Romantic Period
1825-1900
The word
“romantic” in
the
Romantic
Period does
not refer
necessarily
to love, but
more to
heroism,
adventure,
and mystery.
The Romantic generation developed a
fondness for fictional characters that
went on exciting journeys. The Romantic
generation were also tired of all the happy
endings from the previous periods. They
were partial to tragic endings.
The six main characteristics of the
Romantic Period were:
1) Individualism –
People started
to care less of
their family and
community and
concentrate
more energy into
what was best
for themselves.
2) Reverence of Nature – Now that
great cities were more common,
people wanted to get back to
nature and its beauty and
importance in our lives.
Here are more nature
paintings from the
Romantic Period.
3) Pursuit of the
Supernatural – The
wild imagery and
adventures
associated with
ancient Greek
Myths sparked
people’s interest,
causing these myths
to be revived in the
art and music of the
time. Do you know
these Greek myths?
Pegasus
Medusa
More Greek Myths
Centaur
Zeus
King of the Greek Gods
The Greek version of
the devil
Warrior Women
Mephistopheles
(He appears in many Romantic
operas)
Valkyries
(The song you heard at the beginning of this
presentation is called “Ride of The Valkyries.”)
Even more
Greek Myths
The Hydra
7 headed
monster
Romania
Czechoslovakia
4) Nationalism – Artists and
composers began to take
pride in their nationality or
country of origin.
Composers tried to find
original folk songs from
their homeland and then use
these melodies in their
orchestral compositions.
Hungary
5) Emotional Expression
Composers wanted to
express their
emotions in their
music and for people
to feel emotions
when they listened
to this music. It
didn’t matter if the
emotions were the
same, as long as some
emotional response
was conjured up.
What emotion does
this song from
Tchiakovsky’s
“Romeo and Juliet”
evoke?
Symphonie Fantastique
The Concert Program
6) Giving meaning to
music – Music of the
Romantic Period
began to take on
story lines. Music
now had some deeper
relevance than just
something nice to
listen to. This type
of music is called
“program music,” and
it tells a story
through a program
(like the one to the
left) or simply
through the title.
I. Passions
A young musician sees the woman of his dreams and falls hopelessly in
love. Each time her image comes into his mind, it evokes a musical thought
that is impassioned in character, but also noble and shy, as he imagines her
to be. [This key melody returns throughout all five movements. Each time it
returns it represents the artist thinking about this woman.]
II. A Ball
The artist finds himself in the swirl of a party, but the beloved image appears
before him and troubles his soul. [The key melody returns, but it is now in 3/4
time.]
III. Scene in the Country
In the distance, two shepherds play a duet. The country setting, the gentle
evening breeze, the hopeful feelings he has begun to have--all conspire to
bring to his spirit an unaccustomed calm, and his thoughts take on a more
cheerful cast. He hopes not to be lonely much longer. But his happiness is
disturbed by dark suspicions. What if she is deceiving him! One of the
shepherds resumes his playing, but the other makes no response.... In the
distance, thunder. Solitude. Silence. [The key melody is here again. It starts
out very pretty with 2 oboes, but as he starts to suspect her of deceiving him,
the sounds of a storm (cymbals, timpani) overcome this key melody.]
IV. March to the Scaffold
Convinced that his love is unreturned, the artist takes an overdose of opium.
It plunges him into a sleep accompanied by horrifying visions. He dreams
that he has killed his beloved, has been condemned and led to the scaffold,
and is witnessing his own execution. The procession advances to a march
that is now somber and savage, now brilliant and solemn. At its conclusion, a
final thought of the beloved is cut off by the fatal blow. [You have been
listening to this movement. Near the end, the intense marching music stops
while he thinks of his beloved one last time, but the key melody is suddenly
interrupted by a loud accent and the rolling of snare drums. What do you
think this represents?]
V. Dream of a Witches' Sabbath
He sees himself in the midst of a frightful throng of ghosts, witches, monsters
of every kind, who have assembled for his funeral. Strange noises, groans,
bursts of laughter, distant cries. The key melody again reappears, but it has
lost its modesty and nobilty; it is no more than a vulgar dance tune, trivial
and grotesque; it is she, coming to the sabbath. A joyous roar greets her
arrival.... She joins in the devilish party.... A funeral song and a round-dance
are combined in this movement for even more of a shocking and evil effect.
(Click to hear ending only)
Before the Romantic
Period, absolute music
was the norm. Absolute
music is music with no
subject matter. It was
written for the sake of
enjoying the music and
nothing else. Titles
Are based on at least 2
things:
Type of piece
Number or key
Symphony No. 7
Concerto No. 22
Toccata in d minor
String Quartet Op. 8
Symphonie Fantastique
The Concert Program
But now, in the
Romanitc Period,
Program music
became very popular.
Program music is
music that tells a
story and the music
follows it:
As you have Already
seen, the music May
actually contain a
program so you can
read along as you
listen.
I. Reveries -- Passions
A young musician, afflicted with that moral complaint which a celebrated writer
[Chateaubriand] calls "undirected emotionalism," sees the woman of his
dreams and falls hopelessly in love. Each time her image comes into his mind,
it evokes a musical thought [represented by an idee fixe] that is impassioned
in character, but also noble and shy, as he imagines her to be.
II. A Ball
The artist finds himself in the swirl of a party, but the beloved image appears
before him and troubles his soul.
III. Scene in the Country
In the distance, two shepherds play a ranz des vaches in dialogue [solo oboe
and English horn]. The pastoral setting, the gentle evening breeze, the hopeful
feelings he has begun to have--all conspire to bring to his spirit an
unaccustomed calm, and his thoughts take on a more cheerful cast. He hopes
not to be lonely much longer. But his happiness is disturbed by dark
premonitions. What if she is deceiving him! One of the shepherds resumes his
playing, but the other makes no response.... In the distance, thunder. Solitude.
Silence.
IV. March to the Scaffold
Convinced that his love is unrequited, the artist takes an overdose of opium. It
plunges him into a sleep accompanied by horrifying visions. He dreams that
he has killed his beloved, has been condemned and led to the scaffold, and is
witnessing his own execution. The procession advances to a march that is
now somber and savage, now brilliant and solemn. At its conclusion the idee
fixe returns, like a final thought of the beloved, cut off by the fatal blow.
V. Dream of a Witches' Sabbath
He sees himself in the midst of a frightful throng of ghosts, witches, monsters
of every kind, who have assembled for his funeral. Strange noises, groans,
bursts of laughter, distant cries. The beloved melody again reappears, but it
has lost its modesty and nobilty; it is no more than a vulgar dance tune, trivial
and grotesque; it is she, coming to the sabbath. A joyous roar greets her
arrival.... She joins in the devilish party.... A funeral knell, a parody of the Dies
Irae. A sabbath round-dance. The Dies Irae and the round-dance are
combined.
But Most program
music doesn’t need
anything to read.
The composers
want you to use
your imagination,
so they just give
you a title and let
your imagination
Run free.
Here are two
examples:
Flight of the Bumblebee
Harold in Italy
Two important freedoms of the
Romantic Era:
1. Freedom of
Religion – People
started to agree
that it was
wrong to force
somebody to
follow one
particular
religion, like
Catholicism or
Lutheranism.
2. Freedom of Self –
People got the
courage to do
something
unexpected or
different with
their lives and
not follow in
their father’s
footsteps in the
exact same
business.
Comparing the Classical with the
Romantic Period:
Classical
Romantic
Tradition
Pursuit of New Ideas
Controlled Emotions
Expressing Emotions
Order, Balance,
Symmetry
Supernatural,
Bizarre
Absolute Music
Program Music
Romantic Period
The End