Romantic Era

Romantic Time Period:  1825-1900

Listening (Rotation 2):

• 1812 Overture, Tchaikovsky
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2W1Wi2U9sQ 

• Revolutionary Etude, Chopin
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1uLrHq9TDg 

• Ride of the Valkyries, Wagner
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGU1P6lBW6Q 

• Liebestraum No. 3, Liszt
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBOa-2b4uQQ 

• Clair de Lune, Debussy
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNcsUNKlAKw 

MUSIC:

• Expressive music, music expresses emotion

• Composers treated with respect as artists; composers wrote music because they wanted to rather than because they had to

• Nationalism—pride for one’s country

• Programmatic music—music that tells a story (vs. absolute music)

Notable composers:

• Tchaikovsky (known for Nationalism, ex. 1812 Overture, and Ballets, ex. Nutcracker, Swan Lake)

• Chopin (known for piano works)

• Wagner (Known for his operas, developed “leitmotif”, a musical theme that represents a certain character in an opera, notoriously anti-Semitic views)

• Liszt (Developed piano recital as we know it today)

• George Bridgetower (African-European composer and virtuoso violinist)

• Beethoven dedicated a violin sonata to Bridgetower, but withdrew the dedication over a falling out (Bridgetower made a rude remark about one of Beethoven’s friends)

• Bridgetower died in poverty and his name was forgotten

• Beethoven* (Classical and Romantic)

• Rachmaninoff

• Schumann

• Debussy* (Romantic and Contemporary)

• Fanny Mendelssohn (sister of Felix Mendelssohn)

• Clara Schumann (wife of Robert Schumann)

• Guadalupe Olmedo

WORLD HISTORY:

• Industrial Revolution led to cramped, dirty quarters and a hard life.

• European imperialism: expanding control into Africa and Asia

• Nationalism. Citizens in Western civilizations are constantly being told how great they are, and how they need to spread their thinking and way of life to “uncivilized” nations.

• Romanticism vs. realism

• Romanticism: attraction to the exotic and unfamiliar, recent advancements (telegraph, electric light, battery, etc.). Individualism and feelings (ex. Frankenstein)

• Realism: painting a portrait (literally and figuratively) of the world around you without romanticizing the tough times (ex. Oliver Twist)

LITERATURE:

• Romantic and Victorian time period bridge this musical time period

• Romantic: focus on nature and expressing ideas and thoughts; more sentimental; social idealism; accepting and adapting to change - Frankenstein

• Victorian: less sentimental; more patriotic as Queen Victoria really helped to stabilize the society and push for improvements in living standards; “uptight” prudish – separation of good and evil within as well as societal norms – Jekyll and Hyde

• The Awakening (AP Lang)