There are three main types of orchestral programme music, symphonic poem also, known as the tone poem, the concert overture, and the programme symphony. The symphonic poem is musical piece written for symphonic orchestra, usually as a single long movement. Richard Strauss is one of the well-known composers who wrote many descriptive symphonic poems. One of these is Til Eulenspiegel Op. 28 (1894 - 1895) which tells of a mischievous character of German legend. Strauss uses a musical theme to represent the character. The theme is heard at the beginning and then appears in different ways, with different parts throughout the work played by different instruments and with different rhythms. Another popular composer of tone poems is Franz Liszt, who wrote thirteen including Hamlet S.104 (1858) which depicts the Shakespearean character.
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Concert overtures are also pieces of orchestral music usually with one movement performed in their own right, however, they can be also part of concert performance. The Year 1812 Op. 49, is a festival overture also known as the 1812 Overture, composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, which commemorates the successful Russian’s defence of Moscow from Napoleon’s army in 1812. The musical work incorporates the French and the Russian national anthems. The original score includes not only a large orchestra, but also military band, cathedral bells and even cannon fire.
It is argued that the programme music is just a metaphor for what it tries to describe and it needs to be accompanied by an explanation of what the music piece is about or for the listener to be able to read the narrative on which the music is based. Music cannot mean anything on its own terms if the listeners are not provided with any
Concert overtures are also pieces of orchestral music usually with one movement performed in their own right, however, they can be also part of concert performance. The Year 1812 Op. 49, is a festival overture also known as the 1812 Overture, composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, which commemorates the successful Russian’s defence of Moscow from Napoleon’s army in 1812. The musical work incorporates the French and the Russian national anthems. The original score includes not only a large orchestra, but also military band, cathedral bells and even cannon fire.
It is argued that the programme music is just a metaphor for what it tries to describe and it needs to be accompanied by an explanation of what the music piece is about or for the listener to be able to read the narrative on which the music is based. Music cannot mean anything on its own terms if the listeners are not provided with any