MUSIC OF THE ROMANTIC ERA

Melody Melody receives the greatest emphasis and its style is chiefly "melody with accompaniment". Melodies are more disjunct and have wider ranges, particularly in R. Strauss's music.

Forms New Forms Symphonic poems Song cycle Music drama New Genres Piano character pieces Lieder Song cycle Programmatic overtures Symphonic poems

Many forms Taken from the Classic period, but were greatly expanded. Sonata form became much longer with emphasis given to an expanded development section and coda (particularly in Beethoven and Brahms). Unity on a large scale: merging of separate movements into a single span (Liszt's Sonata in B minor)

Rhythms More complex than in Classic period and include use of compound meters, changing meters, cross rhythms (especially in Chopin and Schumann), greater syncopation, and use of rubato in Chopin and Liszt. Some composers (e.g. Chopin, Schumann, Wagner) fixate on one rhythmic pattern extensively

Tonality began to break down because of extreme chromaticism (especially in Liszt and Wagner). Minor keys became more frequent, and modulations occur frequently by third- relations and to remote keys. Composers include greater complexity in use of dissonant chords - particularly diminished sevenths, half-diminished sevenths, augmented triads, augmented sixth chords, and Neapolitan chords Harmony

Thematicism Thematicism plays a more important role in a sonata movement than tonality. Thematic metamorphosis: A programmatic approach to composition often associated thematic material with a character or idea Changing circumstances or emotional states were represented by the transformation of the thematic material (as in Faust Symphony or Symphony Fantastique),

The Orchestra Berlioz and Wagner greatly expanded the orchestra and incorporated new instruments into it. Program music became common in the music of Berlioz, Liszt, and R. Strauss.

Older Elements Revisted! Bach The revival of polyphony and Baroque forms under the influence of JS Bach Greter intrest in mdal scales. Medieval Modes Greater interest in modal scales

Folk-Heritage Study of the folk- heritage in music and imitation of folk-like melodic simplicity. Chopin's more than 50 mazurkas represent one of the earliest examples of overt nationalistic sentiments in music Chopin, Tchaikovsky, the Russians

Dynamics Extremes of dynamic contrasts and levels occur from pppp to ffff Expression markings become increasingly more numerous and detailed