Programmatic
Programmatic elements in symphonic works developed significantly between 1750 and
1900, moving from occasional descriptive touches in early Classical works to fully
programmatic structures in the Romantic period.
In the mid-18th century, early Classical composers occasionally hinted at
programmatic ideas. Mannheim symphonies such as Stamitz’s symphony in D major
used devices such as the “Mannheim rocket” and “Mannheim crescendo”, which
though structural, also had a vividly descriptive character. C. P. E. Bach’s symphonies,
such as the Symphony in E minor, show empfindsamer Stil with sudden contrasts of
mood and harmony, giving a quasi-programmatic emotional quality, painting more of a
dramatic image in the listeners head, rather than being straight forward programmatic.
Haydn carries on from this idea in his symphony No.31 Horn signal. Despite not being
strictly programmatic it does evoke the idea of a hunt or chase through the hunting call
like melodies played on the new horns of the Mannheim court of which this piece is
meant to show off. His symphony number 88 is similarly not programmatic showing a
lack of development, despite moving away from the Manheim court. This may suggest
that Haydn inherently doesn't write programmatic music and this is simply his personal
style. This is also shown during his final symphony, Symphony No.104 where despite
elements such as a courtly dance being portrayed in the minuet (bars 1-52) of the third
movement, Haydn appears to be an absolute composer- showing how there has been
little development up to this point. Mozart was also generally an “absolute” composer,
but elements of drama can be found in his Symphony No. 41 “Jupiter”, where the fugal
writing of the finale conveys grandeur and authority. Yet the emphasis was on musical
rather than narrative structure, reflecting Classical ideals that still haven’t changed up
to this point.
Beethoven, however, introduced explicit programmatic symphonism with Symphony
No. 6 “Pastoral” (1808). Each movement depicts a scene such as “Scene by the Brook”
with bird calls in the woodwind, and “Thunderstorm” with tremolo strings and brass
outbursts. Even Symphony No. 9, while not labelled programmatic, conveys a journey
from darkness to light that many interpret as a narrative of struggle and triumph before
breaking into the Ode to Joy theme in the final movement. These works blurred the
boundary between programmatic and absolute symphonies, finally showing a
development since Stamitz.
In the early Romantic period, programmatic writing expanded. Mendelssohn’s, work
Symphony No. 4 “Italian”, evokes the atmosphere of Italy through the religious
solemnity of the second movement using a procession-like theme from bar 1 and later
Programmatic elements in symphonic works developed significantly between 1750 and
1900, moving from occasional descriptive touches in early Classical works to fully
programmatic structures in the Romantic period.
In the mid-18th century, early Classical composers occasionally hinted at
programmatic ideas. Mannheim symphonies such as Stamitz’s symphony in D major
used devices such as the “Mannheim rocket” and “Mannheim crescendo”, which
though structural, also had a vividly descriptive character. C. P. E. Bach’s symphonies,
such as the Symphony in E minor, show empfindsamer Stil with sudden contrasts of
mood and harmony, giving a quasi-programmatic emotional quality, painting more of a
dramatic image in the listeners head, rather than being straight forward programmatic.
Haydn carries on from this idea in his symphony No.31 Horn signal. Despite not being
strictly programmatic it does evoke the idea of a hunt or chase through the hunting call
like melodies played on the new horns of the Mannheim court of which this piece is
meant to show off. His symphony number 88 is similarly not programmatic showing a
lack of development, despite moving away from the Manheim court. This may suggest
that Haydn inherently doesn't write programmatic music and this is simply his personal
style. This is also shown during his final symphony, Symphony No.104 where despite
elements such as a courtly dance being portrayed in the minuet (bars 1-52) of the third
movement, Haydn appears to be an absolute composer- showing how there has been
little development up to this point. Mozart was also generally an “absolute” composer,
but elements of drama can be found in his Symphony No. 41 “Jupiter”, where the fugal
writing of the finale conveys grandeur and authority. Yet the emphasis was on musical
rather than narrative structure, reflecting Classical ideals that still haven’t changed up
to this point.
Beethoven, however, introduced explicit programmatic symphonism with Symphony
No. 6 “Pastoral” (1808). Each movement depicts a scene such as “Scene by the Brook”
with bird calls in the woodwind, and “Thunderstorm” with tremolo strings and brass
outbursts. Even Symphony No. 9, while not labelled programmatic, conveys a journey
from darkness to light that many interpret as a narrative of struggle and triumph before
breaking into the Ode to Joy theme in the final movement. These works blurred the
boundary between programmatic and absolute symphonies, finally showing a
development since Stamitz.
In the early Romantic period, programmatic writing expanded. Mendelssohn’s, work
Symphony No. 4 “Italian”, evokes the atmosphere of Italy through the religious
solemnity of the second movement using a procession-like theme from bar 1 and later
