Sinfonia (; plural ''sinfonie'') is the Italian word for
symphony, from the Latin ''symphonia'', in turn derived from
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek (, ; ) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the classical antiquity, ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Greek ...
συμφωνία ''symphōnia'' (agreement or concord of sound), from the prefix σύν (together) and Φωνή (sound). In English it most commonly refers to a 17th- or 18th-century
orchestral piece used as an introduction, interlude, or postlude to an
opera
Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...
,
oratorio
An oratorio () is a musical composition with dramatic or narrative text for choir, soloists and orchestra or other ensemble.
Similar to opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguisha ...
,
cantata
A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian language, Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal music, vocal Musical composition, composition with an musical instrument, instrumental accompaniment, ty ...
, or
suite (, who gives the origin of the word as Italian) . The word is also found in other
Romance languages
The Romance languages, also known as the Latin or Neo-Latin languages, are the languages that are Language family, directly descended from Vulgar Latin. They are the only extant subgroup of the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-E ...
such as Spanish or Portuguese.
In the Middle Ages down to as late as 1588, it was also the Italian name for the
hurdy-gurdy
The hurdy-gurdy is a string instrument that produces sound by a hand-turned crank, rosined wheel rubbing against the strings. The wheel functions much like a violin (or nyckelharpa) bow, and single notes played on the instrument sound similar ...
.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach (German: Help:IPA/Standard German, �joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque music, Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety ...
used the term for his keyboard compositions also known as ''
Three-part Inventions'', and after about 1800, the term, when in reference to opera, meant "
Overture
Overture (from French ''ouverture'', "opening") is a music instrumental introduction to a ballet, opera, or oratorio in the 17th century. During the early Romantic era, composers such as Beethoven and Mendelssohn composed overtures which ...
" .
In
George Frideric Handel
George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel ( ; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well-known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concerti.
Born in Halle, Germany, H ...
's
oratorio
An oratorio () is a musical composition with dramatic or narrative text for choir, soloists and orchestra or other ensemble.
Similar to opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguisha ...
Messiah (HWV 56), "
Overture
Overture (from French ''ouverture'', "opening") is a music instrumental introduction to a ballet, opera, or oratorio in the 17th century. During the early Romantic era, composers such as Beethoven and Mendelssohn composed overtures which ...
to the
Messiah
In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; ,
; ,
; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of '' mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach ...
" (
French Overture in
E minor) was originally titled "Sinfony".
In the 20th and 21st centuries it is found in the names of some chamber orchestras, often pronounced with stress on the second syllable (), such as the
Northern Sinfonia .
Sinfonias in the vocal works by Johann Sebastian Bach
The opening movements of cantatas
BWV 31 and
BWV 182 are named "sonata" and the first movement of cantata
BWV 106 "sonatina".
Sinfonia in D major, BWV 1045 is considered a sinfonia of a lost cantata, because its manuscript indicates that the piece had four vocal parts.
Symphony with an alternative scope
Examples of such "sinfonias" composed after the
classical era
Classical antiquity, also known as the classical era, classical period, classical age, or simply antiquity, is the period of cultural European history between the 8th century BC and the 5th century AD comprising the interwoven civilization ...
include:
*
Vincent d'Indy wrote a ''Sinfonia brevis de bello Gallico'', Latin for: "Short Symphony about the War in Gaul".
*
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ( – 6 April 1971) was a Russian composer and conductor with French citizenship (from 1934) and American citizenship (from 1945). He is widely considered one of the most important and influential 20th-century c ...
titled the first movement of his 1923
Octet "Sinfonia".
*
Benjamin Britten's 1940 ''
Sinfonia da Requiem''
See also
*
Sinfonia concertante
*
Sinfonietta (symphony)
*
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (legally Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America, colloquially known as Phi Mu Alpha, PMA, or simply Sinfonia) () is an American collegiate social Fraternities and sororities, fraternity for men with a special interest ...
*
Overture
Overture (from French ''ouverture'', "opening") is a music instrumental introduction to a ballet, opera, or oratorio in the 17th century. During the early Romantic era, composers such as Beethoven and Mendelssohn composed overtures which ...
Sources
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References
External links
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selection of ''sinfonias''(from the
Mutopia project)
{{Authority control
Symphonies
Renaissance music
Baroque music
Classical period (music)