“A symphony is no joke.” Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
And he’s not wrong! A symphony is a large-scale, mostly multi-movement cyclical form, that is mainly composed for a large instrumental ensemble, a Symphony Orchestra. The symphony is without a doubt one of the highest forms of instrumental music, and can be found among the works of the greatest composers from the 18th century onwards. Browse our sheet music and scores, and explore all the wonderful symphonies on offer today!
The word symphony is derived from the Greek expression “sym-fónós”, the harmony of several tones at the same time. The father of the symphony is without a doubt Joseph Haydn, who composed a total of 104 symphonies. Mozart then took up the baton, and Beethoven added more and more instruments to enrich the texture. In the classical period, a symphony is usually a four-movement work that uses sonata form in the outer movements. The middle movements are usually made up of a slow movement and a dance movement, a minuet or scherzo.
Over time, new elements began to be introduced to the symphony. The first major development came with Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. With the Ode to Joy Beethoven introduces the choir and soloists to the symphony for the first time. In the romantic period, the formal structure of the symphony gradually loosens, the number of movements changes, and the instrumentation is expanded. One of the high points in the development of the symphony, as it moves into the classical modern period, is the large and complex symphonic works of Gustav Mahler, whose symphonies can include several hundred players and singers.
In contemporary music of the 20th and 21st centuries, various drum and electronic instrument ensembles began to appear in the symphony, such as in the works of Philip Glass. In principle, there are no set rules for modern symphonies, and it is up to the composer which approach to composition he chooses to employ.
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 380928
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 381411
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 894390
Sinfonie Nr. 6
Hawkes Pocket Scores HPS 832
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 176211
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 1558754
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 429801
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score, CD
Item no.: 462649
for: Symphonic orchestra
Solo part(s)
Item no.: 611645
"The Drumroll"
for: Symphonic orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 385643
for: Symphonic orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 385502
"Le Soir"
With 2 violino concertato
for: Symphonic orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 346178
for: Horn
Item no.: 130563
Book (Hardcover)
Item no.: 661020
Book (softcover)
Item no.: 579882
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1020905
for: Symphonic orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 1681451
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 154616
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116458
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 482600
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 477297
for: Symphonic orchestra
Gesamtausgabe, Partitur, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 185037
for: Symphonic orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 163618
for: Symphonic orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 376385
for: Symphonic orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 332119
for: Symphonic orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 883218
for: Chamber orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 772592
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 682823
for: Symphonic orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 214791
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 679916
for: String orchestra
Score
Item no.: 1024135
Chinesische Lieder
for Baritone and Orchestra
Study Score
for: Voice (baritone), orchestra
Score
Item no.: 680950
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 256640
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 167543
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 358850
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1187428
Comprehensive preface and critical report in German and English included as a separate volume in a slipcase
Anton Bruckner New Complete Edition
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (hardcover, with musicological analysis)
Item no.: 1670065
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1208769
for: Fanfare Band (brass & saxophones)
Score
Item no.: 1646273
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1208737
for: für Orchester
Dirigierpartitur
Item no.: 577408
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 113935
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 769709
for: für Orchester
Study score
Item no.: 209346
for: Symphonic orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 645122
for: für Orchester
Taschenpartitur
Item no.: 395109
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 266006
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 690936
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 391705
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