1. The Romantic Era 1825 - 1900

2. Cultural developments Continued rise and power of the middle class –Continued effects of the industrial revolution –Fall of absolute monarchy

3. Charles Darwin –The Origin of the Species Karl Marx –Communist Manifesto Napoleon –Defeated at Waterloo

4. What is “Romantic?” Not just hugs and kisses Important Romantic Era Themes –Individual and his subjective feelings Fear, joy, anger, sadness, etc. –Nature –Supernatural

5. Close relationship between music and other arts –Especially painting and poetry –Music and ballets based on works by Shakespeare. e.g.

6. Musical Developments Types of music –Absolute – purely musical meanings Still important part of music – symphonies and concertos –Program – describes something; tells a story Program symphony Tone poem / symphonic poem

7. (types of music, cont.) –Nationalistic music Music to reflect the composer’s homeland Rhythms based on folk dances Melodies based on folk songs

8. Some New Things Program symphony – symphony that tells a story Tone poem / symphonic poem – one movement work; tells a story Band – new performing group; no strings

9. Greater use of dissonance (vs. consonance) –Sounds that cause clash or tension New countries heard from –Russia –Czechoslovakia –Poland –United States

10. Things got bigger Orchestras got bigger –More instruments –Different instruments –Dense texture Music got bigger –Longer –More dynamic contrast (louder / softer) –More varied forms

11. Romantic Music Historians feel that Romantic period was a revolt against industrial revolution Wide variety of music –Large and small –Program and absolute –Vocal and instrumental Symphonies, operas, concertos, songs, tone poems, etc

12. Romantic music felt Beethoven’s influence –Early Romantic composer –Broke Classical molds –Showed musical innovations in form and textures –Emotions not restrained

13. Classical vs. Romantic Classical –Hadyn, Mozart, Beethoven –Symphony developed –Homophonic texture –Simplicity –Patronage system

14. Romantic –Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky –The band developed –Dense textures –Supernatural –Program music (tone poem)

15. NOW... SOME TUNES TO LISTEN TO

16. Absolute music Symphonies Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Schubert Gustav Mahler –Showed Beethoven’s influence –Wrote 9 great symphonies –Used voices (#’s 2, 3, 4, 8) No. 8 “Symphony of A Thousand” –Used 5 movements (#’s 2, 3, 5, 7)

17. Miniature forms for piano –Opposite development than orchestral music –Short pieces written for one piano –Some based on folk dances – mazurkas, polonaise, waltzes, etc. –Some simply absolute – nocturnes, preludes, etc. Nocturnes = Night Music –Chopin was best known for this type “Minute Waltz” Polish composer

18. Vocal Music Much solo music; songs for voice and piano – Brahms, Rossini Operas are still big – Richard Wagner –Used Norse myths, gods and legends (supernatural) “Der Ring des Nibelungen” (The Ring Cycle) “The Ride of the Valkyries” “The Wedding Chorus”

20. Nationalistic Music Bedrich Smetana –Bohemian (Czech) –Grew deaf in later years (ala Beethoven) –Influenced Dvorak and others

21. “The Moldau” (“Vlatava”) by Bedrich Smetana Part of a tone poem “Ma Vlast” (“My Country”) Episodes depict Bohemian life and folklore along the riverside.

22. “William Tell Overture” – Gioachini Rossini –Overture to an opera –Story of Swiss patriot shooting an apple from son’s head –Very recognizable music “Lone Ranger Theme”

23. “1812 Overture” – Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky – Russian –Russian victory over Napolean –Uses Russian National anthem –Uses French “La Marsellaise” –Cannon fire and church bells in final celebration

25. More Tchaikovsky “The Nutcracker” –Based on a fairy tale –Girl’s dream of nutcracker hero in battle with the Mouse King –Dancing dolls

26. Despite their enormous popularity, Tchaikovsky did not like “The Nutcracker” or the “1812 Overture”. –called the “1812 Overture” loud and noisy “I wrote it with no warm feeling of love, and therefore there will probably be no artistic merit in it.”

27. (nationalistic cont.) Antonin Dvorak – Czech –“Slavonic Dances” –Set of 16 orchestral dances –Used folk melodies and rhythms from folk dances

28. More from Dvorak Symphony #9 “From the New World” –Spent time in the United States (1892 –1895) –Was interested in the folk music –Used some of the folk music in his symphony –2 nd movement based on spiritual “Goin’ Home”

29. “I am convinced that the future of music of this country must be founded on what are called Negro melodies. These can be the foundation of a serious and original school of composition to be developed in the United States.” – Antonin Dvorak

30. Something from the U.S. “The Stars and Stripes Forever” – John Philip Sousa –Written for new performing group – band –Intended as military marches –No strings; louder outdoors –Very patriotic

31. A Little Trivia: It has been said that Sousa’s father was actually named “So” and that when he immigrated from Spain to America, he loved the U.S. so much, he added the letters ‘usa’ to his name in honor of his new home. It has also been suggested that John Philip was actually a failure as an opera writer, and found his niche writing/performing with the Marine Band instead.

32. Stephan Foster – another American composer –Known as “father of American music” –“Oh, Susanna” “Camptown Races” “Swanee River” –Wrote songs, many for piano

33. Music and the Other Arts “Pictures at an Exhibition” Modest Mussorgsky – Russian –Described a visit to an art gallery to see exhibit of a friend’s works –Short sections describe individual paintings –Connected with “Promenade”

34. “Danse Macabre” – Camille Saint-Saens – French –Death appears a midnight – (supernatural) –Calls up the dead to dance –Plays his violin –Based on old French superstition –Based on a Poem by Henri Cazalis

35. “Zig, zig, zig, Death in a cadence Striking with his heel a tomb Death at midnight plays a dance tune, Zig, zig, zig, on his violin. The winter wind blows and the night is dark, Moans are heard in the linden trees. Through the gloom, white skeletons pass, Running and leaping in their shrouds. Zig, zig, zig, each one is frisking. The bones of the dancers are heard to crack – But hist! Of a sudden they quit the round, They push forward, they fly; the cock has crowed”

36. Supernatural “Night on Bald Mountain” – Modest Mussorgsky –Supernatural –Tales of witches sabbath