Editing Symphony (section)

==Baroque era==
In the 17th century, for most of the Baroque era, the terms ''symphony'' and ''sinfonia'' were used for a range of different compositions, including instrumental pieces used in [[opera]]s, [[sonata]]s and [[concerto]]s—usually part of a larger work. The ''opera [[sinfonia]]'', or ''[[Italian overture]]'' had, by the 18th century, a standard structure of three contrasting movements: fast, slow, fast and dance-like. It is this form that is often considered as the direct forerunner of the orchestral symphony. The terms "overture", "symphony" and "sinfonia" were widely regarded as interchangeable for much of the 18th century.{{sfnp|LaRue, Bonds, Walsh, and Wilson|2001}}

In the 17th century, pieces scored for large instrumental ensemble did not precisely designate which instruments were to play which parts, as is the practice from the 19th century to the current period. When composers from the 17th century wrote pieces, they expected that these works would be performed by whatever group of musicians were available. To give one example, whereas the [[bassline]] in a 19th-century work is scored for [[cello]]s, [[double bass]]es and other specific instruments, in a 17th-century work, a [[basso continuo]] part for a sinfonia would not specify which instruments would play the part. A performance of the piece might be done with a basso continuo group as small as a single cello and [[harpsichord]]. However, if a bigger budget was available for a performance and a larger sound was required, a basso continuo group might include multiple chord-playing instruments (harpsichord, [[lute]], etc.) and a range of bass instruments, including cello, double bass, bass viol or even a [[serpent (instrument)|serpent]], an early bass wind instrument.