The History of the Symphony

A History of the Symphony: The Grand Genre identifies the underlying cultural factors that have shaped the symphony over the past three hundred years, presenting a unified view of the entire history of the genre. The text goes beyond discussions of individual composers and the stylistic evolution of the genre to address what constitutes a symphony within each historical period, describing how such works fit into the lives of composers and audiences of the time, recognizing that they do not exist in a vacuum but rather as the products of numerous external forces spurring their creation. In three parts, the text proceeds chronologically, drawing connections between musical examples across regions and eras:The Classical SymphonyThe Romantic Symphony The Symphony in the Modern EraWithin this broad chronology-from the earliest Italian symphonies of the 18th century to the most experimental works of the 20th century-discussion of the development of the genre often breaks down along national lines that outline divergent but parallel paths of stylistic growth.

In consideration of what is and is not a symphony, musical developments in other genres are presented as they relate to the symphony, genres such as the serenade, the tone poem, and the concert overture. Suitable for a one-semester course as well as a full-year syllabus, and with illustrative musical examples throughout, A History of the Symphony places composers and works in sociological and musical contexts while confronting the fundamental question: What is a symphony?