Download Romantic Period

1820-1900
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Chopin: Polish “poet of the piano”
◦ Shy, rarely gave public recitals, played in intimate
salons
◦ Short piano works such as nocturnes, preludes,
mazurkas, études, and polonaises
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Program Music (as opposed to absolute)
◦ associated with a story or specific idea
◦ no lyrics
◦ commonly represents birds, storms, bells, rivers,
etc.
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Hector Berlioz: French composer
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Nationalism: Intense devotion and pride for one’s
country
◦ Known for innovative orchestration
◦ Famous for Symphonie fantastique, a program
symphony depicting his love for Harriet Smithson
◦ We listened to the March to the Scaffold. Know about
that.
◦ Modest Mussorgsky—Russian composer of Pictures at an
Exhibition including “The Great Gate of Kiev”
◦ Bedrich Smetana—Czech composer of The Moldau
◦ Antonin Dvǒrák—Czech composer who came to America
to direct the National Conservatory in NY, spent summer
in Iowa and gained interest in Native American and
African-American tunes, wrote New World Symphony
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Russian composer (1840-1893)
6 symphonies, 1812 Overture
Ballets: Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty,
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Famous piano concerto
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Nutcracker
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Austrian (1860-1911)
Jewish heritage, converted to Protestantism
Famous as a conductor in Europe and NY
9 symphonies
◦ Used chorus in 4 of these (like Beethoven)
◦ Symphonies are very monumental in length and
number of performers (one is known as “the
Symphony of a Thousand” and is an hour and a half
long with a huge orchestra, 8 solo singers, a boys’
choir, and 2 choruses
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Many works demonstrate exoticism, a fascination
with foreign lands.
Giacomo Puccini: Italian composer of La Bohème
and Madame Butterfly (Japan)
Giuseppe Verdi: Italian composer of operas very
popular with the public
◦ Nabucco—contains a chorus that became a national
liberation hymn during Austrian dominance
◦ Rigoletto, Il Travatore, La Traviata (somewhat scandalous
topics)
◦ Aïda—about an Egyptian princess
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Serious operas often had tragic endings
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German composer (1813-1883)
Famous for massive operas (musical dramas)
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Personality
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◦ The Ring cycle: a group of 4 long operas based on
Nordic legends, very supernatural
◦ He wrote the libretto (text) and the music. He also built
a theater (Beyreuth) specifically for his operas and
oversaw the rehearsals, costuming, and pretty much
anything else.
◦ These had music that resembled speech (Sprechstimme),
gave no time for applause after arias, and gave new
importance to the orchestra.
◦ Very dark, stormy, and egotistical
◦ He was in debt to many people and never repaid them
◦ Anti-Semitic