A Tone Poem

[Megan]

What is a Tone Poem?

My husband is doing a French Course and talking about French music and would like to do a talk on tone poems. 2 questions please.
1 . Could you give me a brief description of what a tone poem is.
2. Could you tell me what French composers and pieces epitomises it best.

Thank you.

[Peter]

A piece of music based on poetry or literary source. Liszt was one of the first composers to develop the form. This link will give you more info re.France. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphonic_poem

[Megan]

Thank you for that info Peter. It somewhat a flexible form which owes it origins to the close connection between words a music in a far more literary age than today. Interesting.