Characteristics of the Romantic Period
Expansive singing melodies
Rhythm - rubato / borrowed time (speed up in some places, slow in others)
Harmony - Chromatic, expanded concepts of tonality
Timbre - more expressive, expanded orchestration
Solo piano
Dynamic
Expression - emotions more emphasiz
Influences in the Romantic Era
Beethoven - image of him as free artist
Shakespeare
Johann Wolfgang von Geothe
Paganini - virtuoso violinist
New Genres
Art song
Lied/lieder
Strophic form
same melody for each stanza
Modified Strophic
mostly same melody, one stanza may have different music
Through Composed
different music for each stanza
Song Cycle
groups of art songs pertaining to one subject, meant to be performed as a set
Concert Overture
One movement
Sonata form
Ex: Romeo and Juliet by Tchaikovsky
Program Symphony
Multi-movement work with title for each movement
Ex: Symphonie Fantasique by Berlioz
Tone or Symphonic Poem
Invented by Liszt
One movement
Any form
Nationalism - Use in Music and Composers
Use of country's folk music
Programmatic works tied to folklore and landscape
Composers:
- Smetana - Czech
- Dvorak - Czech
- Grieg - Norway
- Jean Sibelius - Finland
Romantic Operas: Italian vs German
Italian
(Puccini)/
German
(Wagner)
Vocal line most important / vocal line = orchestra
Lighter orchestra / full orchestra
Recitative and Aria / No R&A, continuous
Different librettist / his own librettist
No leitmotivs / Extensive use of Leitmotivs
Franz Schubert
Born in Vienna
Overshadowed by Beethoven
Wrote over 600 art songs
Symphonies, string quartets, chamber-music, piano sonatas
Worshipped Beethoven
Erlkonig
through-composed
Felix Mendelssohn
Bach revival
Heavily influenced by Classical period
Symphonies, concertos, string quartets, overtures
Some pieces were programmatic
Robert Schumann
Lieder and autobiographical solo piano pieces
Married Clara Wieck
New Journal for Music
Previously pianist, injured hand became composer
Pressured by Clara to write symphonies, preferred lieder and solo piano
Very programmatic
Carnaval
Autobiographical Pi
Clara Wieck Schumann
Piano prodigy - one of the greatest in Romantic Era
Played Roberts pieces
Played by memory
Gave up composing because of Robert
Mentor of Johannes Brahms (may have had an affair)
Frederic Chopin
Half Polish / half French
Lived in Paris
Wrote exclusively for piano
Genres: nocturnes, etudes, mazurkas, ballades
Not programmatic
Nocturne in E flat
Etude op. 25 no. 12 (Winter Wind)
etude
Franz Liszt
Superstar pianist
Invented tone poem / symphonic poem
Controversial lifestyle (player)
Influenced by Paganini
Rome, Weimar, Budapest
Thematic Transformation
Thematic Transformation
Alteration of a theme through orchestration, register, dynamics and rhythm
Hector Berlioz
Great innovation of orchestra - wrote a treatise
Invented new genres
Inspired by Beethoven Symphony No. 5 and Shakespeare
- same number of movements
- both programmatic
- Idee Fixe (theme)
Symphonie Fantasique
uses thematic transformation and exemplifies
Johannes Brahms
Friends with Robert and Clara
Traditionalist - absolute music
Genres: symphonies, chamber music, and a German requiem
Waited 25 years for the first symphony because he was intimidated by the great works of Beethoven
Symphony No. 3
A German Requiem
(choir)
Giuseppe Verdi
Italian Nationalist
Honorary member of Italian Parliament
Nabucco launched his career
28 operas - only 2 are comic
Shakespeare Operas: Macbeth, Falstaff and Otello
Later Opera's resemble Wagners*
La Traviata (the drinking song)
Italian Opera
Giacomo Puccini
Madame Butterfly
Turandot
Tosca
Omio
Babbino
Caro
La Boheme
Italian Opera
Gustav Mahler
Quoted themes of other composers - Beethoven, Wagner, Mendelssohn
Believed symphony should be a world - universe, ecstasy, doom and resurrection
Invented orchestral song cycle, work for voice and orchestration
Superstitious (9th symphony)
Symphony #5
Wagner
Influenced harmonic language of the 20th century
Gesamtkunstwerk: Total work of art
Leitmotivs - musical phrase associated with person, place, object or idea
Music dramas, not operas
- used on librettist
- use of heroes, gods and demigods
- no recitatives