THE CLASSICAL SYMPHONY

The great contribution of the classical period to orchestral music is the symphony. A symphony is an extended, ambitious composition typically lasting between 20 and 45 minutes, exploiting the expanded range of tone colour and dynamics of the classical orchestra. It usually consists of four movements which evoke a wide range of emotions through contrasts of tempo and mood. A typical sequence in a classical symphony is (1)a vigorous, dramatic fast movement; (2)a lyrical slow movement; (3)a dancelike movement (minuetor scherzo); and (4)a brilliant or heroic fast movement.

In most classical symphonies, each movement is a self-contained composition with its own set of themes. A theme in one movement will only rarely reappear in a later movement. But a symphony is unified partly by the use of the same key in three of its movements. More importantly, the movements balance and complement each other both musically and emotionally.