Download The Symphonic Poem

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 NONMUSICAL SOURCE IS ILLUSTRATED OR
EVOKED.
Previous Knowledge
1.
Who is given credit for creating the first Symphonic
Poem?
2. What Era did he compose and perform in?
3. What was his primary instrument?
Franz Liszt
2. The Romantic Era
3. The Piano
1.
 Aware that the public appreciated instrumental
music with context, Liszt provided a written preface
for nine of his twelve symphonic poems.
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.
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.
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.
 The Swan of Tuonela (Tuonelan joutsen) 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.
Compare and Contrast
Program music and Tone Poems
 How are they similar?
 How are they different?