A Brief History of Western Music
Classical Symphony
A symphony is a type of musical composition written specifically for orchestra. During the classical era, composers structured symphonies using the sonata cycle form, just like the classical sonata. Unlike the sonata, symphonies typically consisted of four movements, with one of the movements being a minuet and trio (the minuet is a type of dance).
Beethoven's Symphonies
The symphonies of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) are amongst the most recognisable pieces of classical music. His third symphony, "Eroica", was dedicated to Napoleon (although after Napoleon declared himself Emperor, Beethoven removed Napoleon's name from the dedication). His fifth symphony, known for its ominous opening phrase, broke many musical conventions of the time. But perhaps Beethoven's most important and famous symphony is his last one.
Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 9 was extremely controversial at the time of its composition. Beethoven unexpectedly added a chorus to the fourth movement; this was absolutely unheard of during the classical era. The tune sung by the chorus is now known as "Ode to Joy". Beethoven's breaking of conventions later paved the way for composers of the romantic era.