The Symphony

Dust jacket notes: "The Symphony takes you from formative stages of symphonic history up to the works by major contemporary composers. Beginning with antecedents of the symphony, such as baroque instrumental ensemble music and the pre-classical symphony, 250 years of development are explored. The symphonic styles of the eighteenth , nineteenth, and twentieth centuries are then examined chronologically, climaxing with a special chapter on the twentieth-century symphony in America. Many musical examples are included. The book traces the development of the symphonic form and its treatment by individual composers, demonstrating why it has remained the most popular orchestral offering throughout the western world. Study examples are provided to aid you in understanding the development of this musical form. These examples cover basic forms of movements, general style features of the period and individual composer traits such as tonality, melody, counterpoint, and orchestration. The complexity of the material builds gradually as the symphony reaches maturity in the late eighteenth century. Skills in handling new concepts are acquired as the history of the symphony unfolds...."