When you hear the word symphonywhat do you think of?
Perhaps the image of an orchestra comes to mind.
Or maybe something more abstract, like the idea of an extended work.
Or maybe you have no reference at all, and then you just hear the appealing sound of a beautiful word:
"symphony," which rhymes with melody.
Whichever way it goes, it's a concept that points to the same destination:
Music!
The symphony is a genre of music that in the Mining Symphony we perform constantly.
In fact, it is a substantial part of our traditional summer seasons, which we normally place at the end of our programs.
Why?
Well, the symphony poses an exploration of long breath (usually exceeds half an hour in duration and there are symphonies that even border the two hours). This allows to develop in depth the different sonorous events that conform it, which offers the possibility of developing complex narratives of great psychological depth.
You've probably heard of famous symphonies that fill the program schedules of orchestras around the world.
For example:
- Symphony no. 9, Coral, by Beethoven.
- Symphony no. 6, Pathetiqueby Tchaikovsky.
- Symphony No. 9, from the New Worldby Dvorak.
However, these works fall within the same period: nineteenth-century Romanticism.
And the history of the symphony is much broader, more interesting and extensive.
Here is a closer look.
History of the symphony
The word "symphony" is derived from the Greek term symphoniawhich alluded to the simultaneous resonance or consonance of sounds.
At the beginning of the 17th century, the custom arose of designating as "symphony" short instrumental pieces with an introductory function in operas, cantatas or oratorios.
This use evolved until the symphony became an autonomous orchestral form of great complexity and relevance. of great complexity and relevance.
Key point: The term "symphony" was very broad in its early days and included preludes and short overtures.
The symphony in the 18th century
The sinfonia sinfonia established itself as the dominant form of orchestral music around 1750. Some essential aspects of this consolidation were:
- Johann Stamitz promoted the classical structure and added strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion in a more systematic way.
- The distribution in four movements arose:
- Allegro: Is usually energetic and fast to open the work with vitality.
- Adagio: Slow movement that brings serenity and contrast.
- Menuetto (or Scherzo in later stages): Introduces a dance-like air or lighter respite; the Scherzo replaces the Menuetto in later periods and is usually more lively.
- (Allegro/Presto: Closes the symphony with momentum and culminates the cycle in a forceful manner.
The contribution of Mannheim and the Stamitz family defined the classical orchestra and laid the foundation for Haydn and Mozart, who brought the symphony to the forefront of music during Classicism.
In this regard, it is important to note:
- Joseph Haydn composed more than a hundred symphonies with a great variety of resources and consolidated the form.
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart perfected the symphony with formal balance and expressiveness.
- The symphony during Classicism was characterized by its structural clarity and the search for harmony between sections.
Example of an 18th century symphony: Jupiterby Mozart
Composed in 1788, Symphony No. 41, Jupitercloses the symphonic cycle of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It is considered a landmark of classicism for its formal brilliance and orchestral richness. It presents four movements with defined character:
- A Allegro vivace energetic and majestic.
- An Andante cantabile with an introspective air.
- A Menuetto elegant and balanced.
- Un Molto allegro finale, famous for its complex contrapuntal writing.
The classical orchestra (strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion) reinforces the triumphal tone that motivated the nickname associated with the Roman god. This symphony brings together Mozart's creative maturity and left a decisive mark on the subsequent evolution of the genre.
What is a concertante symphony?
The concertante symphony combined features of the concerto (several soloists) with the symphonic structure.
- It was born in France after the concerto grosso and flourished in the Mannheim school.
- Mozart and Beethoven contributed notable examples (the latter in his Triple Concerto in C major).
- It was distinguished by the balanced interaction of soloists and orchestra.
The symphony in the 19th century
Beethoven ogave the symphony a monumental dimension and a deeper discourse. and a deeper discourse. His Ninth Symphony, Choraleincluded chorus and soloists in the final movement, breaking with the pure instrumental tradition. He was an influential figure in later generations, who saw the symphony as a creative challenge and a means to great artistic aspirations.
- Schubert, Schumann, Brahms and Bruckner:
- They brought greater lyricism and harmonic complexity.
- They sought a balance between classical heritage and new expressive avenues, expanding the symphonic language.
- Tchaikovsky and other composers of the 19th century:
- They intensified the drama and epic passages, reflecting the growing orchestra and the emotional exaltation characteristic of Romanticism.
- Berlioz and Liszt:
- They developed the symphonic poem, a freer and more programmatic form that departed from the traditional structure.
- These works maintained the orchestral power, although they differed formally from the symphony.
Overall, the 19th century saw a great increase in the size of the orchestra and in the intensity of musical expression. The symphony became one of the most ambitious genres, with each composer trying to outdo the previous composers in originality, orchestral breadth, and artistic depth.
Example of a 19th century symphony
An ideal example is the four symphonies of Brahms four symphonies of Brahms:
Symphony No. 1 (1876)
She is traversed by gloomy and distressing atmospheres that in some tender way evoke her sordid childhood chapters in the brothels of Hamburg, when at the age of 10, by paternal obligation (his father was a poor cellist), he played the piano for drunken sailors while the prostitutes pampered him on their laps.
Symphony No. 2 (1877)
It is jubilant, with mischievous accents. It represents an eccentricity in the Brahmsian repertoire. Unusual thing: it is full of unfinished melodic ideas, which remain loose, insinuatingly waiting for the listener to complete them.
Symphony No. 3 (1883)
The three initial chords (F-A-F-flat-F) form, in German notation, the acronym F-A-F, which corresponds to the youthful motto adopted by Brahms: free but joyful (Frei aber froh). These three chords face, throughout the four movements, innumerable obstacles that require them, in order to maintain their coherence, to vary their intentions and colors. After a strenuous journey that takes them from placidity to war, they fade away together in a heroic farewell song.
Symphony No. 4 (1885)
Its construction is a hermetic circle within which, in the words of E.T.A Hoffmann, "an enigmatic language arises from a distant spirit realm whose wonderful accents echo in our soul, where they awaken to a higher and more intense life". The score survived a fire that destroyed the house next to the studio where Brahms worked in Mürzzuschlag, a village in Styria.
The symphony in the 20th and 21st centuries
The 20th century brought a profound renewal to the symphonic genre. Composers of diverse origins expanded its limits in terms of orchestration, duration and style, while others assumed the classical heritage and incorporated new languages and ideas.
- Mahler
- He elevated the orchestra to unprecedented proportions.
- He included voices in several of his symphonies, breaking down boundaries between symphonic music and vocal performance.
- Schoenberg and his school
- Exploring atonality and serialism.
- To propose chamber symphonies of a more intimate and avant-garde character.
- Sibelius and nationalism
- Integrating Finnish folk elements into his symphonies.
- Search for a synthetic language and atmospheres of broad lyricism.
- Milhaud and Honegger
- Produce very short symphonies in contrast to the romantic amplitude.
- To investigate new forms and timbre combinations.
- Other outstanding composers
- Malcolm Arnold, Henryk Górecki, Philip Glass, Arthur Honegger, Carl Nielsen, Dmitri Shostakovich y Nikolai Miaskovsky.
- Each one left his own mark, whether through minimalist aesthetics, great symphonic developments or novel rhythmic and harmonic explorations.
Symphony in the 21st century prolongs the spirit of exploration inherited from the 20th century.. Many composers continue to enrich the symphonic form with modern resources and creative approaches:
- Continuity and fusion of styles: sounds of jazz, rock, pop, electronic music and traditions from different parts of the world are integrated.
- New technologies: the use of digital media and experimental techniques generates unprecedented sound textures.
- Formal diversity: some follow the canonical four-movement structure, while others adopt free or narrative schemes.
- Other artistic manifestations: sometimes visual projections, dance or other resources are added, broadening the concert experience.
In short, today's symphony retains its character of great orchestral form, but it is open to ideas and tools of modernity. This natural extension of the avant-garde spirit of the 20th century keeps the genre in constant evolution and with a marked experimental vocation.
