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"A great symphony is a man-made Mississippi down which we irresistibly flow from the instant of our leave-taking to a long foreseen destination." —AARON COPLAND

Key Points

  • The symphony continued as a favored Romantic genre alongside new programmatic forms (symphonic poem, program symphony).
  • Many new instruments were added to the Romantic orchestra, which increased its size.
  • The Romantic symphony was characterized by lyrical themes, colorful harmonies, and expanded proportions.
  • The first movement of the Romantic symphony usually remained in sonata-allegro form, and the third movement was most often a spirited scherzo.

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