Romantic MusicRomantic Music

1827 - 19001827 - 1900

The EnlightenmentThe Enlightenment• The Age of Enlightenment began in the mid 1600’s• Not a deliberate movement but a collection of

scientific and philosophical discoveries that gradually changed the way we understood the world around us

• This challenged many existing theories – scientific discovery directly contradicted many religious doctrines

• Reason and Rationalism, rather than Religion, became the primary sources for decisions and understanding

• This laid the foundation for many of the values that defined the Classical era – Order, Hierarchy, Symmetry and Simplicity

• As the Classical era progressed there were significant events that challenged these new ideals:– The American Independence of 1775 and The French

Revolution of 1789 created the first Republic states and initiated the end for the established Aristocratic and Feudal societies of Europe. These were to be replaced by the modern democracies

– The following Napoleonic Wars of 1804 – 1815 saw wars across Europe which killed many people and started the decline for many of the Old Empires

– Urbanization: Because of the Industrial Revolution less people were needed to farm the land and so many people moved to cities to find work in the new factories. Often living in crowded and filthy slums this lead to huge sanitation and health problems and outbreaks of diseases such as cholera

• The new world was not the one of order and reason that many in the upper classes had imagined

• The Arts, previously dependant on the rich and powerful, were finding a new audience in the rapidly emerging middle classes

• In an attempt to escape the new realities of “modern” life, Romantic artists shunned the Order and Symmetry of the Classical era

• Instead they explored new subjects such as:– Nature and the Sublime– The Exotic (the recently discovered Far East)– Intense human emotions such as Love, Grief, Joy, Death and

Beauty– Mysticism, Myths and Legends – The ideals of Hero and Heroine

• In exploring these new ideas Art, Literature and Music became more contrasting and dramatic than ever before

Caspar David Friedrich - The Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog, 1818

Thomas Cole - Voyage of Life, Youth, 1840

The Romantic OrchestraThe Romantic Orchestra

• Classical Orchestras had 30 – 40 players• Romantic Orchestras had 70 – 120 players• The Industrial Revolution meant new instruments

were being invented– The Piano was given a metal frame. This meant it

could have more, tighter strings and be louder, more versatile, and be heard over much larger ensembles

– Wound metal strings were developed to give other string instruments greater color and strength

The Romantic Orchestra The Classical Orchestra might

include: Woodwind

2 Flutes 2 Oboes 2 Clarinets in B-flat, 2 Bassons

Brass 2 or 4 Horns(in any key) 2 Trumpets (in any key)

Percussion Timpani

Strings 8 First Violins 8 Second Violins 6 Violas 4 Cellos 3 Double Basses

Features of Romantic Music• New Structures

– Symphony and Opera – both extended to new, epic lengths– Program Music– Piano Concerto– Prelude

• Pieces express a WIDE RANGE of FEELINGS and EMOTIONS• MELODIES become LONGER, less structured and more

developed• MODULATIONS become more frequent and to more

UNUSUAL KEYS• More extravagant, EXTENDED and DISSONANT CHORDS are

used

• The HARMONY is often CHROMATIC and DISCORDANT, especially when portraying strong emotions

• INSTRUMENTS are used in EXTREME RANGES and parts become more difficult and technical – leads to a return of the VIRTUOSO performer

• ORCHESTRAS become significantly bigger and more powerful. They especially have much bigger BRASS sections

• DYNAMICS are used in extremes and often with sudden changes. ACCENTS and SFORZANDOS are used to make the music more dramatic

• TEMPO becomes less rigid and often changes within works. RUBATO is used to give a piece more expression

• The importance of NATIONAL IDENTITY is expressed through the use of FOLK TUNES and DANCE RHYTHMS

Famous WorksFamous Works

• Wagner Gotterdammerung from The Ring• Dvorak New World Symphony 4th Movement• Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.2 1st

Movement• Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2• Berlioz Symphony Fantastique