1774 – The year of the symphony

During the 17th century, the term "Symphony" or "Sinfonia" was usually applied to the opening music for operas, oratorios and cantatas. But gradually, during the 18th century, the symphony developed to become the most important format for independent orchestral music. The formal proportions were dramatically expanded and the instrumentation refined and expanded, paving the way for the genre's dominant status in the Romantic period with composers ...