View source for Sinfonia

{{Short description|Type of 17th- or 18th-century orchestral piece}}
{{Other uses|Sinfonia (disambiguation)}}
'''Sinfonia''' ({{IPA|it|siɱfoˈniːa|IPA}}; plural ''sinfonie'') is the Italian word for [[symphony]], from the Latin ''symphonia'', in turn derived from [[Ancient Greek]] συμφωνία ''symphōnia'' (agreement or concord of sound), from the prefix σύν (together) and Φωνή (sound). In English it most commonly refers to a 17th- or 18th-century [[orchestral]] piece used as an introduction, interlude, or postlude to an [[opera]], [[oratorio]], [[cantata]], or [[suite (music)|suite]] ({{harvnb|Abate|1999}}, who gives the origin of the word as Italian) {{harv|Lotha, and the Editors of the Encyclopædia Britannica|n.d.}}{{Failed verification|date-=July 2017|date=July 2017}}<!--Lotha et al. do not even mention Abate, let alone confirm the claim.-->. The word is also found in other [[Romance languages]] such as Spanish or Portuguese.

In the Middle Ages down to as late as 1588, it was also the Italian name for the [[hurdy-gurdy]] {{harv|Marcuse|1975|p=477}}. [[Johann Sebastian Bach]] used the term for his keyboard compositions also known as ''[[Inventions and Sinfonias (Bach)|Three-part Inventions]]'', and after about 1800, the term, when in reference to opera, meant "[[Overture]]" {{harv|Fisher|1998|p=386}}.

In [[George Frideric Handel]]'s [[oratorio]] [[Messiah (Handel)|Messiah (HWV 56)]], "[[Overture]] to the [[Messiah]]" ([[French overture|French Overture]] in [[E minor]]) was originally titled "Sinfony".

In the 20th and 21st centuries it is found in the names of some chamber orchestras, often pronounced with stress on the second syllable ({{IPA|it|siɱˈfoniːa|IPA}}), such as the [[Northern Sinfonia]] {{harv|Kennedy|2006}}.

==Sinfonias in the vocal works by Johann Sebastian Bach==
{| class="wikitable"
! Work !! Movement !! Related instrumental work !! Movement
|-
| [[Christ lag in Todes Banden, BWV 4]] || 1 || ||
|-
| [[Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen, BWV 12]] || 1 || ||
|-
| [[Gleichwie der Regen und Schnee vom Himmel fällt, BWV 18]] || 1 || ||
|-
| [[Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis, BWV 21]] || 1 || ||
|-
| [[Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir, BWV 29]] || 1 || [[BWV 1006|Partita for Violin No. 3 in E major, BWV 1006]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=www.bach.de {{pipe}} Werk {{pipe}} Vokalwerke {{pipe}} BWV 29|url=http://www.bach.de/werk/bwv/29.html|access-date=2023-03-17|website=www.bach.de}}</ref>|| 1
|-
| [[Geist und Seele wird verwirret, BWV 35]] || 1 || | [[BWV 1059|Concerto in D minor (fragment), BWV 1059]] <!-- reference from https://en/wikipedia.org/wiki/BWV_35 --> {{harv|Gardiner|2007|loc=13, 16–18}} ||
|-
| Geist und Seele wird verwirret, BWV 35 || 5 || Probably the same lost work as BWV 35/1 {{harv|Gardiner|2007|loc=13, 16–18}} ||
|-
| [[Am Abend aber desselbigen Sabbats, BWV 42]] || 1 || ||
|-
| [[Ich geh und suche mit Verlangen, BWV 49]]  || 1 || [[BWV 1053|Keyboard Concerto No. 2 in E major, BWV 1053]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=www.bach.de {{pipe}} Werk {{pipe}} Vokalwerke {{pipe}} BWV 49|url=http://www.bach.de/werk/bwv/49.html|access-date=2023-03-17|website=www.bach.de}}</ref> || 3
|-
| [[Falsche Welt, dir trau ich nicht, BWV 52]] || 1 || [[BWV 1046a|Sinfonia in F major (early version of Brandenburg Concerto No. 1), BWV 1046a]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=www.bach.de {{pipe}} Werk {{pipe}} Vokalwerke {{pipe}} BWV 52|url=http://www.bach.de/werk/bwv/52.html|access-date=2023-03-17|website=www.bach.de}}</ref> || 1
|-
| [[Die Elenden sollen essen, BWV 75]] || 8 || ||
|-
| [[Die Himmel erzählen die Ehre Gottes, BWV 76]] || 8 || [[BWV 528|Organ Sonata No. 4 in E minor, BWV 528]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=www.bach.de {{pipe}} Werk {{pipe}} Vokalwerke {{pipe}} BWV 76|url=http://www.bach.de/werk/bwv/76.html|access-date=2023-03-17|website=www.bach.de}}</ref> || 1
|-
| [[Herr Gott, Beherrscher aller Dinge, BWV 120a]] || 4 || [[BWV 1006|Partita for Violin No. 3 in E major, BWV 1006]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=www.bach.de {{pipe}} Werk {{pipe}} Vokalwerke {{pipe}} BWV 120a|url=http://www.bach.de/werk/bwv/120a.html|access-date=2023-03-17|website=www.bach.de}}</ref> || 1
|-
| [[Wir müssen durch viel Trübsal, BWV 146]] || 1 || [[BWV 1052|Keyboard Concerto No. 1 in D minor, BWV 1052]] {{harv|Bach|2004–2018}} || 1
|-
| [[Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich, BWV 150]] || 1 || ||
|-
| [[Tritt auf die Glaubensbahn, BWV 152]] || 1 || ||
|-
| [[Ich steh mit einem Fuß im Grabe, BWV 156]] || 1 || [[BWV 1056|Keyboard Concerto No. 5 in F minor, BWV 1056]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=www.bach.de {{pipe}} Werk {{pipe}} Vokalwerke {{pipe}} BWV 156|url=http://www.bach.de/werk/bwv/156.html|access-date=2023-03-17|website=www.bach.de}}</ref> || 2
|-
| [[Gott soll allein mein Herze haben, BWV 169]] || 1 || [[BWV 1053|Keyboard Concerto No. 2 in E major, BWV 1053]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=www.bach.de {{pipe}} Werk {{pipe}} Vokalwerke {{pipe}} BWV 169|url=http://www.bach.de/werk/bwv/169.html|access-date=2023-03-17|website=www.bach.de}}</ref> || 1
|-
| [[Ich liebe den Höchsten von ganzem Gemüte, BWV 174]] || 1 || [[BWV 1048|Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=www.bach.de {{pipe}} Werk {{pipe}} Vokalwerke {{pipe}} BWV 174|url=http://www.bach.de/werk/bwv/174.html|access-date=2023-03-17|website=www.bach.de}}</ref> || 1
|-
| [[Ich habe meine Zuversicht, BWV 188]] || 1 || [[BWV 1052|Keyboard Concerto No. 1 in D minor, BWV 1052]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=www.bach.de {{pipe}} Werk {{pipe}} Vokalwerke {{pipe}} BWV 188|url=http://www.bach.de/werk/bwv/188.html|access-date=2023-03-17|website=www.bach.de}}</ref> || 3
|-
| [[Der Herr denket an uns, BWV 196]] || 1 || ||
|-
| [[Non sa che sia dolore, BWV 209]] || 1 || ||
|-
| [[St John Passion structure#Version III|St John Passion (third version)]], BWV 245 || 33 (lost)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bach digital - Johannes-Passion [3. Fassung] BWV 245.3|url=https://www.bach-digital.de/receive/BachDigitalWork_work_00000309|access-date=2023-03-17|website=www.bach-digital.de}}</ref> || ||
|-
| [[Christmas Oratorio]], BWV 248 || Part II, 1 || ||
|-
| [[Easter Oratorio]], BWV 249<br/>[[Entfliehet, verschwindet, entweichet, ihr Sorgen, BWV 249a]] || 1 || ||
|}

The opening movements of cantatas [[BWV 31]] and [[BWV 182]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=www.bach.de {{pipe}} Werk {{pipe}} Vokalwerke {{pipe}} BWV 31|url=http://www.bach.de/werk/bwv/31.html|access-date=2023-03-17|website=www.bach.de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=www.bach.de {{pipe}} Werk {{pipe}} Vokalwerke {{pipe}} BWV 182|url=http://www.bach.de/werk/bwv/182.html|access-date=2023-03-17|website=www.bach.de}}</ref> are named "sonata" and the first movement of cantata [[BWV 106]] "sonatina".<ref>{{Cite web|title=www.bach.de {{pipe}} Werk {{pipe}} Vokalwerke {{pipe}} BWV 106|url=http://www.bach.de/werk/bwv/106.html|access-date=2023-03-17|website=www.bach.de}}</ref> [[Sinfonia in D major, BWV 1045]] is considered a sinfonia of a lost cantata, because its manuscript indicates that the piece had four vocal parts.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Chapter 55 Bwv 50 Bwv 200 Bwv 1045 – The Cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach|url=https://www.jsbachcantatas.com/documents/chapter-55-bwv-50-bwv-200-bwv-1045/|access-date=2023-03-17|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Symphony with an alternative scope==

Examples of such "sinfonias" composed after the [[classical music era|classical era]] include:
*[[Vincent d'Indy]] wrote a ''Sinfonia brevis de bello Gallico'', Latin for: "Short Symphony about the War in Gaul".<ref>{{Citation |last=Thomson |first=Andrew |title=Indy, (Paul Marie Théodore) Vincent d’ |date=2001 |work=Oxford Music Online |url=https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.13787 |access-date=2025-09-07 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-1-56159-263-0 |last2=Orledge |first2=Robert}}</ref><!--A source verifying that this is in a form distinct from a symphony is needed, especially as the composer is French and the title is in Latin, while the definition given specifically refers to English practice.-->
* [[Igor Stravinsky]] titled the first movement of his 1923 [[Octet (Stravinsky)|Octet]] "Sinfonia".
* [[Benjamin Britten]]'s 1940 ''[[Sinfonia da Requiem]]''

==See also==
*[[Sinfonia concertante]]
*[[Sinfonietta (symphony)]]
*[[Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia]]
*[[Overture]]

==Sources==
*{{cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/art/sinfonia-music|title=Sinfonia|publisher= [[Encyclopædia Britannica]]}}
* {{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Abate|1999}}|reference=Abate, Frank R. (ed.). ''The Oxford American Dictionary and Language Guide''. New York: Oxford University Press. {{ISBN|978-0-19-513449-0}}.}}
*{{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Bach|2004–2018}}|reference=Bach, Peter. "[http://www.bach.de/werk/bwv/146.html Werk: Vokalwerke: BWV 146: Wir müssen durch viel Trübsal]". [s.l.]: Bach.de, 2004–2018 (accessed 13 May 2018).}}
* {{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Bukofzer|1947}}|reference=[[Manfred Bukofzer|Bukofzer, Manfred]]. ''Music in the Baroque Era''.  New York, W.W. Norton & Co., 1947. {{ISBN|0-393-09745-5}}.}}
* {{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Cusick|2001}}|reference=[[Suzanne Cusick|Cusick, Suzanne G.]]; Jan Larue; [[John Tyrrell (professor of music)|John Tyrrell]] (2001), "Sinfonia (i)" in [[Stanley Sadie]] (ed.), ''[[The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians]]'', 2nd edition,   London: Macmillan Publishers, 2001.}}
* {{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Fisher|1998}}|reference=Fisher, Stephen C. "Sinfonia" in Stanley Sadie (ed.), ''[[The New Grove Dictionary of Opera]]'', Vol. Four. p. 386. London, Macmillan Publishers Ltd., 1998.  {{ISBN|0-333-73432-7}}  {{ISBN|1-56159-228-5}}.}}
* {{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Gardiner|2007}}|reference=[[John Eliot Gardiner|Gardiner, John Eliot]]. [http://www.monteverdi.co.uk/downloads/booklets/sdg134.pdf Cantatas for the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity / Jakobskirche, Köthen]. [s.l.]: Monteverdi Choir, 2007 (accessed 1 September 2017}}
*{{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Kennedy|2006}}|reference=Kennedy, Michael. "Sinfonia". ''The Oxford Dictionary of Music'', 2nd edition, revised, associate editor, Joyce Bourne. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2006. {{ISBN|978-0-19-861459-3}}.}}
* {{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Lotha, and the Editors of the Encyclopædia Britannica|n.d.}}|reference=Lotha, Gloria, and the Editors of the Encyclopædia Britannica. N.d. "[https://www.britannica.com/art/sinfonia-music Sinfonia]".  Encyclopædia Britannica online edition. Accessed 2 July 2017.}}
* {{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Marcuse|1975}}|reference=Marcuse, Sibyl. ''Musical Instruments: A Comprehensive Dictionary'', corrected edition. The Norton Library. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1975. {{ISBN|0-393-00758-8}}.}}
* {{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Randel|1986}}|reference=Randel, Don (ed.). ''The New Harvard Dictionary of Music''. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1986. {{ISBN|0-674-61525-5}}.}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* A [http://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin/make-table.cgi?preview=1&searchingfor=sinfonia&Composer=&Instrument=&Style=&timelength=1&timeunit=week&lilyversion= selection of ''sinfonias''] (from the [[Mutopia project]])

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[[Category:Symphonies]]
[[Category:Renaissance music]]
[[Category:Baroque music]]
[[Category:Classical period (music)]]