Symphonic poem is an orchestral composition that tries to portray a nonmusical idea in music. Composers have based symphonic poems on poems, plays, stories, episodes from history, scenes from nature, paintings, and philosophical statements. The symphonic poem developed from the concert overture (see Overture). Like the concert overture, most symphonic poems consist of one movement (section). However, symphonic poems are written more freely, and they are longer.

