1. Going to the Symphony

2. What is a Symphony Orchestra?
Symphony orchestras have been around since the Baroque Period (1600s on).
Early on they were usually kept by noble courts (like Bach at the Duke of Weimar).
Later they were supported by wealthy donors, companies & cities (like the New York Philharmonic).
Symphony concerts have often been considered elite events for the rich or educated, though many orchestras are trying to change that.

3. What is a Symphony Orchestra?
Symphony orchestras include strings, winds, & percussion; sometimes piano, choir, & soloists.
All great composers from the Baroque period to today have written works for symphony: symphonies, concertos, overtures, song suites, cantatas, oratorios, tone poems, sound track music.
Symphony concerts are usually pretty formal. They are held in large concert halls designed to be elegant & have good acoustics. Audiences are expected to dress nicely & use polite concert etiquette.

4. Symphony Concert Etiquette
Dress nicely
Arrive 15 mins early
Use restroom before & during intermission. NOT in the middle of the concert.
DON’T use cell phone during concert. Don’t talk or make any annoying noises.
Read the program to find out what the songs are about & who is performing them.
Only clap at the end of whole works (not movements).
Stay until the end. Stand while clapping if it was exceptional.

5. Holst’s The Planets Written by British composer Gustav Holst in 1918.
Song suite with 7 movements, one for each known planet at the time.
Each movement expresses the characteristics of each planet’s astrological sign.
The music uses some modern techniques & dissonance, but has been very popular with the public.

6. Holst’s The Planets
1. Mars – The Bringer of War (
5/4 meter, brutal war sounds
2. Venus – The Bringer of Peace (
Peaceful & beautiful
4. Jupiter – The Bringer of Jollity (
Playful beginning & end, majestic middle section (3:00)