Here are the notes that we use for the Romantic Period in Eighth Grade Music Class:
Romantic Period: (1820 – 1900)
1. Start of the large orchestra (see handout)
2. Programmatic music returns
3. Leitmotive – use of themes to represent ideas, people, emotions, and thoughts in a composition
4. Start of the rise of nationalism through music
Forms:
Symphony – has become more than 3 movements and is more developed and complex
Tone Poem – an orchestral composition that follows the idea of a story or poem with no fixed form
Impromptu – a character piece of varying form with little development usually with 3 sections that are also subdivided into 3 sections
Rhapsodies – an instrumental improvisation on folk songs with motives from native music
Scherzo – an instrumental piece of light, humorous character
Nocturne - a composition with no set form often of dreamily romantic or sentimental character
Ballade – a composition which was either an art song or an instrumental solo piece
Lied – a Classical German art song for a solo voice and piano
Composers:
Beethoven – see notes under Classical Period (led the change from Classical to Romantic)
Franz Liszt: (1811 – 1886) Hungarian who was known as the creator of the symphonic poem and the modern piano technique
Modeste Mussorgsky: (1839 – 1881) Russian whose music was very nationalistic, who wrote opera and piano compositions
Richard Wagner: (1813 – 1883) German composer who took opera to its height
Richard Strauss: (1864 – 1949) German composer who was best known for tone poems, opera and orchestral works
For additional composers from the Romantic Period click on the following link to the Composer Project.
12/11/2002