The Romantic period
Romanticism
Stressed emotion, imagination, and individualism
Emotional subjectivity basis of arts
Favorite artistic topics:
oFantasy and the supernatural
oMiddle ages: concept of chivalry and romance
oNature as mirror of the human heart
Period of industrial revolution
oResulted in social and economic changed
Romanticism in music
Many important romantic composers
oFranz Schubert, Antonin Dvorak
Continued use of classical forms
Greater range of tone color, dynamics, and pitch in classical period
Expanded harmony, complex chords
Characteristics of roman music
Individuality of style
oComposers want uniquely identifiable music
Expressive aims and subjects
oAll approaches were explored: flamboyance, intimacy, unpredictability,
melancholy, rapture, longing
oRomantic love still focus of songs and operas
Lovers frequently depict as unhappy and facing overwhelming obstacles
oDark topics drew composers
Nationalism and exotism
oNationalism: music with a national identity
oExoticism: intentionally imply foreign culture frequently in operas with foreign
settings
Characteristics of romantic music
Program music
oAssociation with a story, poem, idea, scene
Understanding the music enhanced through reading program or viewing associated
work
Expressive tone color
oComposers tried to create unique sounds
Blending of existing instruments
Addition of new instruments
Tone color important to emotional content
Colorful harmony
oChords built with noted not in traditional keys
Harmonic instability consciously used device
Characteristics pt3
Expanded range of dynamics, pitch, and tempo
oDynamics ff, pp expanded to ffff and pppp
oExtremely high and low pitches were added
oChanges in mood frequently underlined by (sometimes subtle) shifts into tempo
Forms: miniature and monumental
oSome composers went on for hours
Required hundreds of performers
oOthers music lasted only a few min
Written for single instrument
oComposers wrote symphonies, sonatas, string quartets, concertos, operas, and
many other classically traditional works
Romantic composers and their public
Demise of the patronage system
oComposers regarded themselves as “free spirits”
oDecline in artistic fortune- Napoleonic war
New urban classes/ new musical topics
Public was entranced by virtuosity
Piano became a fixture in most homes
Composers/ audience: same social class
Few composers financially successful
The art song
Composition for solo voice and piano
Accompaniment integral part of the song
Linked to vast amount of poetry in this period
oComposers interpreted poems, translating mood, atmosphere, and imagery into
music
oMood summed up at end with piano postlude
Strophic and through- composed from
Strophic form repeats music for each verse
Through-composed: new music each verse
Sometimes modified strophic from used
The song cycle
Group of songs unified in some manner
Storyline or musical idea may link the songs
Franz Schubert
Born in Vienna (1797-1828)
Early romantic composer
Prodigious output
When 18 years old wrote 143 songs
At 19 wrote 179 works
oIncluded 2 symphonies, opera and mass
Schubert’s Music
Wrote over 600 songs
Also symphonies, string quartets, other chamber music, sonatas, masses, operas, and
piano works
oThe unfinished symphony: only 2 movements, not 4
Schubertiade: private concert in the home
Listening: Erlkönig (The Erlking), 1815 by Schubert
Based upon narrative ballad with supernatural topic by Goethe
Note: through- composed from
oPiano portrays galloping horse
oOne singer sounds like several characters (use of different registers)
oDramatic ending
Robert Schumann
German, early to mid-romantic (1810-1856)
Wanted to be piano virtuos
Problem with handed his ambition
oTreatments and gadget made problem worse
Married his piano teachers daughter
Temperamentally unsuited for some of the musical positions he attempted
Committed to asylum were he died
Rober Schumanns Music
Wrote piano pieces, art songs, and later symphonies
oPiano pieces and art songs frequently in cycles
Clara Wieck Schumann
German (1819-1896)
Leading concert pianist
oOne of the 1st well-known women composers
Married Robert Schumann
Stopped composing after his death
Focused on performing his works
Pair was friends with Johannes Brahms
Clara Schumann’s music
Stopped composing at age of 36
Considered herself primarily a performing
Wrote songs, piano pieces, a concerto…
Frédéric Chopin
Polished born musician (1810-1849)
Poet of the piano
Moved to Paris at age 21- European artistic capital
Known for his beautiful tone, rhythmic flexibility, and extensive use of piano pedals
Piano teacher to the daughters of the rich
oAvoided concert halls
oWrote nocturnes, mazurkas, preludes and waltzes
Chopin’s music
Developed personal style at early age
oEvokes a variety of moods
oCaptured the spirit of the polish people
*amantine Lucile aurore dupin
A writer
Went by Georgesand
Listening
Etude in c minor, Op. 10, NO. 12 revolutionary by Chopin
Etude- study piece focusing on a specific technique in performance
Speed and endurance required of left hand, not just a study, but interesting music
Franz List
Hungarian born composer (1811-1886) virtuoso pianist
Touring concert pianist until age 36
oIncredible performer and showman-“rock star”
oRetired from touring and become court conductor, and later took minor holy
orders- Abbé Liszt
oFound new ways to exploit the piano
Liszts music
Extremely controversial
Bombastic and vulgar, or the ideal music?
Broke away from strict classic forms
Created symphonic poem (tone poem)
Felix Mendelssohn
German composer (1809-1847)
Early to mid-romantic period
Developed early
oWrote symphonies, concertos, sonatas, and other works before being teenager
Responsible for revival of Bach’s music
Died of a stroke while touring
Mendelssohn’s music
Somewhat more conservative
oAvoids emotional extremes
oProjects both elegance and balance
Listening
Concerti for violin and orchestra in e minor, Op. 64 (1844) by Mendelssohn’s
First movement
oControlled emotion, simple singing melodies, cadenza near the end for soloist
Program Music
Instrumental music associated with a story, poem, idea, or scene
oNon-program music with written explanation of the piece- a program
For piano or orchestra
Common types:
oProgram symphonies: multi-movement/ orchestral
oConcert overture: modeled on opera overture
oSymphonic poem (or tone poem): 1 movement, orchestral, flexible form
oIncidental music: for use before or during a play
Hector Berlioz
French composer (1803-1869)
Mid-romantic period
Wrote unconventional music
oPassion and unpredictable
oWon prix de Rome (entered 5 times 5th time he won)
oWorked as music critic for support
oOne of the first of the great conductors
Berlioz’s Music
Imaginative, innovative orchestrations
Required huge resources
Pioneered concept of idée fixe
**love at first sight with many things**
