perceive the music - on an extra-musical semantic level. Composers also write instrumental concerts with the mass audience in mind. With a symphony everything seems much more complicated, but this is only at first glance.
The first symphonies in the form to which we are accustomed appeared during the time of Joseph Haydn and largely thanks to him. The word “symphony” itself, of course, existed long before the composer: translated from Greek it meant “joint [harmonious] sound” and served to designate a wide variety of musical forms and genres. But it was precisely in the work of Haydn, the first of Viennese classics- the symphony became what it is now.
Almost all symphonies are built according to the same scheme and, in fact, tell the same type of plot. This scheme is usually called the sonata-symphonic cycle; it consists of four independent musical parts. These individual pieces of music are literally are lining up, like architectural structures, in accordance with very specific and precise mathematical laws. It was these laws that the hero of Pushkin’s work Salieri had in mind when he said that he “believed harmony with algebra.”
What does a symphony consist of?
Henryk Semiradsky. Chopin in the salon of Prince Anton Radziwill in Berlin in 1829 (detail). 2nd half XIX century. State Russian Museum
First part symphonies are also sometimes called “sonata allegro”, since it is written in sonata form and usually goes at a fast pace. The plot of the sonata form consists of three large sections - exposition, development and reprise.
IN exposition Two contrasting themes sound consistently: the main part is usually more active, and the side part is often more lyrical. IN development these themes intertwine and interact with each other in any way at the discretion of the composer. A reprise sums up this interaction: in it the main part sounds in its original form, and the side part changes under the influence of the main one. For example, if in the exposition it was lyrical, then in the reprise it becomes tragic (if the symphony is written in a minor key) or, conversely, heroic (for a major symphony).
The main intrigue of the symphony remains how exactly the composer develops the typical plot. And in an already familiar essay you can turn Special attention to the interpretation of music by one conductor or another - it’s akin to watching a new film adaptation of a famous novel.
Second part symphonies - slow, meditative in nature. It represents an understanding of the dramatic vicissitudes of the first part - as a rest after a storm or as a necessary but slow recovery after a severe fever.
The third part leads the internal conflict of the symphony to resolution through external movement. That is why composers of the 18th century traditionally wrote it in the three-beat rhythm of the then popular minuet dance. The form of the minuet was traditionally three-part, the third section of which literally repeated the first according to the pattern “A - B - A”. This repetition was sometimes not even written out with notes, and after the second section they simply wrote “da capo”: this meant that they had to play the entire first section from the beginning.
Since the time of Ludwig van Beethoven, the minuet has sometimes been replaced by a fast and lively scherzo (translated from Italian as “joke”), but even in these cases, the third movement of the standard symphony often retained the three-beat rhythm and the obligatory three-part “da capo” form.
And finally, fast fourth part or the final The symphony emotionally and meaningfully returns the listener to the “circle of life.” This is facilitated by the musical form rondo(from the French rondeau - “circle”), in which the finales of classical symphonies are most often written. The rondo principle is based on periodic returns, as if in a circle, of the main theme ( refrain), interspersed with other musical fragments ( episodes). The rondo form is one of the most harmonious and positive, and it is this that contributes to the life-affirming nature of the symphony as a whole. .
No rules without exceptions
Peter Williams. Portrait of Dmitry Shostakovich. 1947. Central Museum musical culture named after M.I. Glinka
The typical form described is characteristic of the vast majority of symphonies created from the end of the 17th century to the present day. However, there are no rules without exceptions.
If something goes “not according to plan” in a symphony, this always reflects the composer’s special intention, and not his unprofessionalism or ignorance. For example, if the slow (“meaningful”) part of the symphony changes places with a minuet or scherzo, as often happens with romantic composers of the 19th century, this may mean that the author shifted the semantic emphasis of the entire symphony “inward,” since it was in the third quarter of the musical the work is the point of the “golden section” and the semantic culmination of the entire form.
Another example of a deviation from the standard form is another movement added “over plan,” as in Joseph Haydn’s Farewell (45th) Symphony, where after the traditional fast finale there is a slow fifth movement, during which the musicians take turns stopping playing and leave the stage, extinguishing the candles attached to their music stands. With this violation of the canonical form, Haydn, being the head of the court orchestra of Prince Esterhazy, drew the attention of his employer to the fact that the musicians had not been paid for a long time and they were literally ready to leave the orchestra. The prince, who knew the form of a classical symphony very well, understood the subtle hint, and the situation was resolved in favor of the musicians.
Symphony Orchestra
Symphony is the most monumental form of instrumental music. Moreover, this statement is true for any era - both for the work of the Viennese classics, and for the romantics, and for composers of later movements...
Alexander Maikapar
Musical genres: Symphony
The word symphony comes from the Greek "symphonia" and has several meanings. Theologians call this a guide to the use of words found in the Bible. The term is translated by them as agreement and agreement. Musicians translate this word as consonance.
The topic of this essay is the symphony as a musical genre. It turns out that in a musical context, the term symphony contains several different meanings. Thus, Bach called his wonderful pieces for the clavier symphonies, meaning that they represent a harmonic combination, a combination - consonance - of several (in this case, three) voices. But this use of the term was an exception already in the time of Bach - in the first half of the 18th century. Moreover, in the work of Bach himself, it denoted music of a completely different style.
And now we have come close to the main topic of our essay - the symphony as a large multi-part orchestral work. In this sense, the symphony appeared around 1730, when the orchestral introduction to the opera was separated from the opera itself and turned into an independent orchestral work, taking as a basis a three-part overture of the Italian type.
The kinship of the symphony with the overture is manifested not only in the fact that each of the three sections of the overture: fast-slow-fast (and sometimes also the slow introduction to it) has turned into an independent symphony separate part, but also in the fact that the overture gave the symphony the idea of contrasting the main themes (usually masculine and feminine) and thus endowed the symphony with the dramatic (and dramaturgical) tension and intrigue necessary for music of large forms.
Constructive principles of the symphony
Mountains of musicological books and articles are devoted to the analysis of the form of the symphony and its evolution. Art material, represented by the symphony genre, is enormous both in quantity and variety of forms. Here we can characterize the most general principles.
1. Symphony is the most monumental form of instrumental music. Moreover, this statement is true for any era - for the work of the Viennese classics, and for the romantics, and for composers of later movements. The Eighth Symphony (1906) by Gustav Mahler, for example, is grandiose in artistic design, written for a huge - even according to the ideas of the early 20th century - cast of performers: a large symphony orchestra expanded to include 22 woodwinds and 17 brass instruments, the score also includes two mixed choirs and a boys’ choir; to this are added eight soloists (three sopranos, two altos, a tenor, a baritone and a bass) and a backstage orchestra. It is often called the "Symphony of a Thousand Participants". In order to perform it, it is necessary to rebuild the stage of even very large concert halls.
2. Since the symphony is a multi-movement work (three-, often four-, and sometimes five-movement, for example, Beethoven’s “Pastoral” or Berlioz’s “Fantastique”), it is clear that such a form must be extremely elaborate in order to eliminate monotony and monotony. (A one-movement symphony is very rare; an example is Symphony No. 21 by N. Myaskovsky.)
A symphony always contains many musical images, ideas and themes. They are one way or another distributed between the parts, which, in turn, on the one hand, contrast with each other, and on the other, form a kind of higher integrity, without which the symphony will not be perceived as a single work.
To give an idea of the composition of the symphony's movements, we provide information about several masterpieces...
Mozart. Symphony No. 41 “Jupiter”, C major
I. Allegro vivace
II. Andante cantabile
III. Menuetto. Allegretto - Trio
IV. Molto Allegro
Beethoven. Symphony No. 3, E-flat major, Op. 55 ("Heroic")
I. Allegro con brio
II. Marcia funebre: Adagio assai
III. Scherzo: Allegro vivace
IV. Finale: Allegro molto, Poco Andante
Schubert. Symphony No. 8 in B minor (the so-called “Unfinished”)
I. Allegro moderato
II. Andante con moto
Berlioz. Fantastic Symphony
I. Dreams. Passion: Largo - Allegro agitato e appassionato assai - Tempo I - Religiosamente
II. Ball: Valse. Allegro non troppo
III. Scene in the fields: Adagio
IV. Procession to execution: Allegretto non troppo
V. A Dream on the Night of the Sabbath: Larghetto - Allegro - Allegro
assai - Allegro - Lontana - Ronde du Sabbat - Dies irae
Borodin. Symphony No. 2 “Bogatyrskaya”
I. Allegro
II. Scherzo. Prestissimo
III. Andante
IV. Finale. Allegro
3. The first part is the most complex in design. In a classical symphony it is usually written in the form of a so-called sonata Allegro. The peculiarity of this form is that at least two main themes collide and develop in it, which are discussed in the most general outline can be spoken of as expressing the masculine (this theme is usually called main party , since for the first time it takes place in the main key of the work) and feminine(This side party- it sounds in one of the related main keys). These two main topics are somehow connected, and the transition from the main to the secondary is called connecting party. Laying it all out musical material usually has a certain conclusion, this episode is called final game.
If we listen to a classical symphony with attention that allows us, from the first acquaintance with this composition, to immediately distinguish between these structural elements, then we will discover in the course of the first part modifications of these main themes. With the development of the sonata form, some composers - and Beethoven the first of them - were able to identify feminine elements in the theme of a masculine character and vice versa, and in the course of developing these themes, “illuminate” them in different ways. This is perhaps the brightest - both artistic and logical - embodiment of the principle of dialectics.
The entire first part of the symphony is constructed as a three-part form, in which first the main themes are presented to the listener, as if exhibited (that’s why this section is called exposition), then they undergo development and transformation (the second section is development) and ultimately return - either in their original form , or in some new capacity (reprise). This is the most general scheme into which each of the great composers contributed something of their own. Therefore, we will not find two identical constructions not only among different composers, but also among the same one. (Of course, if we are talking about great creators.)
4. After the usually stormy first part of the symphony, there must certainly be a place for lyrical, calm, sublime music, in a word, flowing in slow motion. At first, this was the second part of the symphony, and this was considered a rather strict rule. In the symphonies of Haydn and Mozart, the slow movement is precisely the second. If there are only three movements in a symphony (as in Mozart's 1770s), then the slow movement really turns out to be the middle one. If the symphony has four movements, then in the early symphonies a minuet was placed between the slow movement and the fast finale. Later, starting with Beethoven, the minuet was replaced by a rapid scherzo. However, at some point the composers decided to deviate from this rule, and then the slow movement became the third in the symphony, and the scherzo became the second movement, as we see (or rather, hear) in A. Borodin’s “Bogatyr” symphony.
5. The finales of classical symphonies are characterized by lively movement with features of dance and song, often in a folk spirit. Sometimes the finale of a symphony turns into a true apotheosis, as in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony (Op. 125), where a choir and solo singers were introduced into the symphony. Although this was an innovation for the symphony genre, it was not for Beethoven himself: even earlier he composed the Fantasia for piano, choir and orchestra (Op. 80). The symphony contains the ode “To Joy” by F. Schiller. The finale is so dominant in this symphony that the three movements preceding it are perceived as a huge introduction to it. The performance of this finale with its call to “Hug, millions!” at the opening of the UN General Session - best expression ethical aspirations of humanity!
Great creators of symphonies
Joseph Haydn
Joseph Haydn lived long life(1732–1809). Half a century of it creative activity outlined by two important circumstances: the death of J. S. Bach (1750), which ended the era of polyphony, and the premiere of Beethoven’s Third (“Eroic”) Symphony, which marked the beginning of the era of romanticism. During these fifty years the old musical forms - mass, oratorio and concerto grosso- were replaced by new ones: symphony, sonata and string quartet. The main place where works written in these genres were now heard were not churches and cathedrals, as before, but the palaces of nobles and aristocrats, which, in turn, led to a change in musical values - poetry and subjective expressiveness came into fashion.
In all this, Haydn was a pioneer. Often - although not quite correctly - he is called the “father of the symphony”. Some composers, for example Jan Stamitz and other representatives of the so-called Mannheim school (Mannheim in the mid-18th century was the citadel of early symphonism), had already begun composing three-movement symphonies much earlier than Haydn. However, Haydn raised this form to a much higher level and showed the way to the future. His early works bear the stamp of the influence of C. F. E. Bach, and the later ones anticipate a completely different style - Beethoven.
It is noteworthy that the compositions that have acquired important musical meaning, he began to create when he crossed his forty-year mark. Fertility, diversity, unpredictability, humor, inventiveness - this is what makes Haydn head and shoulders above the level of his contemporaries.
Many of Haydn's symphonies received titles. Let me give you a few examples.
A. Abakumov. Play Haydn (1997)
The famous symphony No. 45 was called “Farewell” (or “Symphony by Candlelight”): on the last pages of the symphony’s finale, the musicians, one after another, stop playing and leave the stage, leaving only two violins, ending the symphony with a question chord la - F sharp. Haydn himself told a semi-humorous version of the origin of the symphony: Prince Nikolai Esterhazy once for a very long time did not let the orchestra members leave Eszterhazy for Eisenstadt, where their families lived. Wanting to help his subordinates, Haydn composed the conclusion of the “Farewell” symphony in the form of a subtle hint to the prince - a request for leave expressed in musical images. The hint was understood, and the prince gave the appropriate orders.
In the era of romanticism, the humorous nature of the symphony was forgotten, and it began to be endowed with a tragic meaning. Schumann wrote in 1838 about the musicians extinguishing their candles and leaving the stage during the finale of the symphony: “And no one laughed at the same time, since there was no time for laughter.”
Symphony No. 94 “With a Timpani Strike, or Surprise” received its name due to the humorous effect in the slow movement - its peaceful mood is disrupted by a sharp timpani strike. No. 96 “Miracle” began to be called that due to random circumstances. At the concert in which Haydn was to conduct this symphony, the audience, with his appearance, rushed from the middle of the hall to the empty first rows, and the middle was empty. At that moment, a chandelier collapsed in the center of the hall, only two listeners were slightly injured. Exclamations were heard in the hall: “Miracle! Miracle!" Haydn himself was deeply impressed by his involuntary salvation of many people.
The name of symphony No. 100 “Military”, on the contrary, is not at all accidental - its extreme parts with their military signals and rhythms clearly paint a musical picture of the camp; even the Minuet here (third movement) is of a rather dashing “army” type; inclusion of Turkish percussion instruments in the symphony’s score delighted London music lovers (cf. Mozart’s “Turkish March”).
No. 104 “Salomon”: isn’t this a tribute to the impresario John Peter Salomon, who did so much for Haydn? True, Salomon himself became so famous thanks to Haydn that he was buried in Westminster Abbey “for bringing Haydn to London,” as indicated on his tombstone. Therefore, the symphony should be called exactly “With A lomon”, and not “Solomon”, as is sometimes found in concert programs, which incorrectly orients listeners to the biblical king.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mozart wrote his first symphonies when he was eight years old, and his last at thirty-two. Their total number is more than fifty, but several youthful ones have not survived or have not yet been discovered.
If you take the advice of Alfred Einstein, the greatest expert on Mozart, and compare this number with only nine symphonies by Beethoven or four by Brahms, it will immediately become clear that the concept of the symphony genre is different for these composers. But if we single out Mozart’s symphonies that, like Beethoven’s, are really addressed to a certain ideal audience, in other words, to all of humanity ( humanitas), then it turns out that Mozart also wrote no more than ten such symphonies (Einstein himself speaks of “four or five”!). "Prague" and the triad of symphonies of 1788 (No. 39, 40, 41) are an amazing contribution to the treasury of world symphony.
Of these last three symphonies, the middle one, No. 40, is the best known. Only “A Little Night Serenade” and the Overture to the opera “The Marriage of Figaro” can compete with it in popularity. Although the reasons for popularity are always difficult to determine, one of them in this case may be the choice of tone. This symphony was written in G minor - a rarity for Mozart, who preferred cheerful and joyful major keys. Of the forty-one symphonies, only two were written in a minor key (this does not mean that Mozart did not write minor music in major symphonies).
His piano concertos have similar statistics: out of twenty-seven, only two have a minor key. Considering the dark days in which this symphony was created, it may seem that the choice of tonality was predetermined. However, there is more to this creation than just the everyday sorrows of any one person. We must remember that in that era, German and Austrian composers increasingly found themselves at the mercy of the ideas and images of the aesthetic movement in literature, called “Sturm and Drang.”
The name of the new movement was given by F. M. Klinger’s drama “Sturm and Drang” (1776). A large number of dramas have emerged with incredibly passionate and often inconsistent heroes. Composers were also fascinated by the idea of expressing with sounds the dramatic intensity of passions, heroic struggle, and often longing for unrealizable ideals. It is not surprising that in this atmosphere Mozart also turned to minor keys.
Unlike Haydn, who was always confident that his symphonies would be performed - either in front of Prince Esterhazy, or, like the "London ones", in front of the London public - Mozart never had such a guarantee, and despite this, he was amazingly prolific. If his early symphonies are often entertaining or, as we would now say, “light” music, then his later symphonies are the “highlight of the program” of any symphony concert.
Ludwig van Beethoven
Beethoven created nine symphonies. There are probably more books written about them than there are notes in this heritage. The greatest of his symphonies are the Third (E-flat major, “Eroica”), the Fifth (C minor), the Sixth (F major, “Pastoral”), and the Ninth (D minor).
...Vienna, May 7, 1824. Premiere of the Ninth Symphony. Surviving documents testify to what happened then. The very announcement of the upcoming premiere was noteworthy: “The Grand Academy of Music, which is being organized by Mr. Ludwig van Beethoven, will take place tomorrow, May 7th.<...>The soloists will be Ms. Sontag and Ms. Unger, as well as Messrs. Heitzinger and Seipelt. The concertmaster of the orchestra is Mr. Schuppanzig, the conductor is Mr. Umlauf.<...>Mr. Ludwig van Beethoven will personally take part in directing the concert.”
This direction eventually resulted in Beethoven conducting the symphony himself. But how could this happen? After all, by that time Beethoven was already deaf. Let's turn to eyewitness accounts.
“Beethoven conducted himself, or rather, he stood in front of the conductor’s stand and gesticulated like crazy,” wrote Joseph Böhm, the orchestra’s violinist who took part in that historic concert. - First he stretched upward, then he almost squatted, waving his arms and stamping his feet, as if he himself wanted to play all the instruments at the same time and sing for the whole choir. In fact, Umlauf was in charge of everything, and we musicians only looked after his baton. Beethoven was so excited that he was completely unaware of what was happening around him and did not pay attention to the stormy applause, which barely reached his consciousness due to his hearing impairment. At the end of each number they had to tell him exactly when to turn around and thank the audience for the applause, which he did very awkwardly.”
At the end of the symphony, when the applause was already thundering, Caroline Unger approached Beethoven and gently stopped his hand - he still continued to conduct, not realizing that the performance was over! - and turned to face the hall. Then it became obvious to everyone that Beethoven was completely deaf...
The success was enormous. It took police intervention to end the applause.
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
In the genre of symphony P.I. Tchaikovsky created six works. Last Symphony - Sixth, B minor, Op. 74 - called “Pathetic” by him.
In February 1893, Tchaikovsky came up with a plan for a new symphony, which became the Sixth. In one of his letters, he says: “During the journey, I had the idea of another symphony... with a program that will remain a mystery to everyone... This program is very imbued with subjectivity, and often during the journey, mentally composing it, I am very cried."
The sixth symphony was recorded by the composer very quickly. In just a week (February 4–11), he recorded the entire first part and half of the second. Then the work was interrupted for some time by a trip from Klin, where the composer then lived, to Moscow. Returning to Klin, he worked on the third part from February 17 to 24. Then there was another break, and in the second half of March the composer completed the finale and the second part. The orchestration had to be postponed somewhat because Tchaikovsky had several more trips planned. On August 12, the orchestration was completed.
The first performance of the Sixth Symphony took place in St. Petersburg on October 16, 1893, conducted by the author. Tchaikovsky wrote after the premiere: “Something strange is happening with this symphony! It’s not that I didn’t like it, but it caused some confusion. As for me, I am prouder of it than of any other composition of mine.” Further events turned out tragically: nine days after the premiere of the symphony, P. Tchaikovsky died suddenly.
V. Baskin, the author of the first biography of Tchaikovsky, who was present at both the premiere of the symphony and its first performance after the composer’s death, when E. Napravnik conducted (this performance became triumphant), wrote: “We remember the sad mood that reigned in the hall of the Assembly of the Nobility On November 6, when the “Pathetique” symphony, which was not fully appreciated during the first performance under the baton of Tchaikovsky himself, was performed for the second time. In this symphony, which, unfortunately, became our composer’s swan song, he appeared new not only in content, but also in form; instead of the usual Allegro or Presto it begins Adagio lamentoso, leaving the listener in the saddest mood. In that Adagio the composer seems to say goodbye to life; gradual morendo(Italian - fading) of the entire orchestra reminded us of the famous end of Hamlet: “ The rest is silent"(Further - silence)."
We were only able to briefly talk about just a few masterpieces of symphonic music, moreover, leaving aside the actual musical fabric, since such a conversation requires the real sound of the music. But even from this story it becomes clear that the symphony as a genre and symphonies as creations of the human spirit are an invaluable source of the highest pleasure. The world of symphonic music is huge and inexhaustible.
Based on materials from the magazine “Art” No. 08/2009
On the poster: Big hall St. Petersburg Academic Philharmonic named after D. D. Shostakovich. Tory Huang (piano, USA) and the Philharmonic Academic Symphony Orchestra (2013)
At the end of the Baroque era, a number of composers, such as Giuseppe Torelli (1658–1709), wrote works for string orchestra and basso continuo in three movements, with a fast-slow-fast tempo sequence. Although such works were usually called "concertos", they were no different from works called “symphonies”; for example, dance themes were used in the finales of both concerts and symphonies. The difference concerned mainly the structure of the first part of the cycle: in symphonies it was simpler - this is, as a rule, a binary two-part form of the Baroque overture, sonata and suite (AA BB). The word “symphony” itself dates back to the 10th century. meant harmonious consonance; by the end of the 16th century. such authors as J. Gabrieli applied this concept to the consonance of voices and instruments. Later, in the music of composers such as Adriano Banchieri (1568–1634) and Salomone Rossi (c. 1570–c. 1630), the word “symphony” came to mean the sound of instruments together without votes. Italian composers 17th century The word “symphony” (sinfonia) often denoted the instrumental introductions to an opera, oratorio or cantata, and the term in meaning came close to the concepts of “prelude” or “overture”. Around 1680, in the operatic work of A. Scarlatti, the type of symphony was established as an instrumental composition in three sections (or parts), built on the principle of “fast - slow - fast”.
Classical symphony.
18th century listeners I liked orchestral pieces in several parts with different tempos, which were performed both in home gatherings and in public concerts. Having lost the function of the introduction, the symphony developed into an independent orchestral work, usually in three movements (“fast – slow – fast”). Using the features of the baroque dance suite, opera and concerto, a number of composers, most notably G.B. Sammartini, created the model of the classical symphony - a three-movement work for string orchestra, where the fast parts usually took the form of a simple rondo or an early sonata form. Gradually, other instruments were added to the strings: oboes (or flutes), horns, trumpets and timpani. For listeners of the 18th century. the symphony was determined by classical norms: homophonic texture, diatonic harmony, melodic contrasts, a given sequence of dynamic and thematic changes. The centers where the classical symphony was cultivated were the German city of Mannheim (here Jan Stamitz and other authors expanded the symphonic cycle to four parts, introducing into it two dances from the Baroque suite - minuet and trio) and Vienna, where Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven (as well as their predecessors, among whom Georg Monn and Georg Wagenseil stand out, raised the symphony genre to a new level.
The symphonies of J. Haydn and W. A. Mozart are brilliant examples of the classical style. The parts are clearly separated from each other, each having independent thematic material; The unity of the cycle is ensured by tonal comparisons and thoughtful alternation of tempos and the nature of themes. Strings, woodwinds, brass and timpani provide a variety of instrumental combinations; lyrical beginning, coming from operatic vocal writing, penetrates the themes of the slow movements, the trio sections in the third movements and the secondary themes of other movements. Other motifs of operatic origin (octave leaps, repetitions of sounds, scale-like passages) become the thematic basis of the fast movements. Haydn's symphonies are distinguished by their wit, inventiveness of thematic development, originality of phrasing, instrumentation, texture and thematics; Mozart's symphonies are marked by richness of melody, plasticity, grace of harmony and masterful counterpoint.
An excellent example of a classical symphony from the late 18th century. – Mozart’s Symphony No. 41 (K. 551, C major (1788), known as Jupiter. Its score includes a flute, two oboes, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani and a group of strings (first and second violins, violas, cellos, double basses). The symphony consists of four movements. The first, Allegro vivace, is written in a lively tempo, in the key of C major, in 4/4 time, in sonata form (the so-called sonata allegro form: themes first appear in the exposition, then develop in the development, followed by a reprise, usually ending with a conclusion - a coda). The second part of Mozart's symphony is written at a moderate (moderato) tempo, in the subdominant key of F major, again in sonata form and has a melodious character (Andante cantabile).
The third movement consists of a moderately active minuet and trio in C major. Although each of these two dances is written in a ronda-like binary form (minuet - AAVABA; trio - CCDCDC), the return of the minuet after the trio gives the overall structure a tripartite structure. The finale is again in sonata form, at a very fast tempo (Molto allegro), in the main key of C major. Built on laconic motifs, the finale's themes radiate energy and strength; in the finale's coda, Bach's counterpoint techniques are combined with the virtuosity of Mozart's classical style.
In the work of L. van Beethoven, the parts of the symphony are more closely connected thematically, and the cycle achieves greater unity. The principle of using related thematic material in all four movements, carried out in Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, led to the emergence of the so-called. cyclical symphony. Beethoven replaces the calm minuet with a more lively, often riotous, scherzo; he raises thematic development to a new level, subjecting his themes to all sorts of changes, including contrapuntal development, isolating fragments of themes, changing modes (major - minor), and rhythmic shifts. Beethoven's use of trombones in the Fifth, Sixth and Ninth Symphonies and the inclusion of voices in the finale of the Ninth are very impressive. In Beethoven, the center of gravity in the cycle shifts from the first movement to the finale; in the Third, Fifth, and Ninth, the finales are undoubtedly the culminations of the cycles. Beethoven has “characteristic” and programmatic symphonies - the Third ( Heroic) and Sixth ( Pastoral).
Romantic symphony.
With the work of Beethoven, the symphony entered a new century. The sharp changes of tempo characteristic of his style, the breadth of the dynamic range, the richness of imagery, virtuosity and drama, sometimes the unexpected appearance and ambiguity of themes - all this cleared the way for composers of the Romantic era. Realizing the greatness of Beethoven, they sought to follow his path without losing their own individuality. Romantic composers, starting with F. Schubert, experimented with sonata and other forms, often narrowing or expanding them; The symphonies of the romantics are full of lyricism, subjective expression and are distinguished by a richness of timbre and harmonic color. Beethoven's contemporary Schubert had a special gift for creating lyrical themes and unusually expressive harmonic sequences. When the logic and orderliness of classicism gave way to the subjectivity and unpredictability characteristic of the art of romanticism, the form of many symphonies became more spacious and the texture heavier.
Among the German romantic symphonists are F. Mendelssohn, R. Schumann and J. Brahms. Mendelssohn, with his classicism in the areas of form and proportions, was especially successful in the Third ( Scottish) and Fourth ( Italian) symphonies that reflected the author’s impressions of visiting these countries. Schumann's symphonies, influenced by Beethoven and Mendelssohn, tend to be cyclical and at the same time rhapsodic, especially the Third ( Rhineland) and Fourth. In his four symphonies, Brahms reverently combines Bach's counterpoint in style, Beethoven's method of development, Schubert's lyricism and Schumann's mood. P.I. Tchaikovsky avoided the typical tendency of Western romantics towards detailed programs for symphonies, as well as the use of vocal means in this genre. A gifted orchestrator and melodist, Tchaikovsky's symphonies reflect the author's penchant for dance rhythms. The symphonies of another talented melodist, A. Dvorak, are distinguished by a rather conservative approach to symphonic form, adopted from Schubert and Brahms. The symphonies of A.P. Borodin are deeply national in content and monumental in form.
The author, in whose work a type of program symphony of the last century was formed, differing in many respects from the abstract or, so to speak, absolute symphony of the classical era, was G. Berlioz. In a program symphony, a narrative is told, or a picture is painted, or, generally speaking, there is an element of the “extra-musical” that lies beyond the music itself. Inspired by Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with its final chorus to the words of Schiller's Odes to Joy, Berlioz went further in his epochal Fantastic Symphony(1831), where each part is a fragment of a seemingly autobiographical narrative, and leitmotifs-reminders run through the entire cycle. Among the composer's other program symphonies are Harold in Italy according to Byron and Romeo and Juliet according to Shakespeare, where, along with instruments, vocal means are also widely used. Like Berlioz, F. Liszt and R. Wagner were “avant-gardists” of their era. Although Wagner's desire for a synthesis of words and music, voices and instruments led him from the symphony to opera, the magnificent mastery of this author influenced almost all European composers of the subsequent generation, including the Austrian A. Bruckner. Like Wagner, Liszt was one of the leaders of late musical romanticism, and his attraction to programmaticity gave rise to works such as symphonies Faust And Dante, as well as 12 program symphonic poems. Liszt's methods of figurative transformations of themes in the process of their development greatly influenced the work of S. Frank and R. Strauss, authors of a later period.
At the end of the 19th century. the work of a number of talented symphonists, each of whom had a bright individual style, marked the final stage of the classical-romantic tradition with its predominance of the sonata form and certain tonal relationships. The Austrian G. Mahler imbued the symphony with thematic themes that had their origins in his own songs and dance motifs; often he directly quoted fragments from folk, religious or military music. Mahler's four symphonies use chorus and soloists, and all ten of his symphonic cycles are marked by extraordinary variety and sophistication of orchestral writing. Finn J. Sibelius composed symphonies of an abstract nature, imbued with deep feeling; His style is characterized by a preference for low registers and bass instruments, but in general his orchestral texture remains clear. The Frenchman C. Saint-Saens wrote three symphonies, of which the most famous is the last (1886) - the so-called. Organ Symphony. The most popular French symphony of this period can perhaps be called the only symphony by S. Frank (1886–1888).
An excellent example of a post-Romantic symphony from the late 19th century. is Mahler's Second Symphony in C minor, completed in 1894 (sometimes called Resurrection in connection with the content of the chorale in the last part). The gigantic five-part cycle was written for a large orchestral cast: 4 flutes (including piccolos), 4 oboes (including 2 English horns), 5 clarinets (including one bass), 4 bassoons (including 2 contrabassoons), 10 horns, 10 trumpets, 4 trombones, tuba, organ, 2 harps, two soloists - contralto and soprano, mixed choir and a huge percussion group including 6 timpani, big drum, cymbals, gongs and bells. The first movement has a solemn (Allegro maestoso) march-like character (4/4 time signature in the key of C minor); in terms of structure it is an extended sonata form with double exposure. The second part takes place in moderate pace(Andante moderato) and is similar in character to the graceful Austrian Ländler dance. This movement is written in the key of submediant (A-flat major) in 3/8 time and in simple ABABA form. The third movement is distinguished by the smooth flow of music; it is written in the main key and in 3/8 time. This three-movement scherzo is a symphonic development of a song simultaneously composed by Mahler Sermon of St. Anthony to the Pisces.
In the fourth part, “Eternal Light” (“Urlicht”), a human voice appears. This orchestral song, radiant and full of deep religious feeling, is written for solo viola and a reduced orchestra; it has the form ABCB, time signature 4/4, key of D-flat major. The stormy, “wild” finale at the tempo of a scherzo contains many changes in mood, tonality, tempo, and meter. This is a very large sonata form with a monumental coda; The finale includes motifs of a march, chorale, and songs reminiscent of the previous parts. At the end of the finale, voices enter (solo soprano and contralto, as well as the choir - with a hymn about the risen Christ to the words of the 18th century German poet F. Klopstock. In the orchestral conclusion, light, brilliant orchestral colors and the tonality of E-flat major, parallel to the main one, appear C minor: the light of faith dispels darkness.
The twentieth century.
In sharp contrast to Mahler's sprawling late-romantic cycles were the carefully finished neoclassical symphonies of such French authors, like D. Milhaud and A. Honegger. The Russian author I.F. Stravinsky wrote in the neoclassical (or neo-baroque) style, who filled traditional symphonic forms with new melodic and tonal-harmonic material. The German P. Hindemith also combined forms that came from the past with a sharply individual melodic and harmonic language (he was characterized by a preference for the fourth interval in thematics and chords).
The largest Russian symphonists are S.V. Rachmaninov, S.S. Prokofiev and D.D. Shostakovich. Rachmaninov's three symphonies continue the national-romantic tradition coming from Tchaikovsky. Prokofiev's symphonies are also associated with tradition, but reinterpreted; This author is characterized by rigid motor rhythms, unexpected tonal shifts, and there is a theme that comes from folklore. Creative life Shostakovich took place during the Soviet period of Russian history. The most “advanced” can be considered his First, Tenth, Thirteenth and Fifteenth symphonies, while the Third, Eighth, Eleventh and Twelfth to a greater extent associated with the traditional “Russian style”. In England, the outstanding symphonists were E. Elgar (two symphonies) and R. W. Williams (nine symphonies written between 1910 and 1957, including including a vocal element). Among other authors, each of whom is associated with the traditions of his country, one can name the Poles Witold Lutoslawski (b. 1913) and K. Penderecki, the Czech Boguslav Martinu (1890–1959), the Brazilian E. Villa-Lobos and the Mexican Carlos Chavez (1899– 1976).
At the beginning of the 20th century. American Charles Ives composed a number of avant-garde symphonies that used orchestral clusters, quarter-tone intervals, polyrhythms, dissonant harmonic writing, and collage techniques. In the next generation, several composers (all of whom studied in Paris in the 1920s with Nadia Boulanger) created the American symphonic school: A. Copland, Roy Harris (1898–1981) and W. Piston. In their style, thanks to elements of neoclassicism, the French influence is noticeable, but still their symphonies create an image of America with its open spaces, pathos and natural beauty. The symphonies of Roger Sessions are marked by the complexity and whimsicality of chromatic melodic lines, the tension of thematic development, and an abundance of counterpoint. Wallingford Rigger used A. Schoenberg's serial technique in his symphonies; Henry Cowell used such experimental ideas in his symphonies as fugue melodies of hymns, exotic instruments, sound clusters, and dissonant chromaticism.
Among other American symphonists of the mid-20th century. we can highlight H. Hanson, W. Schumann, D. Diamond and V. Persichetti. In the second half of the century, interesting symphonies were created by E. Carter, J. Rochberg, W. G. Still, F. Glass, E. T. Zwilich and G. Corigliano. In England, the symphonic tradition was continued by Michael Tippett (1905–1998). The 1990s saw an unusual phenomenon: a modern symphony became a "hit" with the general public. We are talking about the Third Symphony ( Symphonies of sad songs) Pole Heinrich Górecki. At the turn of the third millennium, composers different countries created symphonies that reflected their authors’ attraction to such diverse phenomena as minimalism, total serialism, aleatorics, electronic music, neo-romanticism, jazz and non-European musical cultures.
Symphonic music surprisingly does not give up its positions, although its history goes back centuries. It would seem that time dictates new harmonies and rhythms, new instruments are invented, the process of composing itself takes on new forms - to write music, you now need a computer with a suitable program. However, symphonic music not only does not want to fade into history, but also acquires a new sound.
A little about the history of the genre, or rather, the whole spectrum of genres, since the concept of symphonic music is multifaceted, combining several musical forms. The general concept is this: it is instrumental music written for symphony orchestra. And such orchestras can be created from large to chamber ones. Traditionally, orchestral groups are distinguished - string instruments, wind instruments, percussion, keyboards. In some cases, instruments can be solo, and not just sound in an ensemble.
There are many genres of symphonic music, but the symphony can be called the queen. The classical symphony was formed at the turn of the 18th-19th centuries, its creators were composers Viennese school, above all, Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It was they who brought to perfection the four-part symphonic model, the variety of themes in the parts of the symphony, and the programmatic nature of each work. Symphonic music rose to a new level thanks to the work of Ludwig Van Beethoven. He made this genre more intense and dramatic, and shifted the semantic center to the finale of the symphony.
Beethoven's example was followed by romantic composers of the German and Austrian schools - Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, Felix Mendelssohn, Johann Brahms. They considered software to be the main thing symphonic work, the framework of the symphony becomes cramped for them, new genres appear, such as symphony-oratorio, symphony-concert. This trend was continued by other classics of European symphonic music - Franz Liszt, Gustav Mahler.
Symphonic music in Russia seriously declared itself only in the second half of the 19th century. Although the first symphonic experiments of Mikhail Glinka can be called successful, his symphonic overtures and fantasies laid serious foundations for Russian symphonism, which reached true perfection in the works of composers " Mighty bunch" - M. Balakirev, N. Rimsky-Korsakov, A. Borodin.
Historically, Russian symphonic music, having passed the classical stage of development, was formed as romantic music with elements of national flavor. Genuine masterpieces that have received global recognition, created by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. His symphonies are still considered the standard of the genre, and S. Rachmaninov and A. Scriabin became the successors of Tchaikovsky’s traditions.
Contemporary symphonic music, like all music of the 20th century, is in active creative search. Can Russian composers S. Stravinsky, S. Prokofiev, D. Shostakovich, A. Schnittke and other luminaries be considered modern? And the music is like that famous composers 20th century, like the Finnish Englishman Benjamin Britten, the Pole Krzysztof Penderecki? Symphonic music in modern processing, as well as in traditional, classical sound, is still in demand on world stages. New genres are appearing - which means the life of symphonic music continues.
Among the many musical genres, one of the most honorable places belongs to the symphony. Always, from the moment of its inception to the present day, it has sensitively reflected its time: the symphonies of Mozart and Beethoven, Berlioz and Mahler, Prokofiev and Shostakovich are reflections on the era, on man, on the ways of the world, the ways of life on earth. as an independent musical genre arose relatively recently: some two and a half centuries ago. However, during this historically short period of time, it has come a long way.
The word symphonia translated from Greek simply means consonance. IN Ancient Greece This is what they called a pleasant combination of sounds. Later they began to designate either an orchestra or the introduction to a dance suite. At the beginning of the 18th century, this term replaced the current concept of overture. The first symphonies in the current sense appeared in the center of Europe in the second half of the 18th century. And the place and time of her birth are not accidental. Originating simultaneously in different parts of Europe, in the depths of old, previously established musical forms - the dance suite and the operatic overture, the symphony was finally formed in the countries of the German language.
In Italy national art there was an opera. In pre-revolutionary France, already saturated with an atmosphere of freethinking and rebellion, other arts came forward. Such as literature, painting and theater - more specific, directly and clearly expressing new ideas that excite the world. When, several decades later, it came to music, the song entered the ranks of the revolutionary troops as a full-fledged fighter - “Carmagnola”, “Ca ira”, “La Marseillaise”. But - and to this day the most complex of all types of music not related to other arts - required other conditions for its formation, for full perception: it required thinking, generalization - calm and concentrated work. It is no coincidence that the center of philosophical thought that reflected social changes in Europe late XVIII century, found himself precisely in Germany, far from social storms.
At the same time, rich traditions of instrumental music have developed in Germany and Austria. This is where the symphony appeared. It arose in the works of Czech and Austrian composers, and acquired its final form in the works of Haydn, in order to reach its peak in Mozart and Beethoven. This classical symphony (Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven went down in the history of music as “Viennese classics”, since most of their work is associated with this city) developed as a cycle of four parts, which embodied different aspects of human life. The first part of the symphony is fast, active, sometimes preceded by a slow introduction. It is written in sonata form (you will read about it in the story about the sonata). The second part is slow - usually thoughtful, elegiac or pastoral, that is, dedicated to peaceful pictures of nature, quiet rest or dreams. There are second parts that are mournful, concentrated, and deep. The third part of the symphony is a minuet, and later, in Beethoven, a scherzo. This is a game, fun, lively pictures of folk life, a fascinating round dance... The finale is the result of the entire cycle, the conclusion of everything that was shown, thought out, felt in the previous parts. Often the ending is life-affirming, solemn, victorious or festive in nature. In the general scheme, the symphonies of different composers are very different. So, if Haydn’s symphonies are mostly serene, joyful, and only in very few of the 104 works of this genre he created serious or sad tones appear, then Mozart’s symphonies are much more individual. are sometimes perceived as the forerunners of Romantic art.
Beethoven's symphonies are filled with images of struggle. They fully reflected the time - the era of the Great french revolution, lofty civic ideas inspired by her. Beethoven's symphonies are monumental works, in depth of content, breadth and power of generalization, not inferior to opera, drama, or novel. They are distinguished by deep drama, heroism, and pathos. The last of Beethoven's symphonies, the Ninth, features the chorus singing the rapturous and majestic hymn "Embrace, O Millions," set to the verses of Schiller's ode to Joy. The composer paints here a grandiose picture of a free, joyful humanity that strives for universal brotherhood. At the same time as Beethoven, in the same Vienna, lived another wonderful Austrian composer, Franz Schubert. His symphonies sound like lyric poems, as deeply personal, intimate statements. With Schubert, a new movement came to European music, the symphony genre - romanticism. Representatives of musical romanticism in the symphony are Schumann, Mendelssohn, Berlioz. Hector Berlioz, an outstanding French composer, was the first to create a program symphony (see the story about program music), writing a poetic program for it in the form of a short story about the artist's life. in Russia it is primarily Tchaikovsky. His symphonic works are exciting, exciting stories about a person’s struggle for life, for happiness. But this is Borodin: his symphonies are distinguished by their epic breadth, power, and truly Russian scope. These are Rachmaninov, Scriabin and Glazunov, who created eight symphonies - beautiful, bright, balanced. The symphonies of D. Shostakovich embody the 20th century with its storms, tragedies and achievements. They reflect the events of our history and images of people - the composer's contemporaries, building, fighting, searching, suffering and winning. S. Prokofiev's symphonies are distinguished by their epic wisdom, deep drama, pure and bright lyrics, and sharp jokes.
Any symphony is a whole world. The world of the artist who created it. The world of time that gave birth to it. Listening to classical symphonies, we become spiritually richer, we become familiar with the treasures of human genius, equal in significance to the tragedies of Shakespeare, the novels of Tolstoy, the poems of Pushkin, the paintings of Raphael. Among the authors of Soviet symphonies are N. Myaskovsky, A. Khachaturyan, T. Khrennikov, V. Salmanov, R. Shchedrin, B. Tishchenko, B. Tchaikovsky, A. Terteryan, G. Kancheli, A. Schnittke.
View value Symphony in other dictionaries
Symphony- and. Greek music harmony, agreement of sounds, polyphonic consonance. | A special type of polyphonic musical composition. Hayden. | on the Old, on the New Testament, code, indication of places........
Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary
Symphony- symphonies, w. (Greek symphonia - harmony of sounds, consonance). 1. Big musical composition for orchestra, usually consisting of 4 parts, of which the first and often the last........
Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary
Symphony by J.— 1. A large piece of music for orchestra, usually consisting of 3-4 parts, differing from each other in the nature of the music and tempo. // transfer Harmonic sound........
Explanatory Dictionary by Efremova
Symphony- -And; and. [from Greek symphōnia - consonance]
1. A large-scale piece of music for orchestra (usually consisting of four movements). Principles of symphony construction. Dramaturgy........
Kuznetsov's Explanatory Dictionary
Symphony- This is the name musical genre borrowed from French, and goes back to the Latin word Greek origin symphonia, to which (syn – is (o)", phone – “sound, voice”).........
Krylov's etymological dictionary
Symphony- (from the Greek symphonia - consonance) - a musical work for a symphony orchestra, written in a cyclic sonata form; the highest form of instrumental music. Usually........
Large encyclopedic dictionary
Symphony- - a collection of words - a collection in alphabetical order of all words, expressions and phrases found in the Bible, indicating the place where they are found. There are also S. to the Koran, to........
Historical Dictionary
Chamber Symphony- a type of symphony that arose in the beginning. 20th century as a kind of reaction to a big cyclical. 19th century symphony and her overgrown orc. apparatus. K. s. beginning 20th century characterized by modest........
Music Encyclopedia
Concert Symphony- (Italian symphonia concertante, as well as concertante, German Konzertante Symphonie, as well as Konzertante) - a term used in the 2nd half. 18th century to designate cyclic works for several. solo instruments........
Music Encyclopedia
Symphony- (from Greek symponia - consonance) - music. piece for orchestra, ch. arr. symphonic, usually in sonata-cyclic form. Usually consists of 4 parts; there are S. with a big.........
Music Encyclopedia
Symphony- (Greek, lit. - collection of words) - a collection in alphabetical order of all words, expressions and phrases found in the Bible, indicating the place where they are found. There are also S.........
Philosophical Dictionary
SYMPHONY— SYMPHONY, -i, w. 1. A large (usually four-movement) piece of music for orchestra. 2. transfer Harmonic compound, combination of something. (book). S. flowers. S. colors.........
Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary
