One Score, Multiple Approaches. In the score of the “Resurrection” Symphony, Mahler calls for a five-minute pause between the end of the first movement and the start of the second—an exceptionally long break at an early stage in a performance.

In the classical period, the first movement of a symphony (or string quartet or piano sonata) is generally the most dramatic and longest (duration) movement. This was true of both the Boulogne and the Haydn symphonies we heard. The form of the first movement of a classical symphony is almost always sonata form.

A symphony is made up of four sections called movements. Each movement follows its own structure or format. The first uses a quick tempo and follows sonata-allegro form; the second is slower and more lyrical; the third is a minuet or scherzo and the final movement often uses sonata-allegro form.

Is a philharmonic the same thing? Essentially, a philharmonic and a symphony are the same, the only true difference is the origin of the name. The words originate from the Greek words. Philharmonic means “love of harmony,” while the word symphony means “an agreement of sound.”