Symphonies and Their Meaning; Third Series, Modern Symphonies

The author surveys the symphony's development from nineteenth-century roots to contemporary examples, arguing that criticism must both record and foresee artistic trends and that classical forms persist amid national revivals. He examines program and dramatic symphonies, and analyzes representative works and symphonic poems by composers such as Berlioz, Liszt, Saint-Saëns, Franck and his followers, Debussy and other innovators, Tchaikovsky, the Neo-Russian school, Sibelius, Bohemian masters, Bruckner, Mahler, and Richard Strauss. Separate chapters consider Italian, English, and American contributions. Throughout, attention focuses on form, national character, thematic treatment, and how varied practices exemplify broader tendencies in modern orchestral writing.