ROMANTIC MUSIC PERIOD: MOVING OUR IMAGINATION AND FEELINGS

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Famous Opera

Singers

1. The Three Tenors -considered three of the greatest opera stars of the late 20th, Plácido Domingo (Spanish), José Carreras (Spanish), and Luciano Pavarotti (Italian)

2. Opera star Maria Callas - in costume for the title role in the opera "Médée" (Medea) by Italian composer Luigi Cherubini. Considered one of the most raxing vocal roles, it became one of the soprano's greatest triumphs

ROMANTICISM -several groups of artists, poets, writers and musicians as well as political, philosophical and social thinkers and trends of the 18th and early 19th centuries in Europe

-artistic, literary, and intellectual development

-originated in Western Europe during the Industrial Revolution*Ideologies and events of the French Revolution (?) - thought to have influenced the movement -brought to focus the working class and the poor

emphasis was on emotion, imagination, and individualism

stresses freedom of expression

basic quality is emotional subjectivity

emphasis is on intuition, imagination, and feeling

music here is more on fantasy, the unconscious, irrational, fiction, supernatural and the world of dreams* in music, Romanticism refers specifically to the period roughly from 1815-1918

Aspects of Romaticism in Literature and Art that have affected Romantic Music

Conditions During the Romantic

Period (1820-1900)

Many Romantic musicians were inspired by the image of Beethoven as a "free artist". He often composed NOT TO MEET DEMANDS of aristocratic or church patron, but an inner need TO EXPRESS HIS FEELINGS AND THOUGHTS

Romantic composers came from the middle class and wrote primarily for the middle class

Musicians and composers have different works

~Conductors (like Mendelssohn)

~Music Teachers (like Chopin)

~Music Critics (like Berlioz)

~ Touring virtuosos (like Liszt)

Rise of the middle class

~led to the formation of many orchestras and the development of private music-making

~piano became a fixture in every middle-class home

~music conservatories were founded in Europe and USA

~ audience was fascinated with the virtuosity; Liszt(piano virtuoso) while Nicole Paganini (violin virtuoso)

Solo recitals were held (like that of Clara Schumman)

Characteristics of Romantic MusicSubjectivity, emotionalism, longing, exuberance, imbalance, asymmetry, picturesqueness, and fantasyRise of program in music, nationalism, impressionism, realism, and mysticismPeriod of experimentation in musicSymphonic poem or tone poemFavorite subjects are supernatural (magic, fairies, ghosts)

Changes in Music which were Evident in the Romantic

Period Emphasis was on self-expression

they used music to express emotion, ideas, and feelings

Classical forms were still used like the symphony but with a new intensity

Intensified popularity of program music in which events or scenes were portrayed by instruments

expansion of the orchestra provided greater variety of sound

Tonal gravity tends to be less strong Emphasis was on harmonic instability Composers used new chords and found novel ways of using familiar chords more prominent use of chromatic harmony and chord tones that are not found in the prevailing major and minor scales were used Chromatic Scale Dissonant Chords- used more freely than during the Classical Era variety of keys and rapid modulations; use of dynamics and expansion of range of pitch ffff or pppp frequent crescendos and decrescendo emphasis on romantic variation and contrast

Vocal Forms during the Romantic Period

The Art Song

• one of the most distinctive forms of Romantic music

• a composition for solo voice and piano• its accompaniment is an integral part of the

composition• the voice as the interpretative partner of the

accompaniment• shows intimate fusion of poetry and

music• melodic line is expressive and closely

adapted to the text• piano accompaniment becomes an equal

partner in the projection of mood and meaning of the text

Review

1. Plácido Domingo (Spanish), José Carreras (Spanish), and Luciano Pavarotti (Italian) were known as __________

2. Romantic musicians were inspired by __________’s image as a "free artist".

3. A composition for solo voice and piano4. Chords that were used more freely in Romantic era than during the Classical era5. An artistic, literary and intellectual development that originated in Western Europe during the Industrial Revolution

RomanticismThe Three TenorsChopinSelf-expressionMendelssohn BeethovenArt SongDissonantBerliozLiszt

6. Using music to express emotions and ideas

7. Musician who worked as conductor

8. Musician who worked as music teacher

9. Musician who worked as music critic

10. Musician who worked as touring virtuoso

Romanticism The Three TenorsChopin Self-expressionMendelssohn BeethovenArt Song DissonantBerlioz Liszt

Two Song Forms:

Strophic and Through-composed

FormStrophic Form - uses the same music for each stanza, making it easy to remember- used in folk songsThrough-composed form - uses different music for each stanza- allows music to reflect a poem’s changing moods

The Song Cycle• group of romantic art songs

•Unified by a story line that runs through the poem

•Unified by musical ideas linking the songs

• Examples: Schubert’s The Winter Journey (1827) and Schumann’s Poets of Love (1840)

• through art songs, romantic composers achieved a perfect union of music and poetry

Other Characteristics of

Vocal Forms• the basso continuo accompaniment was not employed in the Romantic Period

• the recitative and aria are found in Wagner’s music-dramas

•The Lieder (song) of the German Romantic composers is the most characteristic expression of the Romantic Period

Opera• became a very popular vocal form during the Romantic Period• characteristics were no longer mystical; instead portrayed real-life heroes•The plots are events and situations that happen in real life• well-known composer: Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1883)• Verdi popularized Italian operas in which lead singers become popular for the roles they portrayed. Masterpieces:AidaOthello La Traviata Flastaff

• Wagner expressed character, emotion or event. The Ring des Nibelungen consists of four music dramas

• Wagner’s life is a long struggle in making his vision of music drama and reality

* Patrons watch a lavish performance of an opera at Covent Garden theater in London, England. Officially known as the Royal Opera House, the theater is England’s foremost location for opera and ballet

Improvements in the Romantic Opera

• the Romantic orchestra reached its full development during the Romantic Period

• the orchestra grew in the number of players and with improved instruments

•Composer’s expression is shown in a wide range in emotions and atmospheres

• addition of keys gave woodwind instruments wider range and more volume

• addition of valve in the brass instruments made them easy to play and free to perform their role as support. These instruments were popular because of the unique tones they produced

• the valve improved the range and tone of brass instruments

• the piano was given an iron frame instead of wood which resulted to wide and fuller sound

• the woodwind section consisted of instruments of different sizes. New instruments were added to play solo

• new members of the orchestra were added to play solo piccolo, English horn, and bass clarinet

• the French horn became a stand out in the orchestra

• the inclusion of the trombone and the tuba added to the effectiveness of the ensemble

• stringed instruments increased in number

•Techniques, such as arpeggios, are fully utilized

• some instruments were also added to the percussion group, increasing the number of instruments in the section

Program Music-Instrumental music associated with a story,

poem, idea or scene- intended to evoke extra-musical ideas, images in the mind of the listener by musically representing a scene, image or mood- Program ~ non-musical element that is specified by a title or explanatory comments Absolute

Music-stands for itself- intended to be appreciated without any particular reference to the outside world

When Did Program Music Flourish?• particularly flourished during the

Romantic era when music was closely associated with literature • Berlioz, Shumman, Liszt and Wagner were prolific authors who were intoxicated with ideas related to a “union of the arts”union of the arts – union of music and poetry or a fusion of many arts

• Poets wanted their poetry to be musical and Musicians wanted their music to be poetic• composers believed that the dynamics of sound (softness or loudness) that were newly possible in the Romantic orchestra allowed them to focus on emotions and other intangible aspects of life

Examples of Program Music• Ludwdig van Beethoven’s 1808 Symphony No.6 (pastoral) – contains depictions of bird call, a babbling book, a storm and so on

• Beethoven’s Piano Sonata Op.81a, “Les Adieux” –depicts departure and return of his close friend the Archduke Rudolph

• Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet” -inspired by Shakespeare’s play: the agitated music depicts feud between rival families, the tender melody conveys young love while the funeral-march rhythm suggest the lover’s tragic death

• Smetana’s “The Moldau” -uses musical effects that call to mind a flowing stream, a hunting scene, peasant wedding, and a crash of waves

• Richard Strauss’s An Alpine Symphony

-musical description of ascending and descending mountain, with 22 sections such as “Night”, “Sunrise”, “By the Waterfall”, and “Storm and Descent”

• program music also lives on movie soundtracks – often feature ultra-modern sounding atonal programmatic music

Review

1. Form that uses the same music for each stanza, making it easy to remember

3. Form that uses different music for each stanza

2. The characteristics in this vocal form were no longer mystical; instead portrayed real-life heroes

4. uses musical effects that call to mind a flowing stream, a hunting scene, peasant wedding, and a crash of waves

5. inspired by Shakespeare’s play

StrophicOpera

Covent GardenAbsolute Music

Through-composedProgram music

Arpeggios“Romeo and Juliet”

Verdi“The Moldau”

StrophicOpera

Covent GardenAbsolute Music

Through-composedProgram music

Arpeggios“Romeo and Juliet”

Verdi“The Moldau”

6. One of the techniques fully utilized in Romantic era

7. Popularized Italian operas. His masterpieces include Aida, Othello, La Traviata, Flastaff 8. Music that stands for itself, intended to be appreciated without any particular reference to the outside world 9. Instrumental music associated with a story, poem, idea or scene

10. Officially known as the Royal Opera House; England’s foremost location for opera and ballet

Prominent

Romantic Compose

rs

Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828)• earliest master of romantic art song• Austrian composer

• born on January 31, 1797 in Himmelpfortggrund, near Vienna• learned violin from his schoolteacher-father and piano from his father• joined precursor of the Vienna Boys Choir (1808), making such quick progress that Antonio Salieri undertook to guide his training (1810-1816)• trained as a schoolteacher• in 1815, wrote 2 symphonies, more than 100 songs and 4 stage works• in 1818, he quit teaching at his father’s school to tutor Johann Esterhazy’s daughters• in 1819-1820, wrote the celebrated “Trout Quintet” in a mass• in 1821, 20 of his most popular songs were published; he wrote the three-act opera Alfonso und Estrella • 1822, “Unfinished Symphony” and the “Wanderer Fantasy”• often ill during his last 5 years, but still continued his production “ The Miller’s Beautiful Daughter” and “Winter Journey” ; last three piano sonatas; and the “Great Symphony”.• Died at 31, having produced more masterpieces by that age than almost any other composer in history.

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

• Greatest 19th century composer of Oratorio• Rest primarily in outstanding choral technique with melody of high quality, skilled instrumentation and great sense of form. One of the most significant developments of 19th century is the accompanied art song developed in Germany Piano instrument had better sonority over earlier keyboards accompaniment of pieces

-usually done on piano- An important part of the composition

art song is often duet between the vocalist and accompanist Piano music - one of the most important developments of 19th century Symphonic music -an extended musical work, usually for orchestras

- various types: Symphony, Concerto, Symphonic Poem, Symphonic Suite and Concert Overture

Frederic Francois Chopin

Frederic Francois Chopin

• French composer born on March 1, 1810 in Poland• He published his first composition at age 7• Began performing in aristocratic salons at 8.• In 1831, he moved to Paris and held his first concert the next year• a renowned piano teacher• contracted tuberculosis apparently, in the 1830s• In 1837, he began a 10 year liaison with George Sand• most significant composer in the history of piano• exhaustively exploited the instrument’s capacities for charm, excitement, variety and timbral beauty• his innovations in fingering, use of pedals, and general treatment of the keyboard were highly influential• reinvented the etude, using it to teach his own revolutionary style, like for instance playing with the weak fingers • influenced by Hummel’s development of virtuoso, yet Mozartian, piano technique• cited Bach and Mozart as the 2 most important composers in shaping his musical outlook

Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

•Born in the village of Doborjan, near Sopron, Hungary on October 22, 1811•Hungarian virtuoso pianist and composer• contributed to the Beethoven memorial fund• piano compositions such as Piano Sonata in b minor, and 2 piano concertos, which have entered the standard repertoire• made many exuberant piano transciptions of operas, famous symphonies, Paganini Caprices, Schubert Lieder• his piano compositions were one of the most technically challenging in the repertoire• majority of his compositions reflect his advanced virtuosity• prolific composer and wrote works at several levels of difficulty• “Abschied” (Farewell) and “Nuages Gris”• his works have been recorded a multitude of times • Leslie Howard (Australian)- the only pianist who has recorded his entire pianistic oeuvere

Richard Wagner(1813-1883)

• achieved a fusion of the arts in his musical dramas which showed a distinct departure in general concept, style and form from all other operatic productions

Characteristic of Musical Dramas• Fusion of the Arts. He conceived music drama as a work in which music, poetry and stagecraft are fused to form a new dramatic whole.

• Libretto. He wrote his own text for his dramas which were perfectly conceived literary works. His fundamental sources are German folklore, mythology and legend; romantic mysticism, the supernatural and medieval.

• Continuity. This is one of the most notable features of his music drama, the contniuous melodic line and the constant use of the orchestra which contribute to the overall aspect of continuity.

• Leitmotif. The musical theme that he uses that connect thematic ideas with a particular person, situation or mood.

• Wagnerian Orchestra. His music drama has this dramatic effect for the continuous flow of music.

Examples of his musical drama

• The Artwork of the Future (1850)• Opera and Drama (1851)• Tannhauser (1845)• Lohengrin (1845)• Tristan and Isolde (1859)• Parsifal (1882)• Der Ring de Nibelungen ( The Ring of Nibelung) part 1: Das Rheingold (The Rhinegold) (1854) part 2: Die Walkure (The Vlakyrie) (1856) part 3: Siegfried (Young Siegfried) (1871) part 4: Gotterdammerung (Twilight of the Gods or the Death of Siegfried) (1874)

Review

1. English translation of Der Ring de Nibelungen

2. music drama as a work in which music, poetry and stagecraft are fused to form a new dramatic whole

5. earliest master of romantic art song

3. Greatest 19th century composer of Oratorio

4. musical theme that connects thematic ideas with a particular person, situation or mood

The VlakyrieThe Ring of Nibelung

Fusion of the ArtsFranz Peter Schubert

Felix MendelssohnLeitmotif

ContinuitySymphonic music

Young SiegfriedTwilight of the Gods

7. English translation of Die Walkure

The VlakyrieThe Ring of Nibelung

Fusion of the ArtsFranz Peter Schubert

Felix MendelssohnLeitmotif

ContinuitySymphonic music

Young SiegfriedTwilight of the Gods

6. one of the most notable features of his music drama, the contniuous melodic line and the constant use of the orchestra

8. English translation of Gotterdammerung9. an extended musical work, usually for orchestras

10. English translation of Siegfried