Polyphonic acoustic instrumental symphonic music
Polyphonic acoustic instrumental symphonic (PAIS) is a traditional Illuminatian music genre which involves complex harmonic instrumental compositions usually performed by large ensembles using only acoustic instruments. Illuminatian PAIS music corresponds very closely to the style of Earthly western classical music as frequently performed by symphony orchestras. In fact, much of the surviving Earthly classical repertoire is performed as PAIS music in Illuminatia in the present day. PAIS music utilizes string, reed, brass, and percussion instruments in ensembles of anywhere from 10 to 300 performers.
Illuminatian PAIS music is based firmly in live in-person performance, though live and recorded performances are popular in wireless and telekinephotography broadcasting. PAIS performers are employed in cities large and small throughout Illuminatia where they join ensembles who arrange scheduled public concert performances as well as private performances with small and large ensembles alike for personal and social events as exceptional as births and funerals and as mundane as regular social gatherings.
Polyphonic acoustic instrumental symphonic music differs from Earthly classical music in that it incorporates new compositions from living composers much more frequently than it utilizes older works. Old compositions are freely quoted, reimagined, and rearranged by contemporary composers. PAIS music also differs in its use of modern acoustic musical instruments more frequently than the ancient Earthly instruments. Additionally, PAIS music is written using musical forms that are often inventive and novel, including diverse time signatures, varied tonal systems, inventive chordal and melodic structures, and innovative musical phrasing. PAIS music is a highly flexible musical form and is tended by composers and musicians who exhibit a propensity to resist standardization and traditionalization.
PAIS music is most often written and performed as prestige music with ensembles of an impressive size and is more often than not performed in formal circumstances. However, performances intended for personal private enjoyment and small social gatherings will more frequently utilize small string and wind ensembles of fewer than 30 members.
Noteworthy Illuminatian polyphonic acoustic instrumental symphonic music composers include figures such as Ludwig Handelovsky, Igor Wolfgang Lisztmaninoff, and Sergei Antonin Prokofinsky. Composers commonly number their compositions in an unbroken series referencing the latest of compositions from the entirety of Illuminatian PAIS composers rather than in series only with the composer's own works. Therefore, concerti such as the Thirtieth Baritone Saxophone Concerto represent that the particular composition is the 30th baritone saxophone concerto ever composed in the history of Illuminatian PAIS music, rather than that it is the composer's thirtieth such work. Similarly, symphonies are numbered sequentially from the first ever such work ever written in Illuminatia, however the broad subgenre of symphonies is broken into several categories such as large symphony, small symphony, philharmonic, symphonette, quasisymphony, and demisymphony. Additional types of PAIS works might include the concertino, double concerto, concertando, quasiconcerto, demiconcerto, and the tone poem.
Illuminatian PAIS music first came to being as a discrete musical style early after the settlement of Illuminatia at approximately AI 80. Illuminatia's most beloved PAIS composers had been born well before this point and had been composing before this point, however AI 80 represents the first decade during which there is recorded popular reference to such a genre as PAIS music by name.