The Symphonic Poem

1. The Symphonic Poem A symphonic poem or tone poem is a piece of orchestral music in a single continuous section in which the content of a poem, a story or novel, a painting, a landscape or another non-musical source is illustrated or evoked.

2. Previous Knowledge Who is given credit for creating the first Symphonic Poem? What Era did he compose and perform in? What was his primary instrument?

3. Franz Liszt The Romantic Era The Piano

4. Aware that the public appreciated instrumental music with context, Liszt provided a written preface for nine of his twelve symphonic poems.

5. Les Préludes no’3 What else is our life but a series of preludes to that unknown Hymn, the first and solemn note of which is intoned by Death? - Love is the glowing dawn of all existence; but what is the fate where the first delights of happiness are not interrupted by some storm, the mortal blast of which dissipates its fine illusions, the fatal lightening of which consumes its altar; and where in the cruelly wounded soul which, on issuing from one of these tempests, does not endeavor to rest his recollection in the calm serenity of life in the fields? Nevertheless man hardly gives himself up for long to the enjoyment of the beneficent stillness which at first he has shared in Nature's bosom, and when "the trumpet sounds the alarm", he hastens, to the dangerous post, whatever the war may be, which calls him to its ranks, in order at last to recover in the combat full consciousness of himself and entire possession of his energy.

6. Prometheus no’5 In Greek mythology, Prometheus is a Titan. He was a champion of mankind, known for his wily intelligence, who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals. Zeus then punished him for his crime by having him bound to a rock while a great eagle ate his liver every day only to have it grow back to be eaten again the next day.

7. Written Assignment While listening to the next listening example write either: A 3 stanza poem Or A ½ page Preface to go along with the music. This can be a description of the over all mood OR a short narrative description.

8. The Swan of Tuonela (Tuonelanjoutsen) is an 1895 tone poem by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The music paints a gossamer, transcendental image of a mystical swan swimming around Tuonela, the island of the dead. Lemminkäinen, the hero of the epic, has been tasked with killing the sacred swan but on the way he is shot with a poisoned arrow and dies. In the next part of the epic he is restored to life.

9. Compare and ContrastProgram music and Tone Poems How are they similar? How are they different?