Music in the Romantic Era

1820-1900

– French Revolution Ideals: Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité

– Individuality, Emotion, Imagination

Nationalism and the Spread of Democracy

One of the most meaningful and definitive forces in the 19th century

Throughout Europe people began to promote their own national identities and resist outside authority. This push for national identity created new countries (unification of Italy, formation of German empire, United States).

The principles and practices of democracy were on the rise.

Social and Political Influences Industrialism

– Occurred first in Britain– Power shifted from aristocratic landowners

to middle class city dwellers – Populations moved from an agrarian

center to an urban center

The Arts in the Romantic Period

– Stressed Individualism and Emotion

– Breaking away from rules and convention

– Glorification of Nature– Nostalgia– The Macabre and the supernatural– Exotic Influences– Realism

Victor Hugo (1802-1885)

– French poet, playwright, novelist, essayist, visual artist, statesman, human rights activist

– Explored the Romantic theme of conflict between the individual and society

– Les Miserables, 1862

Charles Dickens (1812-1870)

– English novelist and social campaigner– Novels are works of social commentary– Fierce critic of poverty and social

stratification

Karl Marx (1818-1883)

German philosopher and economist The ideas of Marx, while most influential in the 20th century

, said that the history of society is one of struggle between the ruling class (capitalists) and the working class

(proletariat) who are being exploited. He predicted a revolution.

He believed in a society in which all people give according to their means and take according to their needs.”

Charles Darwin (1809-1882)

– In On the Origin of Species, Darwin argued that all species of life on earth, whether human, animal or plant, were the result of what he called “natural selection”.

– He coined the phrase “survival of the fittest” – He believed that man was simply the end of a long chain

of organisms that stretched back to the first forms of life.

– This theory challenged not only religion but also had social repercussions.

Art Song and Song Cycle Lieder, chansons, art songs Compositions for solo voice and

piano Poetry and music are intimately

fused Typical forms used: strophic and

through-composed

Progressives

– Tended to extend the boundaries of traditional sound and scope in their compositions. They utilized new instrumental techniques and color. They used increasingly more chromaticism.

– Composer Examples: Wagner, Liszt, Berlioz and Verdi

– Importance of nature. Romantics idealized nature in both visual art and music for its power, beauty and unpredictability

Auguste Rodin (1840-1917)

The Thinker

The Burghers of Calais

Painting

Eugene Delacroix (1798-1863) – Leader of the Romantic movement,

represented social concerns

Liberty Leading the People, 1831

Impressionists

Provided transition to the 20th century

Claude Monet (1840-1926) Impression Sunrise, 1872

Rouen Cathedral, 1894

Edouard Manet (1832-1883)

Dejeuner sur l’herbe, 1863

Pierre Auguste Renoir (1841-1919)

Le Moulin de la Galette, 1897

Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890)

Starry Night, 1889

Music

Musical Milieu – Public and Subscription Concerts– Founding of Conservatories

Composer

Composers gradually left the patronage system and became free agents of their own works.

This meant that the composer, their music and their livelihood depended on the public’s approval.

Romantics saw themselves as outsiders, isolated from mainstream society, struggling to express their creative ideas.

In general, composers held higher social status than in the Classical period.

Performer Rise of virtuosic performers the public was captured by virtuosity

and showmanship

Niccolo Paganini Franz Liszt

Conductor

Resulted from the orchestras growth in numbers and complexity

Became necessary to have one person to lead and control the orchestra

Musical Elements

Melody– Age of lyricism – unending melody– Melodies appealed to the emotions– Phrases tended to be longer and

irregular in length– Themes were more complex and

utilized chromaticism

Harmony

By end of the 19th century chromaticism (movement by half steps) stretched tonality to the breaking point

Chromaticism resulted in greater dissonance and tension

Rhythm

Rhythmic effects were used for “color” – rubato

A new vocabulary of music terms arose that indicated how to achieve the composer’s desired sound – cantabile, dolce, con amore, allegro agitato. These designations produced a more emotional sound and response.

Timbre/Instrumentation This period saw a full exploration of the

instrumental families. Instruments were used for both their

individual and collective color potential. Instrumental timbre was used to convey

mood and atmosphere. The orchestra became much larger – from 70

players to more than 100 (resulting in the necessity of a conductor).

Instruments could play louder and carry farther.

Instruments were capable of major changes in dynamics.

Dynamics

Gradual Much wider range – extremes of

dynamic variation Used extensively throughout the

compositions

Form

Stretching of the classical forms:

sonata-allegro rondotheme and variationminuet and trio

Strings String sections increased in

size and were given more difficult accompaniment parts (scales, arpeggios)

Woodwinds

Development of new instruments – saxophone (baritone and tuba) were

invented by Adolf Sax – piccolo, bass clarinet and English

horn were added. Important improvements in wind

instruments– “Boehm system” of fingering for

flutes and clarinets achieved better facility and intonation for the performer and greater musical range

Brass

• Addition of valves and improvement to valves on brass instruments allowed the playing of a full chromatic compass for the first time and to more easily play quick runs of notes

• Tubas and Trombones were added

Percussion Expanded to include bass drum,

snare drum, cymbals and other exotic percussion instruments (gong, castanets)

Ludwig Von Beethoven1770-1827

Crucial figure in the transition from Classical to Romantic

His music reflects intellectual depth, innovations and their intense, highly personal expression. For example, the String Quartet, Opus 131 has seven linked movements, and the Ninth Symphony adds choral forces to the orchestra in the last movement

Clara Wieck Schumann (1819-1896)

German composer and pianist Married Robert Schumann and

premiered many of his piano compositions

Composed a piano concerto, piano trio, solo piano pieces and songs

Liebst du um Schönheit, 1841 Poem by Friedrich Rückert Modified strophic form

Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)

Polish composer and pianist Lived in Paris for most of his life Associated with George Sand

(Aurore Dudevant) The only major composer to have

completely oriented his creative life around the piano.

Piano compositions are generally dances or free-form works (preludes, etudes, nocturnes and impromptus).

Nocturne in E-Flat Major, Op. 9, No. 2, 1830-1831

Night piece

Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

Hungarian composer and virtuosic pianist

Showman Daughter married Wagner Innovative composer both

harmonically and formally. Used complex and unusual chords Created the symphonic poem and

utilized thematic transformation (influenced Wagner)

Composed two symphonies, symphonic poems, piano music, orchestral and operatic transcriptions

Transcendental Etude No. 10 in F Minor, 1851

Vocal Genres

Opera Music Drama Mass and Requiem Art Song

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)

Italian composer of 15 operas, a Requiem, a string quartet

His music became a symbol of the Italian liberation movement (struggle against Austrian domination)

Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)

Italian opera composer Unlike Verdi and Wagner –

did not involve himself in politics

Known for his beautiful lyricism (critics often cite a “popular” less-crafted style of composition)

La Bohème

Richard Wagner (1813-1883)

German composer for the stage – music dramas

Rejecting Italian opera, Wagner worked out a theory about combining poetry, music, philosophy and drama into one “complete art work” – music drama.

He had complete control of every aspect of these music dramas – music, libretto, staging, costumes

Incorporated German folktales and legends

Used “leitmotifs” – thematic transformation

Extreme use of chromaticism

Instrumental Music

Absolute music tended to reflect the Classical heritage of Mozart and Haydn; it tended to be more traditional in compositional style and instrumentation

Symphony, concerto, sonata, string quartet

Program music was compositionally guided by a story, poem, idea or scene; it tended to be more progressive in compositional style and instrumentation

Program symphony, Tone poem, Symphonic poem

Character Pieces

In contrast to the large instrumental genres, these were smaller pieces typically for piano called character

pieces

Composers

Traditionalists– Tended to compose in the style of

their teachers (classical era). While extending the elements of music, they rarely went outside of the norms.

– Composer Examples: Brahms, Tchaikovsky Schumann, Mendelssohn, Franck, Schubert, Chopin, Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Puccini, Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, Clara Schumann

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

German composer – 4 symphonies, violin concerto, string quartets, 200 lieder, German Requiem

Befriended by the Schumann family Classicist in the Romantic period –

often criticized for being “out of step” with the music of his time.

Preferred to say new things within traditional forms

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869)

French composer of programmatic works.

Most of his works call for huge instrumental and vocal forces

Very influential in his techniques and writing about orchestration

Symphonie fantastique, 1830 Program symphony in five

movements Uses idée fixe – thematic

transformation