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Music in the Romantic Era

Music in the Romantic Era. 1820-1900. The Times. General Characteristics Age of Extremes, Age of Unending Lyricism “Roman” – a French Medieval novel Timeframe: ends clearly with Modernism; beginning is more fluid. Ludwig Von Beethoven 1770-1827.

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Music in the Romantic Era

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  1. Music in the Romantic Era 1820-1900

  2. The Times • General Characteristics • Age of Extremes, Age of Unending Lyricism • “Roman” – a French Medieval novel • Timeframe: ends clearly with Modernism; beginning is more fluid

  3. Ludwig Von Beethoven1770-1827 • Crucial figure in the transition from Classical to Romantic • Romantic period began around 1815. Works from this period are characterized by their intellectual depth, their formal 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

  4. String Quartet in Bb Major, Opus 130, 4th Movement

  5. French Revolution Ideals: Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité • Romantic times stressed: Individuality, Emotion, Imagination

  6. Importance of nature. Romantics idealized nature in both visual art and music for its power, beauty and unpredictability Caspar David Friedrich 1774-1840

  7. 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.

  8. Inventions

  9. 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.

  10. Napoleon Bonaparte • “After the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, the monarchy was restored in France and the old aristocratic order returned. • Revolutionary fervor and optimism gave way to disbelief and dissatisfaction and romanticism to a more realistic view of the world. • People yearned for reform and a new society.

  11. 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

  12. Literature and Writing • Romanticism was born towards the end of the 18th century with the works of these two great German writers. Goethe wrote poetry, novels and plays; Schiller was a playwright. Both of their writings were used to express romantic fascination with emotion, life and death, sin and redemption, guilt and selflessness. Friedrich von Schiller (1759-1805) Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)

  13. 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

  14. Charles Dickens (1812-1870) • English novelist and social campaigner • Novels are works of social commentary • Fierce critic of poverty and social stratification

  15. 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.”

  16. 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” to explain why some species continue to exist while others die out. 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.

  17. 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

  18. Franz Schubert (1787-1828) Austrian composer Prolific and gifted composer who wrote 600 lieder, piano sonatas, character pieces, 15 string quartets, 9 symphonies Erlkönig (1815) poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Through-composed form

  19. 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 • Romance

  20. Visual Art Architecture Sculpture Painting

  21. Architecture • The Romantic period did not produce its own distinguishing architectural style. Instead architects chose from the building styles of the previous eras resulting in an eclectic style Supreme Court Building, Washington DC, Greek Revival House of Parliament, London, Gothic Revival Royal Pavilion, Brighton, England, Eastern culture

  22. Opera Garnier, Paris, Neo-Baroque

  23. A few buildings erected during the period showed how the Industrial Revolution had affected architecture. Crystal Palace, London, made for World’s Fair 1851 Tour Eiffel, Paris

  24. Sculpture • Francois Rude (1784-1855) “Departure of the Volunteers” Arc de Triomphe

  25. Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (1827-1875) “The Dance”, Opera Garnier

  26. The Burghers of Calais • Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) The Thinker

  27. The Kiss The Gates of Hell

  28. Painting • Eugene Delacroix (1798-1863) • Leader of the Romantic movement, represented social concerns Liberty Leading the People, 1831

  29. Camille Corot (1796-1875) View Near Volerra, 1838

  30. Francisco Goya (1746-1828) The Third of May, 1808

  31. Gustave Courbet (1819-1877) Burial at Ornans, 1850

  32. Impressionists • Provided transition to the 20th century Impression Sunrise, 1872 Claude Monet (1840-1926) Rouen Cathedral, 1894

  33. Edouard Manet (1832-1883) Dejeuner sur l’herbe, 1863

  34. Edgar Degas (1834-1917) The Rehearsal, 1874

  35. Pierre Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) Le Moulin de la Galette, 1897

  36. Post-Impressionists • Georges Seurat (1859-1891) Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, 1886

  37. Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) Starry Night, 1889

  38. Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) Day of the Gods, 1894

  39. Music • Musical Milieu • Public and Subscription Concerts • Founding of Conservatories

  40. 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. • For the first time, a composer’s work might not be publicly performed during his or her lifetime. • 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.

  41. Performer • Rise of virtuosic performers • the public was captured by virtuosity and showmanship Niccolo Paganini Franz Liszt

  42. Conductor • Resulted from the orchestras growth in numbers and complexity • Became necessary to have one person to lead and control the orchestra

  43. 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

  44. 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

  45. General Musical Characteristics • Individuality • Expressive Aims and Subjects • Nationalism and Exoticism • Rise and Importance of Program Music

  46. 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 • Advent of theme transformation (Berlioz, Wagner)

  47. Harmony • Basically tonal • By end of the 19th century chromaticism (movement by half steps) stretched tonality to the breaking point • Chromaticism imbued greater dissonance and tension into the sound

  48. Rhythm • Metric • Rhythmic effects were used for “color” – rubato • Articulations in the instruments tended to be heavy and intense • 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.

  49. Texture • Essentially homophonic • The sonority tended to be thick, heavy and lush

  50. 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.

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