| a form of tone poem, scored for a symphony orchestra, in which a literary or pictorial “plot” is treated with considerable program detail: originated by Franz Liszt in the mid-19th century and developed esp. by Richard Strauss. |
| symphonic poem n. A piece of music, most popular in the late 19th century, that is based on an extramusical theme, such as a story or nationalistic ideal, and usually consists of a single extended movement for a symphony orchestra. Also called tone poem. |