Romantic Era

What was the central aesthetic of Romantic music?

Freedom from boundaries, merging with literature, art, and philosophy; focus on emotion and the supernatural.

How did Romantic melodies differ from Classical ones?

Long, emotional, memorable, with wide leaps for expression.

What was typical of Romantic rhythm?

Displaced accents, overlapping duple and triple patterns.

What texture predominated in Romantic music?

Homophony, though counterpoint appeared at times.

How did harmony expand in the Romantic era?

More extensive, with chord extensions, greater dissonance, and chromaticism.

What was the approach to tonality?

A: Tonal but with distant progressions, free modulations, and frequent use of minor mode.

Q: How did dynamics and tempo change?

A: Extremes of dynamic range; expressive tempo markings; freer meters.

Q: How did instrumentation evolve?

A: Larger orchestras, new instruments (tuba, saxophone, celeste), technical improvements (valves, keys, stronger pianos).

Q: Name three important Romantic genres.

A: Symphonic poem, Lied/song cycle, music drama.

Q: What is a Lied?

A: A German art song for voice and piano, often intimate and expressive.

Q: What is a symphonic poem?

A: A single-movement orchestral work with programmatic (storytelling) content.

Q: What is Verismo opera?

A: A late 19th-century style striving for realism in opera.

Q: How did Romantic composers view music compared to Classical composers?

A: As the ultimate form of emotional and individual expression, prioritizing narrative and feeling over strict form.

Q: Who is considered the originator of Romantic ideals in music?

A: Ludwig van Beethoven.

Q: Which composer bridged Classical and Romantic eras?

A: Beethoven (1770-1827).

Q: What personal struggle defined Beethoven's late works?

A: Deafness-he composed major works while unable to hear.

Q: Which Italian composer was central to 19th-century opera and linked to Italian nationalism?

A: Giuseppe Verdi.

Q: What famous chorus from Verdi's Nabucco became associated with Italian unification?

A: "Va, pensiero" (Slave Chorus).

Q: Which Italian composer is known for La Boheme, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot?

A: Giacomo Puccini.

Q: What style of opera did Puccini help popularize?

A: Verismo (realism).

Q: Which German composer revolutionized opera with the concept of Gesamtkunstwerk?

A: Richard Wagner.

Q: What is a leitmotif in Wagner's music?

A: A recurring musical phrase associated with a character, idea, or place.

Q: Who said, "Inspiration is an awakening, a quickening of all man's faculties, and it is manifested in all high artistic achievements"?

A: Giacomo Puccini.