01
die Sinfonie
symphony
A large-scale musical composition for an orchestra, typically consisting of several movements.
example
Beethovens neunte Sinfonie ist weltberühmt.
Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is world-famous.
die Sinfonie
symphony
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Origin of the word
The word comes from the Greek 'symphonia', which means 'sounding together' or 'harmony'. Knowing this helps you understand both the musical and the figurative meaning of harmony and perfect interplay.
EXAMPLE
Das Orchester spielte die Sinfonie mit großer Leidenschaft.
The orchestra played the symphony with great passion.
Typical collocations
In a musical context, a symphony is often specified more precisely with the composer (e.g. 'eine Sinfonie von Mozart' (a symphony by Mozart)) or an ordinal number (e.g. 'die fünfte Sinfonie' (the fifth symphony)).
EXAMPLE
Wir hören heute Abend die siebte Sinfonie von Dvořák.
Tonight we are listening to Dvořák's Seventh Symphony.
Register and style
The figurative meaning of 'Sinfonie' (symphony) is used mainly in elevated or poetic language. In normal everyday life, this use is rare.
EXAMPLE
Der Dichter beschrieb den Wald als eine Sinfonie des Lebens.
The poet described the forest as a symphony of life.
Sentence structure and use
In the figurative meaning, 'Sinfonie' (symphony) is almost always followed by the preposition 'aus' (of/from) or a genitive with 'der' (of the) to describe the harmonious elements.
EXAMPLE
Das Gericht war eine Sinfonie aus exotischen Gewürzen.
The dish was a symphony of exotic spices.
Compare with
Sinfonie vs Konzert
concert
'das Konzert' and 'die Sinfonie' both belong to music, especially classical music, but they refer to different things. In everyday language, a 'Konzert' is a musical event in front of an audience. In classical music, it can also be a musical work for a solo instrument and orchestra. A 'Sinfonie', on the other hand, is a large work for orchestra, usually with several movements. The words can be confused because both can be played by an orchestra. If you are talking about attending a musical evening, use 'Konzert'. If you mean the specific orchestral work, 'Sinfonie' is more precise.
Sinfonie
In der Schule hören wir heute eine Sinfonie von Beethoven.
At school today, we are listening to a symphony by Beethoven.
Konzert
Das Konzert beginnt um acht, also sollten wir früher losfahren.
The concert starts at eight, so we should leave earlier.
In real life
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