Narrator: Listen to part of a lecture in a music history class. The professor has been discussing symphonies.
Professor: The word “symphony” comes from the Greek word symphonia. This refers both to a harmonious arrangement of sounds and to music performed by a group. Today, we use the term “symphony” to refer both to large-scale pieces of music and the groups that perform them.
We’re going to talk about these pieces—symphonies—today. The earliest ancestor of what we think of as a symphony showed up in Milan in the 1730s. These early pieces came from the overtures of operas. They were short—about 10 to 20 minutes in length. They were also written for fairly small groups, um… about 25 to 30 people. Known as the “Italian” style of symphony, these early pieces usually had three sections, or movements. The first one was fast, the second slow, and the third fast and dance-like.
Initially, these pieces were just for string instruments—things like the violin, viola, cello, and bass. But soon wind instruments—the bassoon, oboe, and flute—started to be added. Later, drums—usually the timpani or kettle drum—were added too. And, uh… while this was happening, the center of symphonic music also migrated from Italy to Mannheim, Germany. The orchestras there were famous for being able to play a wide range of sounds and pieces. Since the orchestras—like the one in Mannheim—were getting better and better, more and more composers got interested in writing symphonies.
Franz Josef Haydn, sometimes called “Papa Haydn”—because he was really the father of our modern symphony—wrote over 100 symphonies in the second half of the eighteenth century. He also standardized a new form of symphony—Haydn’s works tended to have a pattern of four movements, rather than the traditional three.
The first movement was fast paced, with a regular structure. The second movement was slower, at andante, or walking speed. The third movement was a dance, and the fourth was fast again. Sometimes the fourth movement would be a rondo, meaning “round.” Haydn’s contemporary, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, also adopted this form, as did Ludwig van Beethoven. Writing at the start of the nineteenth century, Beethoven transformed the symphony into a major, lengthy composition. His symphonies are still some of our most popular orchestral works today. His ninth symphony also includes a large chorus in the last movement, making it one of the first choral symphonies.
The legacy of writing symphonies continued as most of the major romantic composers of the nineteenth century—people like Brahms, Schubert, Schumann—wrote symphonies. People thought of the symphony as the peak achievement of a composer’s career. It was, uh… how he demonstrated all of his skill, and, uh… his artistry.
By the twentieth century, the orchestra had gotten a lot larger. In the early twentieth century, Gustav Mahler took this large orchestra to its extreme. He wrote one symphony—his eighth—that required over 1,000 instrumentalists and singers. Composers also began experimenting more. Some added or subtracted movements. Others wrote “programmatic” music, or symphonies that told some kind of story.
Even when composers began getting very experimental—exploring things like electronic, recorded, or dissonant sounds—the symphony remained popular. Innovators like Arnold Schoenberg and Paul Hindemith still composed symphonies.
While the symphony got its start in Italy, by the twentieth century composers all over the world were creating symphonies. Composers from many different traditions outside of Europe—in Asia, Africa, and North and South America—continue to integrate their cultural style into symphonies today. The Chinese composer Tan Dun is one example. His symphonies are influenced by traditional Chinese theatre and music. So the symphony has proven that it’s very versatile—very adaptable—across a lot of different times and places.
The orchestra and the music written for it have changed a lot in the last 300 years, but the symphony still remains popular in concert halls around the world. The symphony’s length, complexity, and flexibility make it challenging and appealing for contemporary performers, audiences, and composers alike.
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What is the lecture mainly about? Choose 2 answers. |
Gist-content. This lecture covers the development of the symphony as a musical genre from the 1730s to present day. It touches on composers who had a major influence on the development of the symphony. |
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| ✓ | a The historical development of the symphony |
Correct. The main topic of the lecture is how the symphony has evolved since the early eighteenth century. |
| ✗ | b The decline of Italy as a musical center |
The professor mentions that “the center of symphonic music also migrated from Italy to Mannheim, Germany,” but this does not indicate that Italy declined as a musical center in general. Also, this is not the main focus of the lecture. |
| ✓ | c Composers who influenced symphonic composition |
Correct. The lecture discusses a number of composers whose symphonies were influential. |
| ✗ | d Contemporary trends in classical music |
Classical music as a broad category is not discussed in the lecture. |
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According to the professor, what happened as symphony orchestras became more versatile and sophisticated? |
Detail. The professor states that “Since the orchestras—like the one in Mannheim—were getting better and better, more and more composers got interested in writing symphonies.” |
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| ✗ | A Musicians who performed symphonies began being paid more. |
This idea is not mentioned in the lecture. |
| ✓ | B More composers wanted to write symphonies. |
Correct. The lecture states that as symphony orchestras became better, “more and more composers got interested in writing symphonies.” |
| ✗ | C Symphony orchestras increased in size. |
The lecture does discuss the fact that symphonies increased in size. However, this is not claimed to be a result of improved skill or versatility. |
| ✗ | D Audience attendance improved. |
Increased attendance at symphony performances is not mentioned as a result of orchestras becoming more versatile or sophisticated. |
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Why does the professor mention the Greek word “symphonia”? |
Organization. The professor uses this word to illustrate that “symphony” can refer both to a piece of music and to the group that performs it. |
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| ✗ | A To assert that the ancient Greeks wrote the first symphonies |
This idea is not mentioned in the lecture. |
| ✗ | B To emphasize the importance of Greek themes in symphonic compositions |
This idea is not mentioned in the lecture. |
| ✓ | C To underscore the two meanings of the word “symphony” |
Correct. The Greek word “symphonia” has two meanings that parallel the two modern meanings of “symphony”—both the composition and the group performing it. |
| ✗ | D To provide evidence that the symphony was introduced to Italy by ancient Greeks |
The professor does not indicate that Greeks played a role in the development of symphonies in Italy. |
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According to the professor, what was Haydn’s main contribution to the development of the symphony? |
Detail. Haydn’s symphonies had four movements instead of three. This change became standard practice for composers afterward. |
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| ✗ | A He increased the number of musicians performing in an orchestra. |
This idea is not mentioned in the lecture. |
| ✗ | B He wrote only a few symphonies. |
The opposite is true. Haydn wrote nearly 100 symphonies. |
| ✗ | C He introduced choral music to the symphony. |
The professor states that Beethoven, not Haydn, was the first to do this. |
| ✓ | D He added a fourth movement to his compositions. |
Correct. The professor states that Haydn switched from three to four movements, a change that others adopted afterward. |
Narrator: Why does the professor say this:
Professor: Even when composers began getting very experimental—exploring things like electronic, recorded, or dissonant sounds—the symphony remained popular. Innovators like Arnold Schoenberg and Paul Hindemith still composed symphonies.
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Why does the professor say this? |
Function of What Is Said. The professor is saying that, even as classical music evolved and became more experimental, the symphony remained popular with composers and audiences. |
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| ✗ | A To celebrate the work of Paul Hindemith |
The professor mentions Hindemith, but does not celebrate his work specifically. |
| ✓ | B To emphasize that twentieth-century audiences continued to attend symphonies, even with these changes |
Correct. The professor states that symphonies remained popular, even as the music changed dramatically. |
| ✗ | C To argue against using electronic sounds in classical music |
The professor does not give an opinion regarding electronic sounds. |
| ✗ | D To provide examples of composers who used dissonance |
The professor does not specifically state whether the composers mentioned used dissonance. He only notes that they were innovators of some kind. |
Narrator: What does the professor imply when he says this:
Professor: The orchestra and the music written for it have changed a lot in the last 300 years, but the symphony still remains popular in concert halls around the world. The symphony’s length, complexity, and flexibility make it challenging and appealing for contemporary performers, audiences, and composers alike.
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What does the professor imply when he says this? |
Inference. Even though the symphony has changed substantially, it remains popular. The professor is suggesting that he believes that the symphony is still an interesting and important musical genre today. |
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| ✓ | A He believes that the symphony is still important today. |
Correct. The professor is emphasizing that the symphony continues to attract musicians and audiences today. |
| ✗ | B He believes that contemporary symphonies are more interesting than older ones. |
In this quote, the professor is not comparing the quality of works from different time periods. |
| ✗ | C He thinks composers should write more symphonies. |
In this quote, the professor does not suggest that composers should write more symphonies. |
| ✗ | D He hopes that composers continue writing symphonies well into the future. |
The professor does not consider the future developments of the symphony in this lecture. |