How was the word sinfonia used before it referred to a symphony?
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symphony
Symphony performing a concert at Svetlanov Hall, Moscow International House of Music.
Before the term sinfonia evolved to designate the autonomous orchestral symphony, it was used in several distinct ways:
- Synonymous with other forms: During the early Baroque period (mid-17th century), the term was used interchangeably with canzona and sonata.1
- Operatic introductions: For the majority of the 17th and 18th centuries, it primarily referred to orchestral overtures that served as introductions to operas and cantatas.12
- Non-orchestral works: Occasionally, the term was applied to works for other media. For example, Johann Sebastian Bach used the title sinfonie for his three-part keyboard inventions.1
The transition to the modern symphony occurred as the three-part (fast-slow-fast) structure of the Italian opera overture expanded into self-sufficient movements by the 1740s.1