Romantic Era Music Appreciation

Romantic Era Dates

1820-1900

Music Commons

Opera and orchestras dominated music presentation, western music was reliant on concert halls and large ensembles. Nationalism was important.

Leider

german art songs

miniatures

really short songs

Tchaikovsky

Famous pieces: Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Nutcrackers

Huge with ballets

Symphony 4, 5, 6

Homosexual, Russian

Robert Schumann

Big with miniatures

Went “insane” and spent his life in an asylum

Brahms

Big with symphonies and chamber works

Music inspired by then called “gypsies”, correct term Roma

Music: Hungarian Dance No. 5

Wagner

Gesantkunstwerk - “total work of art”

Leitmotir (guiding motive)

Used by the nazis and hitler \

Popular music: Ride of the valyries

Clara Schumann

Composer and pianist (1819 - 1896)

Amazing pianist and performer

Student of Brahms when stayed with the Schumann’s

Wife of Robert Schumann

Frederic Chopin

Polish-French (1810-1849)

He got tuberculosis, never fully recovered

Piano composer extraordinaire

Big with chopin = Rubato

Nocturne Op. 9, No.2

Schubert: Leider King

Austrian Composer (1797-1828)

Composed Leider, symphonies, chamber works

Was homosexual

Romantic Era Traits

EMOTION DRIVEN!

Nationalism - pride

harmony was important, colorful, and complex

tone color

dynamics

rubato

Impressionist Era

Late 19th-Early 20th century

Lots of influence from Romantic Era

Debussy: Prelude Afternoon of Fawn

Impressionism: color, chromaticism, new orchestration technique