romantic period - east penn school...

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First Name: ANSWER KEY Last Name: _________________________________ Period: _________

Romantic Period 1820-1900

Is Romantic music all about love and romance? YES NO

What is Romantic music?

Romantic music is marked by a lot of individual freedom, different harmonic ideas, new ways of building music,

strong emotional appeal, a sense of drama, a love of soaring melody, large orchestras with instrumental colors,

and use of old instruments in modern ways.

There is interest in madness, dreams, nighttime, death, the supernatural, nature, love etc.

What are the Main Themes of Music during the Romanic Period?

1. Nature_________________________ 2. Supernatural___________________

3. Nationalism_____________________ 4. Nighttime______________________

The most crucial issue of this period was for you to be yourself!

This was a chance for composers to write their own music, be an individual and express themselves.

Literature What were 2 horror novels written during this time period?

• Frankentein

• Dracula Inventions

What are two key inventions of the Romantic Period?

• Telephone

• Phonograph

Events that took place in the U.S. What are the events that took place in these years?

• 1848 – California Gold Rush

• 1861-1865 – Civil War

• 1869 – Trains Cross the Entire U.S.

• 1879 – Edison Invents the Light Bulb

The Romantic Period Orchestra

The orchestra went from approximately 30 people to 100 people.

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New Styles of Music

Art Song - a serious composition for voice, which usually had an accompaniment.

Etude - “A composition or study designed to teach specific techniques, which were glorified for concert use.”

Program Music - Music that tells a story.

Art Songs

“Lied” means song in German and “Lieder” means songs.

They are simple songs that express one or two emotions.

The accompaniment (music) is as important as the lyrics (words).

Amateurs as well as professionals were able to perform a lied.

They were meant to be performed for a small audience or in a home.

Franz Schubert

In 1797, Franz Schubert was born in Vienna, Austria.

Schubert is considered the “Master of the Lied.” He wrote more that 600 Songs!

He was known to compose very quickly. It is said, that once he wrote a melody on the

back of a restaurant bill because no music paper was available.

He had a friendly personality.

His money was in the wealth of his friends.

He would often host parties called: Schubertiades.

What is a ballad? A ballad is a poem in stanzas that tells a story and then rises to a dramatic climax quickly.

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Der Erlkönig / The Erlking

Translation Who rides there so late through the night dark and drear? The father it is, with his infant so dear; He holdeth the boy tightly clasp'd in his arm, He holdeth him safely, he keepeth him warm. "My son, wherefore seek'st thou thy face thus to hide?" "Look, father, the Erl-King is close by our side! Dost see not the Erl-King, with crown and with train?" "My son, 'tis the mist rising over the plain." "Oh, come, thou dear infant! oh come thou with me! Full many a game I will play there with thee; On my strand, lovely flowers their blossoms unfold, My mother shall grace thee with garments of gold." "My father, my father, and dost thou not hear The words that the Erl-King now breathes in mine ear?" "Be calm, dearest child, 'tis thy fancy deceives; 'Tis the sad wind that sighs through the withering leaves." "Wilt go, then, dear infant, wilt go with me there? My daughters shall tend thee with sisterly care. My daughters by night their glad festival keep, They'll dance thee, and rock thee, and sing thee to sleep." "My father, my father, and dost thou not see, Description: How the Erl-King his daughters has brought here for me?" Piano "My darling, my darling, I see it aright, Man Singing 'Tis the aged grey willows deceiving thy sight." Forte Fast "I love thee, I'm charm'd by thy beauty, dear boy! Sorrow And if thou'rt unwilling, then force I'll employ." Tragic "My father, my father, he seizes me fast, Full sorely the Erl-King has hurt me at last." The father now gallops, with terror half wild, He grasps in his arms the poor shuddering child; He reaches his courtyard with toil and with dread, The child in his arms finds he motionless, dead. -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Title What instruments do you hear?

What is the tempo (speed) of the song?

What do you think of when listening to this song?

Unfinished Symphony

Strings

Fast

Why is this symphony called The “Unfinished” Symphony? It contains only two movements instead of the usual four.

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Etudes “A composition or study designed to teach specific techniques, which were glorified for

concert use.”

Etudes were often very difficult to perform.

Frederic Chopin

In 1810, Chopin was born in Warsaw, Poland.

Chopin composed etudes that today are considered some of the finest ever written.

All of his music contains the piano.

He performed his first concert at the age of eight.

Many of his works are nationalistic towards Poland.

Nationalistic means: The incorporation of musical characteristics from the folk and dance music of one’s

birth country.

Title What instruments do

you hear? What is the tempo

(speed) of the song? What do you think of when

listening to this song?

Etude in C Minor

Piano

Fast





Nocturne in D Minor Op. 37 No. 1

Piano

Moderato

A Nocturne was created to replicate a dreamy and delicate style of music usually representing night.




Funeral March

Piano

Slow

The Most Important Instrument of the Romantic Period is: The Piano

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Parts of the Piano

How Does a Piano Work?

When a key is pressed, a hammer strikes the string.

The string falls back and resonates.

The vibrating strings are not loud but the

sound is transmitted through the soundboard

to create the sound.

When the key is released, the damper falls back onto

the string, thus stopping it from vibrating.

What are the two types of pianos?

Grand Pianos vs. Horizontal Pianos Franz Liszt

In 1811, Liszt was born in Raiding, Hungary.

He gave his first public concert at the age of 9.

He is considered a virtuoso on the piano.

o A Virtuoso is someone who excels at a particular instrument or

technique.

He helped many composers by playing their works and helping financially those

in need. Some composers he helped were Grieg, Tchaikovsky, and Wagner.

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Franz Liszt’s Performing! Liszt can be thought of as the first “rock artist” of this period.

In one concert, he played the piano on its side.

He would wear white gloves before each of his performances and would throw them off before he would play.




Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2

Piano

Slow

In the movie clip, Tom is wearing something that identifies he is portraying Liszt. White Gloves

Program Music

What is another name for “Program Music?” Character Pieces

They were the most common type of piano music written during the Romantic Period.

They are short piano pieces that only take a few minutes to perform.

They weren’t very difficult so that amateurs could play them.

They were meant to be played for a small audience or at home and express only one or two moods or ideas, such

as happiness or sadness.

Robert Schumann

In In In 1810, Schumann was born in Zwickau, Germany.

He permanently injured his hand and was no longer able to perform on the piano. He devoted

himself tocomposition and literary work.

He started the magazine, New Journal for Music, and became well known as a critic, editor,

and spokesman for Romantic music.

Schumann had two personalities…

o Florestan: His active, impetuous self.

o Eusebius: His dreamy, thoughtful self.




“Dreaming” from Scenes from Childhood

Woodwinds

Strings Brass

Slow

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Johannes Brahms

In 1833, Brahms was born in Hamburg, Germany.

He gave his first public concert at the age of 10.

He was good friends with Robert and Clara Schumann.

Brahms was a pianist, composer, and conductor.




Brahms’ Lullaby

Piano & Cello

Slow

Opera

Opera is an extended dramatic composition, in which all parts are sung to instrumental accompaniment.

Opera was first introduced in Italy around 1600.

1. Overture The opening music of a musical/opera that is played by an orchestra. It usually lasts 5-10 minutes and gives the audience an idea of what the show is going to be about.

2. Recitative The music that sounds more like speech. The music generally goes very quickly.

3. Aria A fancy solo song in the opera (usually very difficult to perform.

4. Libretto

The words or story of an opera/play.

Fun Facts About Opera

The first true opera, Daphne (1597), needed a serpent, so a man had to climb inside the costume and crawl

around flapping wings and breathing fire.

In Verdi’s opera, Aida, which is set in Egypt, real elephants are sometimes used!

A composer named Hubert Bath wrote an opera called Bubbles.

The longest opera took 13 ½ hours to perform and the shortest only took 7 ½ minutes.

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Giachino Rossini

In 1792, Rossini was born in Italy.

He saw fame at an early age and retired at the age of 40.

He was a major composer of operas.

After retiring, he dedicated himself to his other passion, food.





“Overture” from Barber of Seville

Strings

Orchestra Pulse

Fast

Other Romantic Composers

Edvard Grieg

In 1843, Grieg was born in Norway.

Grieg was extremely Nationalistic.

He wrote many new arrangements of popular folk songs.




In the Hall of the Mountain King from Peer Gynt

Suite

Orchestra Cymbals

Gradually Getting

Faster

Peter Illiach Tchaikovsky

In 1840, Tchaikovsky was born in Russia.

His parents wanted him to become a lawyer but he became a composer instead.

He conducted at the dedication of Carnegie Hall in New York City.




“Mârche” from The Nutcracker

Suite

Trumpet (Brass) Strings

Cymbals (Percussion)

Fast

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Richard Wagner

In 1813, Wagner was born in Leipzig, Germany.

He was a dramatic opera composer.

He was extremely Nationalistic.

He was a self-taught composer.




Ride of the Valkyries from Die Valküre

Brass

Orchestra Strings – Swirl

Sound

Moderato

Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin

Oboe, Triangle, Strings, Brass,

Harp

Moderato

Hector Berlioz

In 1803, Berlioz was born in France.

Berlioz self-taught himself on the flute and guitar and then taught himself how to

compose music.

He composed music for very large orchestras. Several times he conducted orchestras

with 1000 musicians.





“March to the Scaffold” from Symphonie

Fantastique

Percussion

Brass Strings

Medium Slow

The symphony tells the story of a young musician who is in love with a woman named Harriet Smithson. He is

lovesick and in despair.

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