In the 1700s, opera overtures had a three-movement structure. The first movement is a fast movement (Allegro), followed by a slow movement (Andante), and the final movement is usually in a dance rhythm. These Opera overtures were not related to the opera, and could be played independently. Another source of the symphony was the orchestral concertos, which were played in the same …show more content…
Giovanni Battista Sammartini, was one of the most renowned early symphony composers. He composed symphonies with three movements, and used rising scales, repeated melodic ideas, arpeggiation, and a pronounced bass.
The Symphony soon spread all over Europe, to Germany, Austria, France, and England. One of the most important places is spread to, was in Mannheim, where Johann Stamitz (1717-1757) composed many symphonies, and led the Mannheim Orchestra. The Mannheim Orchestra was famous for their crescendos, their techniques, and their discipline. They were even referred to as “an army of generals”.
Stamitz was the first symphony composer to consistently compose symphonies with four movements, which later on, became the standard number of movements for symphonies. For his four movements, the first movement would be the standard fast movement, followed by a slow movement, then Stamitz would insert a minuet and trio as it’s third movement, followed by a thrilling, and fast finale.
Stamitz’s symphonies were larger scaled, and had a full fledged second theme. He would also add twists by pairing instruments, that nobody else has paired together before, like pairing an oboe with a