The Romant
ic Period
circa 1820 - 1900
Periods of Western Musical History
1. Medieval (476 A.D. to 1400 A.D.)2. Renaissance (1400 to 1600 A.D.)3. Baroque (1600 to 1750)4. Classical (1750 to 1820)5. Romantic (1820 to 1900)6. Impressionist (1875 to 1925)7. Modern (1900 to 1960)8. “Post-Modern” (1960-present)
(aka “Contemporary”)
Periods of Western Musical History
1. Medieval (476 A.D. to 1400 A.D.)2. Renaissance (1400 to 1600 A.D.)3. Baroque (1600 to 1750)4. Classical (1750 to 1820)5. Romantic (1820 to 1900)6. Impressionist (1875 to 1925)7. Modern (1900 to 1960)8. “Post-Modern” (1960-present)
(aka “Contemporary”)
Romanticism (also known as the Romantic Era or the "Romantic Period') was an
artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th
century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution. In part, it was a revolt against aristocratic social and political norms of the Age of Enlightenment
and a reaction against the scientific rationalization of nature. Romanticism was embodied most strongly in the visual arts,
music and literature.
“Liberty Leading The People” (1830) by French Romantic period painter Eugène Delacroix
“Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog”
by the German Romantic painter
Caspar David Friedrich
(1774 – 1840)
Characteristics of Romantic Period Music
1. Individuality of musical style with emphasis on self-expression
2. Development of new harmonies, including chromatic harmonies - harmonies that use all the keys of the piano keyboard - the black keys and the white keys - together.
3. Development of "program music" – music that depicts a story or scene
4. Development of "nationalism" in music, such as French music, Spanish music, Hungarian music, Czech, music, etc., incorporating native folk music
5. Greater variety of mood, atmosphere and tone color
6. Expanded orchestra size for many new compositions, including large brass sections, expanded woodwind sections and the addition of new instruments, such as English horn, bass clarinet, contrabassoon and added percussion.
7. Development of a wider range of musical dynamics - (volume) - from very soft ("pianissimo") to very loud ("fortissimo") often encompassing soaring musical high points
8. Greater flexibility of tempo, (musical speed) incorporating the increased use of accelerandos (speeding up) and ritardandos (slowing down), as well as extensive use of rubato (the bending and stretching of tempo/rhythm).
Ludwig van Beethoven German; 1770-1827
9 Symphonies, 5 Piano Concertos,1 Violin Concerto
Many Works for PianoChamber Music
1 Opera
Composers of the Romantic Period
Franz Schubert Austrian; 1797-1828
9 Symphonies, 600+ Songs,
Chamber MusicSolo Piano Music
Unfinished Symphony (0’47”) Gretchen am Spinnrade
Composers of the Romantic Period
Gioacchino Rossini Italian; 1792-1868
Many Operasincluding
The Barber of Seville and William Tell
William Tell Overture Part 1 Part 2 / (Finale: 2’44”)
Largo al Factotum
Composers of the Romantic Period
Hector BerliozFrench; 1803-1869
SymphoniesOperas
Overtures
Symphonie Fantastique March to the Scaffold
Composers of the Romantic Period
Felix Mendelssohn German; 1809-1847
5 Symphonies, Concertos, Overtures,
Chamber MusicChoral Music
Overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream
Composers of the Romantic Period
Robert Schumann German; 1810-1856
Symphonies, 1 Piano Concerto
Many Songs (Lieder) Piano Music
Lied: "Ich grolle nicht"
Composers of the Romantic Period
Frederic Chopin Polish; 1810-1849
Piano MusicChopin, (along with Liszt)
was one of the two most important composers of
piano music in the Romantic period. His works for solo
piano are among the cornerstones of the piano
repertoire.“Heroic” Polonaise in A-flat, Opus 53
Composers of the Romantic Period
Franz Liszt Hungarian; 1811-
1886 Piano Music, Tone Poems,
2 Piano Concertos
Liszt is one of the most important composers of
piano music in the Romantic period.
Liebestraum
Composers of the Romantic Period
Richard Wagner German; 1813-1883
OperasWagner composed the
most important German operas of the Romantic
period including The Flying Dutchman,
Lohengrin, Tannhauser, The Ring Operas and
Tristan and Isolde.
Prelude to Die Meistersinger
Composers of the Romantic Period
Giuseppe VerdiItalian; 1813-1901
Operas
Verdi was one of the two most important composers
of Italian operas of the Romantic period, or any
period of operatic history.[Aida, La Traviata,
Rigoletto, Il Trovatore]
"Libiamo" from La Traviata
Composers of the Romantic Period
Anton Bruckner Austrian; 1824-1896
9 Symphonies, Choral Music
Bruckner is best known for his symphonies, in which he expanded the symphonic form in both
length and scope.
Symphony No. 4 - Finale
Composers of the Romantic Period
Johann Strauss Jr. Austrian; 1825-1899 Waltzes,
Polkas, Operettas
Known as the “Waltz King,” Johann Strauss,
Jr. was the leading composer of “light”
music during the Romantic period.
On the Beautiful Blue Danube
Composers of the Romantic Period
Johannes Brahms 1833-1897
4 Symphonies, Concertos, Piano Works, Songs,
Chamber Music
Brahms is considered to be one of the most
important composers of the Romantic period.
Symphony No. 4 - 1st Movement
Composers of the Romantic Period
Peter Illych Tchaikovsky Russian; 1840-1893
6 Symphonies, Ballets, Concertos,
Other Orchestral Works,Operas
Tchaikovsky is also considered to be one of the
most important composers of the Romantic period.
Symphony No. 4 - Finale
Composers of the Romantic Period
Antonin Dvorak Czech; 1841-1904
9 Symphonies, Concertos, Other Orchestral Works
Chamber Music, Choral Music
Dvorak is one of the most important composers of
orchestral music of the late Romantic period.
New World Symphony - Adagio
Composers of the Romantic Period
Giacomo PucciniItalian; 1858-1924
OperasPuccini is one of the two
most important composers of Italian opera in the Romantic
period, or any period in operatic history.
[La Boheme, Tosca, Madame Butterfly, Turandot
Manon Lescaut] "O soave fanciulla" from La
Boheme
Composers of the Romantic Period
Richard Strauss German; 1864-1949 Tone Poems, Operas,
Songs (Lieder)
Richard Strauss is the composer of the most
important tone poems ever composed, as well as the most important German operas in
the post-Wagner Romantic era.
Don Juan - Opening
Composers of the Romantic Period
Gustav Mahler1860-1911
9 Symphonies, Songs (Lieder)
Mahler is the last great composer of symphonies in
the school of Austrian & German composers that
included Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Bruckner & Brahms.
Symphony No. 2 - Finale - Ending
Composers of the Romantic Period
Sergei Rachmaninoff Russian; 1873-1943
Concertos, Piano Music, Symphonies, Songs
Rachmaninoff was one of the greatest pianists in history, as well as one of the last of the great Romantic composers. His life and career extended well into the Modern era of
musical history.Concerto No. 2 for Piano - Opening
Composers of the Romantic Period