SYMPHONY

, is a consonance or concert of several sounds agreeable to the ear; whether they be vocal or instrumental, or both; called also harmony.

The Symphony of the Ancients went no farther than to two or more voices or instruments set to unison: for they had no such thing as music in parts; as is very well proved by Perrault: at least, if ever they knew such a thing, it must have been early lost.

It is to Guido Aretine, about the year 1022, that most writers agree in ascribing the invention of composition: it was he, they say, who first joined in one harmony several distinct melodies; and brought it even to | the length of 4 parts, viz. bass, tenor, counter-tenor, and treble.

The term Symphony is now applied to instrumental music, both that of pieces designed only for instruments, as sonatas and concertos, and that in which the instruments are accompanied with the voice, as in operas, &c.

A piece is said to be in grand Symphony, when, besides the bass and treble, it has also two other instrumental parts, viz, tenor and 5th of the violin.