Upcoming Concerts @ McGill

Fortepiano Recital
What? program has not been posted but
presumably Classical music for
fortepiano
Who? Melisande McNabney, graduate
student
When? Sunday February 22, 5:00 pm
Where? Tanna Schulich Hall (555
Sherbrooke, New Music Building)

Upcoming Concerts @ McGill

Fortepiano Recital
What? program has not been posted but
presumably Classical music for
fortepiano
Who? Michael Pecak, graduate student
When? Sunday February 22, 8:00 pm
Where? Tanna Schulich Hall (555
Sherbrooke, New Music Building)

Agenda: February 17
1 Introduction to the
Romantic Era
2 Miniature/Character
Piece
Schumann, Carnaval
Chopin, Nocturne in
F#+

Introduction to the Romantic Era

early 19th c.early 20th c.
Beginning
18023: Beethovens heroic period
centre for music-making shifted from
Vienna Paris

Ending

modernist style of Mahler and Debussy

(late 19th c.)

Introduction to the Romantic Era

The French Revolution (17891799)
revolt against the monarchy
mantra: Libert, galit, fraternit
Reign of Terror: execution of aristocrats
and clergy
eventually
led to
the end
of hereditary
but Napoleon
crowned
himself
Emperor
rule
in France
in 1804
monarchy kept on reasserted itself

Introduction to the Romantic Era

Unification of Germany and Italy
(1870s)
1848: failed revolutions in both
countries in support of unification (and
to free Northern Italy from Austrian
rule)
Wagner participated in the uprising in
Dresden
some opera choruses by Verdi became
theme songs of the Italian liberation
Italy succeeded in 1870; Germany in
movement (Risorgimento)

Introduction to the Romantic Era

Patronage
now largely supported by the middle
class
possible to make a living through
public concerts and the sale of sheet
music
Haydn was Prince Esterhzys servant
change in the composerpatron
Beethoven had aristocratic patrons but
relationship
refused to be treated as a servant

Introduction to the Romantic Era

Aim of Romantic Art: Self-Expression
new conception of artist as genius
new importance of originality
Consequences:
each composer cultivated a unique
style
deformation and rejection of Classical
forms

Introduction to the Romantic Era

Rise in Importance of Instrumental
Music
Classical Era
Kant: instrumental music is not a fine
art because it doesnt represent
anything

Romantic Era

Schopenhauer: instrumental music is

not merely an art but the most

Introduction to the Romantic Era

Age of the Composer
increasing power of composers and
decreasing power of performers
scores got more detailed
no more improvisation: performers were
expected to execute the composers
directions faithfully

not all composers performed

some composers became conductors

Introduction to the Romantic Era

Industrial Revolution
began in the middle of the 18th c.
more lower class people began working
in cities (factories, mines) instead of in
rural areas as farmers and craftspeople
inhumane working conditions
growth of cities lead to increased
disease, pollution, and crime

Introduction to the Romantic Era

Industrial Revolution Desire for
Escapism
idealized representations of humans
living in harmony with nature (e.g.,
Beethovens Pastoral Symphony)

preoccupation with the supernatural

mythology (e.g., Wagners Ring Cycle)
witches (e.g., Berliozs Symphonie
fantastique)
ghosts, zombies, vampires

Introduction to the Romantic Era

Other Consequences of the Industrial
Revolution
instruments assumed their modern
forms
winds & brass are now able to play in all
keys (valved brass; more keywork for
winds)
fortepiano pianoforte (or piano for
rise of the newspaper new job: music
short)
critic
advised non-musicians about music
through reviews

Introduction to the Romantic Era

The Public Concert
now the most important context for
music
primary audience: the middle-class
Downsides:
the middle-class had conservative tastes
concerts became musical museums
composers began to feel alienated from
the public

Romantic Style Markers

Harmony
more dissonance
fewer cadences
unclear sense of key
Melody
extremes in register (wider range of
pitches)
long phrases of irregular lengths

Romantic Style Markers

Rhythm & Metre
rubato: a performance technique by
which some beats are lengthened and
others
shortened
creates
an inconsistent, unclear beat
one way performers could still assert
their individuality

Romantic Style Markers

Timbre
Classical special instruments
standard instruments of the Romantic
orchestra
new instruments: tuba, bass clarinet,
Eclarinet (small clarinet), English
horn (big oboe), harp
more attention to the art of
orchestration

Classical vs. Romantic Orchestra

Strings Winds
Violi 2 Flutes
Classic Percussion
n
Viola
Cello
Romant Bass
Violi
n
ic:
Viola
Cello
Bass

al:

(Harp

Brass

(2
2 Oboes
Trumpets)
(2 Clarinets)
2 Horns
2 Bassoons
(Trombone
)2
2 Flutes, +
Piccolo
Trumpets
2 Oboes +
4 Horns
English Horn 3
2 Clarinets + Trombone
Bass and
s
EClarinet
1 Tuba

Timpani
(Cymbals)
(Triangle)
(Bass
Drum)
Timpani
Bass
Drum
Snare
Drum
Cymbals
Triangle

Romantic Style Markers

Form
broke the rules of Classical forms or
followed no standard form at all
used stories as the basis for form
(program music)
organicism
increased
importance
thematic not
themes are
continuallyoftransformed,
development
just repeated the same each time

Miniature or Character Piece

a short work of chamber music that
suggests a mood or character
very short but very intense
many have descriptive titles
performed at salons
some were for amateurs; some for
professionals
often
published
in sets Schumanns
e.g., Chopins
Nocturnes;

Schumann
When? early 19th c.
Where? Germany
What? character piece, Lied, song cycle,
symphony
aspiring piano virtuoso but injured
himself
also a music critic
wrote under the pen names Florestan
and Eusebius
married piano virtuoso and composer

SchumannCarnaval
set of 24 character pieces that
represent literal characters
characters are guests at a Mardi Gras
ball:
Schumanns alter egos, friends (Clara,
Chopin, Paganini), commedia dellarte
characters
composed
when Schumann was in love

with a woman from Asch

translated the letters into notes: AE
CB

SchumannCarnaval, Eusebius
Eusebius: tender, dreamy, introspective
slow tempo
soft dynamics
unclear metre
vague, languorous rhythms
follows no standard form

SchumannCarnaval, Florestan
Florestan: impetuous, mercurial
extreme changes in mood and tempo
performed with rubato
no cadence at the end!
detailed performing directions
first notes spell ASCH
follows no standard form

Chopin
When? early 19th c.
Where? Paris
What? solo piano music, almost
exclusively
virtuoso pianist from Warsaw (under
Russian rule)

made his career in Paris

foreigners loved the exoticism of his
stylized Polish dances: mazurkas and
polonaises

ChopinNocturne in F#+, op. 15, no. 2

nocturne means night piece
performed with lots of rubato
highly ornamented melody
ornamentation is written not, not
improvised

highly chromatic
unusual harmonies
follows no standard form

Before Next Class ...

listen to the excerpts of the Listen 6CD set for:
Schubert, Der Erlknig
Schumann, Im wunderschnen Monat
Mai