Stories of Symphonic Music A Guide to the Meaning of Important Symphonies, Overtures, and Tone-poems from Beethoven to the Present Day

"Stories of Symphonic Music" by Lawrence Gilman is a guide that explores how instrumental music, from Beethoven to more modern composers, tells stories and expresses feelings without words, highlighting the emotional power of symphonies and orchestral pieces. The guide explains how an orchestra can paint pictures and tell tales through sound, comparing how music changed from the strict rules of the 1700s to the more free-feeling styles of the 1800s and early 1900s, where composers started using titles and descriptions to help listeners understand their music. This sets up the journey into the world of composers and their symphonies that takes place in the book.