tone poem

American  

noun

Music.

1. an instrumental composition intended to portray a particular story, scene, mood, etc.

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tone poem British  

noun

1. another term for symphonic poem

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Etymology

Origin of tone poem

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

“I wanted people to see this film like I saw ‘Bambi,’ as the most glorious, sophisticated tone poem of a story that packs a wallop.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 12, 2025

Written for large orchestra and inspired by Madame Helena Blavatsky’s Theosophical Society, the symphonic tone poem is a fantastical transformation of the Greek myth of Prometheus, who steals fire from the gods.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2024

The Los Angeles Philharmonic commissioned his “Gaia,” a symphonic tone poem that doubles as a concerto for Ms. Spalding and suggests a classical tradition deftly redrawn in Mr. Shorter’s hand.

From New York Times • Mar. 2, 2023

“The Inspection” filters the brutal claustrophobia of Stanley Kubrick’s boot camp horror show through the piercing subjectivity of Barry Jenkins’ coming-of-age tone poem.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 2, 2022

In September David began to write his tone poem, Marco Polo.

From Sacrifice by Whitman, Stephen French