# Long orchestral forms other than symphonies?



## Manok (Aug 29, 2011)

I was just curious if there were other long forms other than the symphony in the orchestral version? Not opera or choral works.


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## BurningDesire (Jul 15, 2012)

ballets, tone poems, concert overtures...


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

The tone poem/symphonic poem, whatevs. That's generally the place to start. Strauss and Sibelius. And a bit of Liszt.


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## trazom (Apr 13, 2009)

Serenades: like Mozart's Haffner, and Posthorn serenades.


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## Andreas (Apr 27, 2012)

There also (non-ballet) suites (Bach, Händel, Shostakovich) and theme-and-variations works (Brahms, Schoenberg, Reger).


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

Gesamtkunstwerk


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Concertos, some lasting an hour or more.


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## Arsakes (Feb 20, 2012)

Overtures and Concertos (Mostly Piano, Violin and then Cello).


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## BurningDesire (Jul 15, 2012)

Really sorta depends on what you qualify as "long". Is 8-10 minutes long? Or around 20 - 30 minutes? Or is it more around the 45 minute to hour-long range and up that you consider to be "long"?


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## mtmailey (Oct 21, 2011)

Well ELGAR & BEETHOVEN had violin concertos that are about 45 minutes,DVORAK cello & piano concertos are like 40 minutes long.


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## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

fugues. Passacaglias, Cannons


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## Arsakes (Feb 20, 2012)

Symphonic Poems of late romantic era are the best composed works similar to symphonies.


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## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

Much of the repertoire for extended compositions (greater than 60 minutes) require choral forces as well orchestral ones.

Excluding the operas, the oratorios/cantatas, the requiems, etc., there are still some works which are predominantly orchestral but may have a vocalist/soloist.

For example, consider the music of Heitor Villa-Lobos. One of the final efforts by Villa-Lobos prior to his death was writing a score for MGM's "Green Mansions", which was not synchronized to the picture. His music was overhauled by Bronislau Kaper, who revised the material to match what's onscreen.
Villa-Lobos subsequently re-worked the music for this project into a large orchestral fresco ("Forest Of The Amazon", which can last between 75 and 80 minutes) with wordless vocalise and songs by a soprano soloist.










If a solo vocalist disqualifies a piece such as this, then regard, instead, the same composer's "Choros No.11 for Piano and Orchestra", which runs in excess of an hour:










Another long piece for solo pianist with (chamber) orchestra is the "Piano Concerto No.3" by Nikos Skalkottas - which lasts up to 66 minutes!

Some compositions simply defy labels such as a "concerto" or the "symphonic tone poem". Olivier Messiaen has created several lengthy non-vocal works for orchestra which are neither symphonic in structure nor cast in single movements. The prime example in this unique category is Messiaen's "Des Canyons Aux Etoiles", which typically endures for greater than 90 minutes ...










... whilst the same composer's "Eclairs Sur L'au-dela..." clocks in at various timings between 60 & 75 minutes:










One of my all-time favorites is Charles Koechlin's opus #65 - "Les Heures Persanes" - whose 16 movements were orchestrated by the composer from his own piano cycle of the same name:










Also, there are many film soundtracks which are performed by orchestras (both the studio as well as the organized varieties) and have durations which could fill more than a single-disc album (although movie & TV sound recordings are in an area outside of the Classical field and these scores do not have "form" in an academic sense, so I'm not sure if the OP is considering such).


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