Symphony Exam Notes

Symphony in E Minor – C.P.E. Bach (1759)

• Instrumentation:
  • Strings, flutes, oboes, horns
• First movement:
  • Ritornello form (Baroque rondo equivalent)
  • Opening unison passage returns in various keys
  • Sudden changes/contrasts in texture and tonality
• Harmony/tonality:
  • Surprises with diminished 7th chords and key changes
• Drama/progression:
  • Sudden changes of harmony, texture, and dynamics
  • Energetic semiquavers and chromatic harmony

Symphony in D Op.3 No.2 – Stamitz (1750)

• Instrumentation:
  • Strings, oboes, horns, trumpets, timpani
• First movement:
  • Similar to sonata form with differences
  • Development presents themes in related keys
  • Recapitulation reverses subjects' order
  • Circle of 5ths, some crescendos
• Melody:
  • Decorated with sighs and range of articulation
  • Octave range and rhythmic diminution
• Harmony:
  • Diminished chords, secondary dominant (V/V)
• Rhythm:
  • Accented 1st and 3rd beats
• Texture:
  • Mostly melody-dominated, some polyphony
  • Intricate articulation, Mannheim birds
• Second movement:
  • Loose rounded binary form without repeats
  • Andante in subdominant key
  • Simple melody-dominated homophony
• Third movement:
  • Old-fashioned features like violins playing in unison
  • Reduction of forces in trio
  • Binary form for minuet, rounded binary for trio
• Development of the orchestra:
  • Continuo keyboard used
  • Larger ensemble than 'Sinfonia a 8'
• Harmony/tonality:
  • Simple harmony with pedals and primary chords
  • Tonic returns in the development
• Drama/progression:
  • Mannheim roller
• Melody/theme:
  • Simple, diatonic material with motivic repetition
• Texture:
  • Melody-dominated homophony
• Rhythm:
  • Regularity and simplicity

Symphony No.2 – Haydn (1760)

• Instrumentation:
  • Strings, continuo, oboes, horns, bassoon
• First movement:
  • Recapitulation uses transition idea
  • Exposition and recapitulation end with coda
• Fourth movement:
  • Short and simple rondo finale
• Development of the orchestra:
  • 'Sinfonia a 8' configuration
  • Cellos, double basses, bassoon, and continuo for bassline
• Harmony/tonality:
  • Simple, diatonic harmony; circles of fifths
  • Turn to minor in second subject, circle of fifths

Symphony No.5 – Haydn (1757)

• Instrumentation:
  • Oboes, bassoon, horns, strings, continuo
• First movement (Adagio ma non troppo):
  • Scalic patterns, high horn parts
  • Lyrical melody led by upper strings
  • Sonata form, polyphonic
• Second movement (Allegro):
  • 3/4 time, pedal notes, energetic
  • Fast string work, colorful woodwind
  • Homophonic
• Third movement (Minuet and trio):
  • Horns featured, scalic runs, stab chords
  • Strings pick up theme; woodwind embellishment
  • Trio is woodwind-heavy, polyphonic
• Fourth movement (Presto):
  • Strings rush, unison passages
  • Quick dynamic changes, shortest movement
  • Polyphonic, perfect resolution

Symphony No.26 – Haydn (1768)

• Instrumentation:
  • Oboes, bassoon, horns, continuo, strings
• Overall form:
  • 3 movements, ends with minuet and trio
  • Back to Sinfonia a 8 configuration
• Drama/progression:
  • Similar to sturm und drang operas
  • Minor key, syncopations, leaping intervals
• Rhythm:
  • Syncopated melody against the beat
  • Creates turbulence

Symphony No.94 – Haydn (1791)

• Instrumentation:
  • Strings, flutes, oboes, bassoon, horns, trumpets, timpani
• Second movement:
  • Andante in subdominant, variations
• Third movement:
  • Faster than traditional minuet
  • Heavily scored, repeated accents
• Melody/theme:
  • Motivic units repeated and developed

Symphony No.104 – Haydn (1795)

• Instrumentation:
  • Flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns, trumpets, timpani, strings
• First movement (Adagio - Allegro):
  • Slow intro in D minor, sonata form in D major
  • Monothematic (2nd theme is transposed 1st theme)
  • Development in B minor, recapitulation in D major
• Second movement (Andante):
  • In G major, main theme in strings
  • Modulates to G minor and Bb major
• Third movement (Menuetto and trio):
  • Minuet and trio in D major
  • Trio in Bb major, uses oboe and bassoon
• Fourth movement (Finale: Spiritoso):
  • Fast tempo, sonata form, folk-like theme
  • Development settles on the dominant

Symphony No.40 – Mozart (1788)

• Instrumentation:
  • Strings, flute, oboes, clarinets, bassoon, horns
• Third movement:
  • Minuet in G minor, syncopations, hemiolas
  • Trio in G major
• Development of the orchestra:
  • Independent woodwind and brass
• Melody/theme:
  • Lyrical melody from short melodic ideas
• Texture:
  • Imitation to build cadences in minuet
• Rhythm:
  • Hemiolas in the minuet

Symphony No.3 – Beethoven (1804)

• Instrumentation:
  • Strings, flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns, trumpets, timpani
• Overall form:
  • Thematic links between movements
  • Culmination in the last movement
• First movement (Allegro con brio):
  • Expanded sonata form
  • Horn comes in early before recapitulation
  • Longer development and extended coda
• Second movement (Marcia funebre):
  • Funeral march, expanded ternary form
• Third movement (Scherzo):
  • Fast, aggressive scherzo
• Fourth movement (Allegro molto):
  • Theme and variations, fugue, tempo change
• Harmony and tonality:
  • Monumental diatonic harmony, chromaticism
• Drama/progression:
  • Symphony depicts heroic struggles/triumphs
• Melody:
  • Simple, diatonic themes with short motifs
• Texture:
  • Fugal elements in the last movement
• Rhythm:
  • Aggressive scherzo rhythm

Symphony No.5 – Beethoven (1808)

• Instrumentation:
  • Piccolo, flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, contrabassoon, horns, trombones, timpani, strings
• First movement (Allegro con brio):
  • 4-note motif, sonata form, fortissimo phrases
• Second movement (Andante con moto):
  • Ab major, double variation form
• Third movement (Scherzo: Allegro):
  • Ternary form (scherzo and trio), C minor
• Fourth movement (Allegro - Presto):
  • C major, unusual sonata form variant

Symphony No.6 – Beethoven (1808)

• Instrumentation:
  • Piccolo, flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns, trumpets, trombones, timpani, strings
• Overall form:
  • 5 movements
• First movement (Awakening of happy feelings):
  • Sonata form, developed motifs, repetition
• Second movement (Scene by the brook):
  • Sonata form, flowing water motif, bird calls
• Third movement (Joyful Gathering):
  • Scherzo, country folk dancing, altered form
• Fourth movement (Thunder, storm):
  • Realism, large instrumentation, seamless transition
• Fifth movement (Shepherd's song):
  • Intro-[A-B-A]-C-[A-B-A]-Coda structure

Symphony No.9 – Beethoven (1824)

• Instrumentation:
  • Strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion, choir, vocal soloists
• Fourth movement:
  • Aggressive brass/woodwind opening
  • Quotes previous movements
  • Ode to Joy theme
  • Integration of previous movements' elements

Symphonie Fantastique – Berlioz (1830)

• Instrumentation:
  • Strings, flutes, piccolo, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns, trumpets, cornets, trombones, tuba, harps, timpani, percussion
• Third movement:
  • Waltz, combines waltz theme with idée fixe
• Development of the orchestra:
  • Huge forces, novel effects with timpani and strings
  • High Eb clarinet for distorted idée fixe
• Melody/theme:
  • Idée fixe recurs throughout the work

Symphony No.4 – Mendelssohn (1832)

• Instrumentation:
  • Flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns, trumpets, timpani, strings
• First movement:
  • Sonata form with adjustments
  • Development introduces a new idea
• Second movement:
  • Processional, subdominant minor
  • Modal flavor
• Third movement:
  • Minuet and trio in binary form
• Fourth movement:
  • Fast Saltarello
  • Tonic minor
• Development of the orchestra:
  • Pulsating woodwind chords
• Harmony/tonality:
  • Chromatic harmony, diminished sevenths
  • Extended dominants
• Drama/progression:
  • 'Blue sky in A major'
• Melody:
  • Lyrical and energetic
• Texture:
  • Light and energetic with counterpoint
• Dance, folk, and national styles:
  • Andante may be Czech pilgrim song
  • Last movement modeled on Saltarello and Tarantella

Symphony No.3 – Schumann (1850)

• Instrumentation:
  • Flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns, trumpets, trombones, timpani, strings
• Overall form:
  • 5 movements
• First movement
• Second movement
• Third movement
• Fourth movement
• Fifth movement
• Development of the orchestra
• Dance, folk, and national styles

Eine Faust Symphonie – Liszt (1845)

• Instrumentation
• First movement ('Faust')
• Second movement ('Gretchen')
• Third movement ('Mephistopheles')

Les Preludes – Liszt (1854)

• Instrumentation
• Drama/progression
• Melody/theme

Symphony No.4 – Bruckner (1874)

• Instrumentation
• Third movement

Symphony No.2 – Brahms (1877)

• Instrumentation
• First movement
• Second movement
• Third movement
• Fourth movement

Symphony No.4 – Brahms (1885)

• Instrumentation
• First movement
• Second movement
• Third movement
• Fourth movement

Symphony No.3 - Saint-Saëns (1886)

• Instrumentation
• First movement
• Second movement

Symphony No.5 – Tchaikovsky (1888)

• Instrumentation
• First movement
• Third movement
• Rhythm

Symphony No.6 – Tchaikovsky (1893)

• Instrumentation
• Second movement
• Third movement
• Fourth movement
• Drama/progression
• Texture

Symphony No.9 – Dvo

ote - Dvořák (1893)

• Instrumentation
• First movement
• Second movement
• Third movement
• Fourth movement
• Harmony/tonality
• Rhythm
• Folk music

Symphony No.1 – Mahler (1889)

• Instrumentation
• First movement
• Second movement
• Third movement
• Fourth movement

Symphony No.2 – Mahler (1894)

• Instrumentation
• First movement
• Second movement
• Third movement
• Fifth movement
• Development of the orchestra
• Rhythm