ROMANTIC PERIOD
THE ROMANTIC PERIOD Dates: 1800 – 1900 Refers to Medieval Romance – dragons, knights, monsters, and fantasy Elements of Romanticism included: an emphasis on personal expression and subjectivity, freedom from limitations, an interest in nature, fascination with the supernatural, and a cultivation of national identity Growth of the middle class leads to increased interest in the arts and the building of large concert halls
ART Title: Man and Woman Contemplating the Moon Artist: Caspar David Friedrich Year: 1824
FEATURES OF ROMANTIC MUSIC Indefinable forms, atonal harmony, abstract subjects, and a focus on nature Composers: Beethoven, Brahms, Berlioz, Bizet, Tchaikovsky, Wagner Emphasis on Symphonic works rather than small chamber ensembles
WORLD EVENTS Napoleonic Wars – First Railroad – 1830 American Civil War – Thomas Edison invents the phonograph – 1877 Spanish-American War