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05/03/23 1
The Romantic EraThe Nineteenth
Century
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©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
Political and Social Events of the Times
Monarchies had given way to more and more democracies.
Many countries which retained their monarchies also had democratic elements in their governments (e.g., Great Britain).
Lively cultural centers arose in Paris, Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Leipzig, Dresden, Amsterdam, and London, where artists, musicians, philosophers, and others gathered.
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The Nineteenth Century Composers’ status rose tremendously as they
were no longer employees of royalty and the aristocracy.
Performers received enormous fees. Pianos and other instruments became
widespread. Many middle-class homes had their own pianos. Demand for compositions for amateurs grew.
Music became a political force, calling for freedom, equality, and rights to assemble and associate with whomever people chose.
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Musicians Musicians were self-sustaining.
Sources of income were published music, public concerts, commissions.
Public concert associations, ballet companies, symphony societies, and opera companies were formed all over Europe and the United States.
London Philharmonic Society, Paris Societe des Concerts du Conservatoire, New York Philharmonic, etc.
They became highly respected members of society.
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©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
The Romantic Era A time of fascination with imagination, individual
emotion--called “Romanticism” Intellect and art still important; dreams became
important too. Music--composers were freed from conventional
styles and forms to compose in their own voices. Orchestras were bigger; timbres, more diverse. Program music became more important. Range of musical elements--melody, rhythm,
harmony, dynamics, timbre, texture, and form grew tremendously during this period.
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©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
Romantic Composers & Their Public
Composers wrote to fulfill inner need, rather than by commission
Wanted to be judged by posterity Musicians wrote for middle-class; now increased
in size Industrial revolution
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Romantic Composers & Their Public
Founding of music conservatories in U.S.-Chicago, Cleveland, Boston
More young men & women studying to become professional musicians
Virtuosity-Franz Liszt, Niccolo Paganini, Clara Wieck Schumann
Romantic composers came from their own social class audience, needed family support for careers
Few able to support selves through composition alone: sell music to publishers, touring, teaching, music critics, some lucky enough to have patrons
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©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
Romantic Composers Beethoven & Wagner-prolific U.S. composers-Stephen Foster, Henry Gilbert, Schubert-symphonies, art song Chopin-keyboard music only Verdi-Italian opera Rossini-Italian opera Tchaikovsky-ballet R. Strauss-Tone poem Sibelius, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Mahler, Liszt,
Mussorgsky, Franck, Berlioz
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Romantic Subjects for Artistic Works
Nature Beauty Love Death The supernatural The mystical,
magical, and mysterious
Adventure
Travel, distant lands, exotic cultures
Drug-induced states The brotherhood of
man The individual and
the common man The superman and
hero
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©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
Romanticism should be: Subjective and
emotional Translating human
soul into music Sorrow, passion,
tenderness, exuberance, despair
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Characteristics of Romantic Music
Individuality of Style Self-expression, “echo of
innermost feeling”-Tchaikovsky
Highly emotional music Unique Reflects personality of
composer
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Characteristics of Romantic Music
Evocative Titles for Musical Works: musicians gave their works titles which depicted Romantic themes or subjects (e.g., love, nature, adventure)
Emotional Music: Romantic music attempted to express the gamut of human emotions through the musical elements: increased length of compositions, larger orchestras
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Characteristics of Romantic Music
Program Music: music written to tell a story or describe something Sometimes the composer included a story,
called a “program.” The composer told the story or described
something through the elements of music. Musical sounds imitate non-musical
situations “Union of the Arts”
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Characteristics of Romantic Music
Rhythm: changing tempos within sections; rubato common; more complex meters and rhythms
Melody: long, flowing, emotional melodies; some short themes to express specific ideas or people; major and minor tonalities with chromaticism (using notes not in scale); instrumental melodies with wide leaps: not easy to grasp or sing
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Characteristics of Romantic Music
Harmony: key centered (tonal), but many changes of key (modulations) and much chromaticism; harmonies complex and not easy to follow
Dynamic Expression: extremes of dynamics used (ppp to fff); crescendo and decrescendo used extensively
Texture: mainly homophonic with some polyphony
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Characteristics of Romantic Music
Forms Continued use of classical genres and forms:
symphony (often with titles), solo concerto. opera
New small piano forms (nocturne, ballade, étude, waltz, mazurka)
New orchestral forms: ballet, symphonic tone poem, concert overture
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Form: Miniature & Monumental
Age of contradictions Movements longer(Symphonies-45 minutes) New techniques-more use of theme throughout
symphony Thematic transformation-ex. Lyrical melody
becomes grotesque dance tune One movement goes directly into next Generalizations of period difficult-great diversity
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Performance Media Larger concert halls & opera houses More emphasis on horn & percussion sections More woodwind instruments Addition of other percussion Greater instrumental flexibility More use of upper & lower registers Higher level of virtuosity New ways of blending & combining tone colors for
intense sound
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©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
Nationalism Nationalism--pride in country became important; the
nation as a central social identity rose to prominence. Groups were united by language and culture. Composers created music to reflect their national
pride, often using folk music of their countries as the basis for compositions.
Transportation changed. Railroads and steamships made long distance
travel feasible. Communication expanded--telephone and
telegraph invented. Populations grew.
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Outstanding Composers of the Early Romantic Period
Hector Berlioz: orchestration
Franz Schubert: art songs
Robert Schumann: piano works
Clara Schumann: a concert pianist and composer
Frédéric Chopin: short piano works
Franz Liszt: piano virtuoso
Felix Mendelssohn: conductor, promoter, and composer
Fanny Mendelssohn: pianist and composer
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The Romantic Art Song A poem set to music Typical subjects:
love, nature, beauty, death, and heroism
Performed in small gatherings in people’s homes; later performed in concert halls
Singer and piano equally important Piano: introduction
and ending section Melodies heard in
both parts in a musical dialogue
Poetry and music both high art
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The Art Song Many composers set poems
in native language Favored poets: Goethe,
Heine German art song: Lied Art song-filled with unrequited
love, beauty of nature, supernatural folk tales, reaching out of the soul
Translation of mood & imagery into music; mood set by introduction & postlude (end of piece)
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Forms of Art Songs Strophic and Modified Strophic: Several
verses of poetry with the same (or basically the same) music (e.g., The Trout)
Through-composed: Music does not repeat itself in a a specific pattern as the poem unfolds (e.g., The Erlking)
Song Cycles: groups of songs that tell a story or reflect on nature, beauty (e.g., Winterreise)
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Chapter 27: Franz Schubert “Erlkönig”
A drama set to music; characters Sung by Narrator Father Child The Erlking (death)
Only one performer with piano accompaniment
Text is a poem by Wolfgang Goethe--a ballad--poem that tells a story.
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The Erlking: The Story
Child asks Father if he can see The Erlking.
Father says he can only see Willow Trees.
Child resists, but The Erlking takes him by force.
When Father arrives home, his Child is dead!
Father is riding horse at night with his Child.
Child is afraid; he sees the Erlking (Death).
Father reassures Child as they ride.
Erlking entices the Child to come with Him.
Child expresses fear
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©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
Franz Schubert “Erlkönig” Word-Music Relationships--song fits the content,
meter, and rhyme scheme of the poem. Rhythm--repetitive rhythmic figure in the
accompaniment represents the horse. Register--three characters and the narrator each have
a particular register of the singer’s voice. Dynamics--reflect the story; father is always loud; child
is soft then loud; Erlking is softer and softer until very loud at end.
Harmony--key of g minor; shifts to major when the Erlking “speaks”--provides harmonic variety to the song.
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Franz Schubert (1797 - 1828) A prolific composer of German lieder (art
songs) His songs involve texts from some of the
greatest writers of his day. Other works:
9 symphonies, many piano sonatas, chamber music
“The Trout”--a song and a piano quintet Symphony no. 8--”Unfinished” “Death and the Maiden”--a song and a string
quartet “Serenade”--a song and a piano piece 7 masses Over 600 art songs
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Franz Schubert at the Piano by W. A. Rieder
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Franz Schubert (1779-1828) Born in Vienna; member of Vienna Boy’s Choir Son of school master Pianist and violinist Wrote Gretchen am Spinnrade at 17 Started out as a teacher, but quit to compose at 21. Income came entirely from composition Usually lived with friends, did not mingle with upper class Contracted syphilis at 25, moody & prone to despair Like Mozart, he died at a young age (31), after 5 years of
illness. Applied to musical positions but not accepted
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Franz Schubert Die Forelle(The
Trout) 1817 Text by Christian
Daniel Schubart Trout caught by
fisherman Also as string
quartet
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©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
Clara and Robert Schumann
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©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
Robert Schumann (1810-1856) Born in Zwickau, Germany; went to study law at Leipzig
University, but skipped class!! Studied piano with Friedrich Wieck; married his daughter,
Clara: a concert pianist. Contracted syphilis, which ruined his hands and ended his
concert piano career. Founded The New Journal for Music: served as editor and
music critic- set up with partners in 1834. One of first to praise Berlioz’ Symphonie fantastique and to
recognize both Chopin and Brahms as compositional geniuses Developed depression and hallucinations (from syphilis?); died
in asylum at age 46.
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Robert Schumann Through writing & criticism, championed
Chopin, Schubert, Brahms Wrote with pseudonyms Wrote virtually all piano works before age
of 30 in 1840 4 symphonies with experimental aspects-
large brass section, high level of chromaticism; cyclic devices; sonata-allegro form with no development
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Robert Schumann(1810-1856)
Schizophrenic, “gloriously mad”
Attempted suicide by jumping into Rhine in 1854, rescued
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Robert Schumann “Dedication”
“Widmung” = “Dedication” Written in 1840, the year he married Clara
Wieck (they eloped) A love poem set to music An example of a German lied
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Robert Schumann “Dedication”
Form = ternary A B A’ A’ means that the first section is repeated after the
contrasting section, but slightly differently Both the melody and the rhythm create the
contrast between the A and B sections; harmony contributes to the contrast as well
Harmony A = key of A-flat B = key of E--NOT a closely related key;
A-flat has 4 flats; E has 4 sharps.
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©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
Robert Schumann Character pieces
Carnaval-Opus 9 from Piano Solo “Little Scenes on Four Notes” Collections of personalities Written during Carnaval season of 1835(Mardi Gras) Chiarina-for Clara Weick Chopin- “nocturne” Estrella-fiancee Ernestine von Fricken Reconaissance-reunion Certain movements named for clowns of Commedia
del arte(Italian theater) Papillons-butterflies
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Robert Schumann Other Compositions
Dichterliebe (Poet’s Love)--a song cycle Kreisleriana--a cycle of solo piano works Piano Concerto in A Minor Symphony no. 3 (“Rhenish”) Over 275 art songs Chamber music Symphony No. 1
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©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
Clara Wieck Schumann (1819 - 1896)
Studied piano at age 5 Gave first full piano recital at age 9 Toured Europe as child prodigy Published music as teenager, rare Her father, Friedrich Wieck, opposed her
marrying a musician, but she eloped and married Robert Schumann anyway at age 21
8 children, one dying in infancy. She was one of the great piano virtuosos of her
generation.
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Clara Wieck Schumann (1819-1896)
Premiered Robert’s works and those of Brahms(came to live with Schumanns in 1853)
Continued to perform after marriage and widowhood, but few compositions were published after that.
Had long relationship with Johannes Brahms. Widowed in her mid-30’s, Clara pursued a highly
successful career as a soloist (piano) and teacher. Taught at Leipzig Conservatory of Music and Hoch
Conservatory in Frankfurt.
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Clara Wieck Schumann--by Dagli Orti
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Clara Wieck Schumann Other Compositions
Piano Concerto in A Minor Three Songs on Texts by Rückert Variations on a Theme by Robert
Schumann--for piano Piano Trio in G Minor Three Romances--for piano
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©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
Program Music & Symphonic Works
After Beethoven, two courses were established: An attempt at sustaining the traditional concept of the
symphony as established by the Viennese Classicists Mendelssohn, Schumann, Brahms
Venturing into the experimental in expressiveness and expansion as modeled after Beethoven’s 6th(Pastoral) and 9th(Choral)
Berlioz, Liszt, Mahler
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Program Music Berlioz & Liszt
Abandoned four movement form
Theme transformation Colorful and expressive
orchestral resources Many changes in tempo
& dynamics Melodic & harmonic
chromaticism
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©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
Program Music Symphonic poem-An orchestral form in which a
poem or program provides a narrative or illustrative basis
One movement Flourished in 1840’s to 1920’s Satisfied three aspirations of 19th century
To relate music to the outside world To integrate multi-movement form To elevate instrumental music to a higher level than that
of vocal music
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©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
Program Music Overtures became independent of their theatrical
origin Achieve programmatic status “Incidental Music” Overture-direct prototype for Liszt’s conception
of a one-movement symphonic poem His view was to refrain from narrative & literal
depiction, theme transformation
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©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
Chapter 29: Hector Berlioz Symphonie fantastique, 4th movement
A 5-movement composition with a written program written by Berlioz himself The story--an artist’s dream that moves
from blissful reverie (1st movement) to nightmare (movements 4 and 5).
Dream is about lover and her eventual rejection of him.
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©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
Symphonie fantastique Written during Prix de Rome year
A young musician of morbid sensibility and ardent imagination in a fit of lovesick despair has poisoned himself with opium. The drug, to weak to kill, plunges him into a heavy sleep accompanied by strange visions. The sensations, feelings, and memories are translated in his sick brain into musical images and ideas. The beloved one herself becomes for him a melody, a recurrent theme that haunts him everywhere.
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©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
Hector Berlioz Symphonie fantastique
1st Movement--“Dreams--Passions”--artist thinks about beloved
2nd Movement--“A Ball”--artist sees lover at a dance
3rd Movement--“Scene in the Countryside”--artist dreams he is in the country but then thinks about his lover’s betraying him
4th Movement-- “March to the Scaffold”--artist’s execution for killing lover
5th Movement-- “Dream of a Witches’ Sabbath”--ghosts and monsters gather for his funeral
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Hector Berlioz Symphonie fantastique, 4th movement
Timbre--composed for a huge orchestra Berlioz--widely acknowledged as the first great
master of orchestration--the art of arranging music for instruments
Symphony includes novel and spectacular orchestral effects. Combining timbres of individual instruments and
groups of instruments to create sounds that had never been heard before
Exploiting the range of the instruments and the types of melodies that could best be played by them
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Program Music: Berlioz’ Symphonie Fantastique
He also asked string players to hit strings with the back of the bow (“col legno battuta”) to imitate skeletons.
He wrote a detailed program. The 5th movement includes another famous
melody: the Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) from the Requiem Mass for the Dead.
Berlioz “transformed” the melody: i.e., he varied it for effect, but it was recognizable.
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Hector Berlioz Symphonie fantastique, 4th movement
Idée fixe--a melody (represents the beloved) whose form changes from movement to movement but which appears at some point in all five movements, transformed to fit the emotion of the moment
Form of 4th movement: Introduction A/B/A/B/A/ Coda (two contrasting
sections framed with an Introduction and a Coda A theme - “gloomy and ferocious” B theme - “solemn and brilliant” Idée fixe is heard just prior to the fall of the
guillotine blade (artist thinks of lover before dying)
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Hector Berlioz (1803 - 1869) Born near Lyon, France, Grenoble Berlioz’ father wanted him to be a doctor; he went to medical school in
Paris, but dropped out. Started serious music study at age 19. Studied in Rome(Prix de Rome) and returned to Paris to compose. Studied at the National Conservatory of Music in Paris. Wrote music criticism to support himself during his studies. Studied instrumental effects and learned how they produced sounds. Wrote an important book on orchestration (how to use the instruments
of the orchestra to produce the desired sounds): Treatise on Instrumentation.
Friends with Eugene Delacroix, Victor Hugo This composition is written about Berlioz’s obsessive love for Harriet
Smithson. Another composition, “The Return to Life” is believed to be a marriage proposal to her.
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Hector Berlioz(1803-1869) Obsessed with
actress Harriet Smithson “Smithson &
Berlioz will be reunited in the oblivion of the tomb”
Married Harriet despite objection, left after nine years to live with Italian opera singer
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A Caricature of Hector Berlioz Note the Exaggerated Hair
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Hector BerliozOther Compositions
Harold in Italy--a symphony Romeo and Juliet--a symphony Requiem--a Mass for the Dead “L’enfance du Christ” (The Infancy of Christ)--an
oratorio Te Deum The Trojans-opera Grande symphonie funèbre et triomphale
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©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) Born in Hamburg, Germany into a prominent family notable for
its expertise in the areas of philosophy and finance.. Child prodigy; studied piano, and began composing at a very
early age. Wrote 6 symphonies by age 12, 7 more by age 14, and an
overture by age 21. Father tried to add “Bartholdy” to family name to avoid anti-
Semitism (sometimes this name is added to his). A cosmopolitan composer who spoke English, French, and
Italian; able to read both Greek and Latin easily. Conducted a revival of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. Composed the famous “Wedding March.”
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Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) Became conductor of Gewandhaus Orchestra
in Leipzig. Orchestra performed music of many
contemporary composers. Pushed his orchestra to perform at high
level. Founded Leipzig Conservatory, one of
Europe’s finest music schools. Died shortly after his older sister, at age 37.
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Felix Mendelssohn: An Early Promoter and
Producer As conductor of the Leipzig Orchestra
Doubled musicians’ salaries from own pocket; established pension plan for them.
Assembled programs of music from both contemporary and earlier composers.
Actively promoted music of his contemporaries: e.g., Schubert, Schumann, Berlioz, Brahms, and Chopin.
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Mendelssohn on a Trip to London, by James W. Childe
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Fanny Mendelssohn (1809-1847) Felix Mendelssohn’s older sister; married
Wilhelm Hensel. A fine pianist and composer, but her music
remained unpublished. Some speculate that some music attributed to
her brother may have been composed by her. Also performed music by of other composers. Died on stage during a rehearsal.
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Romantic Piano Music Pianos had greatly improved by the time of
the Romantic Period. Better sound, loud enough to fill public concert
halls Better mechanical systems, responsive to virtuoso
playing The Public loved virtuoso performers. Private concerts for selected guests were
performed in salons.
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The Piano Cast-iron frame
allowed for greater string tension
Hammers covered with felt
Range extended Damper pedal
added
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Romantic Piano Music Pianos became popular in the home;
composers wrote and publishers produced music for the non-virtuoso player.
Especially among the middle class and the wealthy, learning to play piano was considered part of a good education.
This demand for all-level works was lucrative for composers and publishers.
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Salon (Intimate) Piano Music: Miniatures (2-5 mins.)
Ballades Capriccios Consolations Etudes (studies) Fantasies Impromptus Mazurkas
Nocturnes Polonaises Preludes Rhapsodies Scherzos Songs Without
Words Waltzes
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Frédéric Chopin (1809 - 1848) Born near Warsaw, Poland; gave first piano recital at age 8;
studied piano at Warsaw Conservatory. Father was French and mother was Polish--never felt at home
in either place. Russia annexed most of Poland, which awakened his
nationalism--as manifested in his polonaises and mazurkas. Made a living in Paris from teaching and sales of his music for
piano. Had a long relationship with Amandine Lucile Aurore
Dudevant (George Sand). Died of tuberculosis, age 39. Most of his works are for piano.
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Frederick Chopin(1810-1849)
Wrote exclusively for piano, “the poet of the piano”
First imaginative use of pedal & rubato(performer deviates slightly from exact execution of rhythm)
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A Daguerreotype of Chopin
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Other Virtuoso Artists of the 19th Century
Franz Liszt--piano; created the public piano recital Very famous piece--Hungarian Rhapsody
#2 Nicolo Paganini--violin
Very famous pieces--Caprices, and Violin Concerto #2 in B Minor
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Franz Liszt (1811-1886) Born near Sopron (in
Austria-Hungary). Studied piano in Vienna;
piano concert debut in London at age 11.
Considered greatest piano virtuoso of 19th century.
Lived in Paris from age 16 to age 38, touring throughout Europe.
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Franz Liszt (1811-1886) Became music director to Grand Duke of
Weimar. Story has it, he changed position of piano
on stage (from back to audience to sideways) and threw away the music!
Ever since, tradition has dictated that pianists play concert music from memory.
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Franz Liszt (1811-1886) Some famous works
Orchestra: Faust Symphony, Dante Symphony, Les Préludes, Piano Concertos No. 1 and No. 2
Piano Music: Sonata in b minor, Six Consolations, Transcendental Studies, Hungarian Rhapsodies, and many short piano pieces
Recommended