Program music
Instrumental music that depicts extra-musical content.
What it means
Program music is instrumental music that depicts extra-musical content, such as a story, a picture, a landscape or a natural event. This content is usually indicated by a title, a written program or headings of the movements. The music is meant to prompt the listener to imagine what is depicted.
Musical use
Program music has existed since the baroque, for instance in Antonio Vivaldi's The Four Seasons (published around 1725). Its high point lies in the 19th century: Hector Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique (1830) accompanies a detailed program, Franz Liszt created the symphonic poem, Bedřich Smetana painted a river in Vltava (1874) and Richard Strauss a character in Don Juan (1888). Beethoven himself called his Pastoral Symphony "more expression of feeling than painting".
Program music should be distinguished from absolute music, which stands for itself and does not aim to depict extra-musical content. Both views were fiercely disputed in the 19th century, for instance between the New German School and Eduard Hanslick.
Performance practice
When you play program music, read the program or headings and imagine the scenes. Shape tone color and dynamics in the service of the depiction, but do not forget that the music itself must also be built coherently.