Assume someone who has not taken this course asked you to summarize the Romantic era in Western

music from 1825 to 1900 in your own words. 1. In your summary (750 1,000 words), include several of the important composers who were the first to write in the Romantic style (lessons and !) and those who composed durin" the middle and late Romantic years (lessons 5, #, 7, and $). %. . &ist the countries and include the primary musical "enres that were represented. Include a total of si' characteristic Romantic wor(s, two from the )e"innin", two from the middle and two from the late years of the period. *hese can )e pieces discussed in the lessons or those included in the te't Music in Western Civilization. Include at least one composer who is a woman. !. 5. Include lin(s to +ou*u)e performances of each composition that you list. Read and reply with some comments to at least % posts )y others in the class. ,or e'ample, what did you find interestin" a)out their summary-

Overview
The Romantic Era was one characterized by the exaltation of feelings and emotions. It constituted a natural reaction against the principles of reason and thought that dominated the Classical Era. To the Romantics, the aesthetic experience lived and felt through emotions was the driving force behind creativity. It was also a period of individuality composers would present their characters as symbols of heroism and models for the entire society, even sacrificing themselves to put bac! events on their natural course. "ature was considered as a primary source of inspiration and its presence weighed considerably in many romantic wor!s. In this era, new genres were introduced, particularly ones that are inspired by literary wor!s or paintings #symphonic poems$ or wor!s describing a specific mood #character pieces$. %tructure and form were approached differently contrary to the organized, multi movement pieces, Romantic structures were mostly single&shaped structures built from short motives & transformed and retransformed & that !eep appearing in different places in the music, thus ensuring unity and homogeneity. The harmonic language evolved the concept of dissonance has developed in a way in which dissonant chords were used with greater liberty and, towards the end of the century, we witness an increasing dissolution of Riemann's functional harmony. (n important concept born in this century was Nationalism here composers turned to the music of their native land and drew from their fol!loric tunes, coating their music with messages against social and political in)ustice.

Summarized evolution
(lthough the origin of Romanticism can be felt through the Sturm und Drang movement of the eighteenth century, music will have to wait for a rebellious *eethoven #+,,-&+./,$ to put it on the trac! of evolution. In its early phases, romanticism found refuge in 0ienna, a city that embraced the great classical composers and the great *eethoven as well. *orn in *onn but having lived most of his life in 0ienna, *eethoven1s hearing deficiency forged a man who is determined to give himself entirely to his (rt. 2is developments could be felt mainly in the domain of instrumental music. 2e !eeps the essence of the sonata as passed by his predecessors #3ozart and 2aydn$ but stretches the form into unprecedented proportions elongated structures characterized by slow introductions, and a sophisticated4researched harmonic language, his sonatas will set the standards for future composers. %onata Pathtique #+,5.$ is a loyal representative of the new genre. #http 44www.youtube.com4watch6v789-u5:;"vEg$

*eethoven1s approach to the orchestra was a fresh one too he uncouples the basses from cellos and gives plaintive melodies to the instrument that he considers close to the human voice & the oboe. *eethoven1s use of motives and intervallic similarities in the different movements of his symphonies < as seen in his third symphony in E flat 3a)or < #http 44www.youtube.com4watch6v7nb=0&30fgec$ will form the nucleus of later romantic genres such as the symphonic poem. (nother early romantic composer, born and lived in 0ienna was 8ranz %chubert #+,5,&+./.$ whose predilection went towards vocal music. If his instrumental music falls in line of 2aydn, 3ozart and even *eethoven, #with the exception of intimate and short character pieces$ his vocal music on the other hand, showcased in his lied, would ta!e the genre a step forward. >hile earlier vocal melodies were built in simple strophic forms, %chubert1s lieder successfully reflected the drama in the poetry and followed closely the rise of the text to a climax. Erlkonig, based on a text by =oethe, is a complex setting of four characters that %chubert successfully portrays musically. #http 44www.youtube.com4watch6v7?;@?R@ABECI$ In the early romantic period, attention shifted gradually from the aristocratic 0ienna to the increasingly popular @aris. 2ere, new genres were cultivated as the listeners tastes are directed towards the extraordinary and fantastic. ( new form of opera was being produced in @aris the grand opera which has grandiose lengths, uses chorus and dance with spectacular scenic effects. 2ector *erlioz #+.-D&+.A5$ absorbs these changes and reproduces them instrumentally in the symphonic genre through his symphonie fantastique. #http 44www.youtube.com4watch6v7s*@b&@z(E.-$ 2ere, the genre is different from that developed by *eethoven. To *erlioz, the symphony has a programF it tells the story of a hero who goes through different emotional states because of the beloved one. These new ideas were accompanied by a significant increase in the orchestra members and the introduction of new instruments, among them the English horn and ophicleides. Bppositely, 8rydery! Chopin #+.+-&+.G5$ focused on his instrument of privilege < the piano < to which he writes a set of character pieces. Chopin1s piano music advances the importance of the melody that flows freely away from the restrictions of a regular meter through the rubato techniEue and rich ornamentation. 2e explores the different sonorities of the instrument and supports the whole with an expressively uniEue harmonic language. In that same period, 9eipzig, a city in =ermany, was undergoing a musical development due to the newly established Gewandhaus Orchestra. There, three composers will be at the centre of musical activity 8elix 3endelssohn #+.-5< +.G,$, Robert %chumann #+.+-<+.?A$ and Clara #+.+5<+.5A$ his wife. >ith a preference and admiration to traditions, 3endelssohn1s music falls in the direct line of *eethoven, where extra&musical elements are eliminated in favour of absolute and pure music. 0ariety is simply achieved through the presentation of contrasting themes. The %chumanns will also adopt these principles in their music with Robert1s symphonies built as independent musical wor!s, free from extra&musical influences, with formal developments consisting of lin!ing the different movements together as a unified entity. Cohann *rahms #+.DD&+.5,$, in the late nineteenth century, will be a proponent of the same school, with a music characterized by a developed harmonic language, expanded structure, and melodic sobriety, using the cyclic techniEue as a unifying tool in his pieces. Bppositely, other composers, namely 8ranz 9iszt #+.++&+..A$ and Richard >agner #+.+D&+..D$ formed the New German School in the middle of the romantic era. The driving idea was that music is the result of lived experiences and a reaction to emotions felt through external mediums such as literature, poetry and art. 9iszt utilized the symphonic poem, a one&movement programmatic orchestral wor! influenced by poetry, as a means of applying his convictions. 2e also participated in underlining the concept of "ationalism developed in this century where he inspired himself from his 2ungarian native music. In his 2ungarian Rhapsody "o. +? #Ra!oczy 3arch$, he uses gypsy scales and emulates the sound of the cimbalom, a fol!loric instrument, with glissandi on the piano. #http 44www.youtube.com4watch6v7=eh)"0B/p?: $. >agner was more preoccupied with the forsa!en importance of drama in music. To him, the perfect wor! is an eEuilibrium between both. >ith him opera, a true music drama, uses sub)ects inspired from myths because they1re understood by everyone, while continually reshaping the music,

riding on an expressive harmony. 2is operas, Has Rheingold among them #http 44www.youtube.com4watch6v7iCIHoa02!hw $ were performed in *ayreuth and revolutionized the genre. In the late Romantic period, =ustav 3ahler #+.A-&+5++$, a great admirer of >agner was rethin!ing the symphony elongated forms that avoided all accepted plans, expansion and diversification of the orchestra completed by a richly intense and developed harmonic language, as shows his symphony no ? #http 44www.youtube.com4watch6v7JRK=Ia-bL)I$. 2is wife and muse, (lma 3ahler #+.,5&+5AG$, also contributed in shaping the music of the late nineteenth century. 2er song Die Stille Stadt is characterized by a developed and expressive harmonic content. #http 44www.youtube.com4watch6v7gem0bCu%o>M$ In the same period, @aris also contributed in preparing the music of the twentieth century Hebussy1s #+.A/&+5+.$ new language characterized by a suspended feeling of tonality, along with intuitive structures will pave the way to %travins!y and others. 8aurN #+.G?&+5/G$, more conservative than Hebussy on form and harmony, and the immensely talented 9ili *oulanger #+.5D&+5+.$ will complete the scenery of the avant&garde composers of the next century. %till three other countries were involved in shaping the romantic language the way we !now it today Italy with its essential composers Rossini #+,5/&+.A.$, 0erdi #+.+D&+5-+$ and @uccini #+.?.&+5/G$ who, throughout the century, developed the operatic genre, with the latter, using and implementing >agnerian elements in his operas. England renewed with the creation of pure English music with Elgar #+.?,&+5DG$ and 0aughan >illiams #+.,/&+5?.$, each however, having a different conception on the elements used to create the music. 8inally, Russia, and its movement led by *ala!irev #+.D,&+5+-$ emphasized the supremacy of Russian music over European one, while Tchai!ovs!y #+.G-&+.5D$ who too! the art of music writing for *allet to an unprecedented level, left also a serious and impressive symphonic production.