Transcript Music - De Anza College

Part V
The Romantic Period
1820-1900
Ch 5-18 Romantic Composers
Ch. 5: Robert Schumann: (1810-1856)
“the husband of Clara Schumann.”
As Writer…
• Literary influence–father was a
bookseller, Schumann had
exposure to all the most popular
literary figures of the day:
• Keats, Delacroix, Hugo, Dickens,
Poe, others
• Also a writer himself, poet,
novelist, music critic
• Founded and edited the journal
New Journal of Music-Influential journal
Robert Schumann: (1810-1856)
As Musician…
• Began piano study at age 6 or 7, but not groomed for
musical career.
• Studied with Friedrich Wieck
• Finally heard Paganini play a concert—decided to get
serious.
• Was compulsive about practice, and finally injured
himself (but it’s complicated) –gave up piano for
composition
Schumann’s difficulties
• While living with Wieck, met Clara–she was ten at the
time
• Father disapproved…
• But–they ended up married by 1840
• His life was marred by manic/depressive personality
disorder starting 1945
• Floristan, Eusebius?
• Could not hold down a job
• Tried to commit suicide
• Died in an asylum
Schumann’s music
• Frequent use of literary references
• Extremely autobiographical
• Wrote extensively for piano
Took up writing symphonies, at age 30, wrote Four Symphonies in all
• Two have programmatic titles
• All are romantic in their use of thematic transformation
• connections between movement
Chamber Music
• Pieces from short works deliberately designed for children to character
pieces (small programmatic movements) to large sonatas.
• Character pieces are often grouped together into cycles (like song
cycles–stand alone pieces rather than movements of a sonata)
• Some cycles are:
• Carnaval
Kinderscenen
Fantasiestucke
Nachstucke Dichterliebe (poet’s love)
Schumann’s music, cont
• Often themes made from the letters of names
• ABEGG, BACH, ASCH, GADE - intellectual games
Songs:
• His songs also have equal role for piano–a typical Romantic trait
• 1840 was the year of the song--over 130 songs in this year
alone.
• From 1841 to 1852 --an additional 100; he had written fewer than
a dozen songs prior to 1840.
• Most important composer in the development of the lied after
Schubert.
• He was a genius in capturing the mood of the text.
• Used poetry from important German poets
Listening
From Carnaval (1834), a cycle of program music by
Robert Schumann
• A musical anagram
• a e♭ C B (s=es, or e♭) as (a flat) (a♭ C B)
Estrella, for his first fiancée – p. 221
Ternary form, note syncopation in B section
Reconnaissance (Reunion)
Ternary form, note B section shift from
homophonic to polyphonic texture
Piano & Chopin
• Piano became mature: instrument worthy of the name piano
• New technology
• Cast iron “harp”
• Strings could be strung tighter, more added
• New key mechanism
• Allows for more speed and ease of playing
• Defining the limits of instrumental capabilities:
• Walter/Wendy Carlos: synthesizer in 60s, created whole new
electronic language–still in use.
• For piano, who defined?
• Frederic Chopin, Franz Liszt : Revolutionized the concept of
the piano
Ch. 6 - Frédéric Chopin
• Poet of the piano
• Known for his beautiful tone,
rhythmic flexibility and
extensive use of piano pedals
All over the world men and women know his music.
They love it. They are moved by it. Yet it is not
‘Romantic music' in the Byronic sense. It does not tell stories or paint
pictures. It is expressive and personal, but still a pure art. Even in this
abstract atomic age, where emotion is not fashionable, Chopin endures. His
music is the universal language of human communication. When I play
Chopin I know I speak directly to the hearts of people!"
Artur Rubinstein
Frederic Chopin
• Life: Chopin (1810-1849) born and raised in Poland –not a
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German
began to study piano at age seven, published first piece that
same year.
By age 15, played for Tsar Alexander I of Russia
The influence of Paganini…
Most music composed for himself to play
At age twenty, he left Poland
• heard of war in Poland–the Russian invasion of Warsaw in 1830,
became extremely nationalistic
Nationalistic Dances:
• The Polonaise: Triple meter, Stately and proud dance of Polish
nobility
• Mazurka, a triple meter dance with stress on the second or third beat
Chopin and George Sand
• By 1831, he settled in Paris, and became part of
Parisian society–the heart of the Romantic movement
• Became very much in demand as a performer and
teacher, had wide circle of friends that included Berlioz,
Liszt, Delacroix.
• Made a very good living teaching the daughters of rich Parisans
In his late twenties, introduced to George Sand –
actually Aurore Dudevant
• Lived with her for several years
• Broke up in 1847, however, and health deteriorated, probably from
the tuberculosis that killed him two years later.
Chopin’s music: Poetry for piano
• Wrote almost exclusively for piano
• Did not write program music,
• Very personal style: instrumental miniatures for solo
piano, falling into several categories
• Etudes: defined what piano is capable of doing
• Dances scherzo, Polonaises, Mazurkas, Waltz–a favorite
ballroom dance of the time
• Free forms without dance rhythms
• preludes: Romantic irony–not followed by anything
• nocturne: moody, introspective piece “night piece”
• Impromptu: catches the spirit of improvisation–impromptu means
“off the cuff”
• Ballád–longer, first time the term used in instrumental
context
Chopin’s Music
Overall formal structure is simple: relies on ABA pattern
• Chopin usually varied the return, however, creating ABA’
• Internal structure could be more complex
• Pieces are idiomatic to the piano
• Rapid repetition of single notes--had not been possible before
• Melodies are highly lyrical and dreamy
• sustaining pedal
• Delicate, rapid ornamentation
• Rubato
• Highly original harmonies
• Each piece self-standing: brevity skirts issues of formal
organization
Listening Nocturne in E Flat Major, Op. 9, no. 2
by Chopin (1830-31)
Listening Outline: p. 225
Nocturne (night piece)-slow, lyrical, intimate piece
for piano
Note: Expressive, emotional presentation with
subtle shifts in tempo and dynamics
Listening
Etude in C Minor, Op. 10, No. 12
Revolutionary (1831?)
by Chopin
Listening Outline: p. 227
Etude—study piece focusing on a specific
technique in performance
Note: Speed & endurance required of left hand
Does this piece have musical merit?
Ch. 7 - Franz Liszt
• Hungarian born composer (1811-1886)
• Virtuoso pianist
• Touring concert pianist until age 36
• Incredible performer and showman—”rock star”
• Retired from touring & became conductor and
later took minor holy orders – Abbé Liszt
• Found new ways to exploit the piano
Liszt’s Music
• Extremely controversial
• Bombastic & vulgar, or the ideal music?
• Broke away from strict Classical forms
• Created symphonic poem (tone poem)
Ch. 8 - Felix Mendelssohn
• German composer (1809-1847)
• Early to mid-Romantic period
• Developed early
• Wrote symphonies, concertos, sonatas,
and other works before being teenager
• Responsible for revival of Bach’s music
• Died of a stroke while touring
Mendelssohn’s Music
• Somewhat more conservative
• Avoids emotional extremes
• Projects both elegance and balance
Listening: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in E
Minor, Op. 64 (1844)
by Mendelssohn
First Movement. Listening Outline: p. 233
Note: Controlled emotionalism
• Simple, singing melodies
• Transparency—how is this accomplished?
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in E minor, Op. 64
• Progressive elements
• All movements follow one another without a break
• In Exposition, violin states theme instead of orchestra
• Cadenza—immediately after development, more integral to
movement, leads to recapitulation
• Unusual combinations of instruments
• Very difficult for violinist—fast arpeggios, double stops, harmonics
Listening: Violin Concerto in E minor
Listen for differences between the two themes
• 1st in major, second in minor
• Violin leads first theme, accompanies second
• Range much greater in first theme, bigger leaps
Listening Log: create a timeline of 12 minutes, marked at 30
second intervals on one line.
Create a symbol for three themes:
First (0:00) is:
Bridge theme (1:22) is:
Second theme (2:34) is:
Vary the amplitude to reflect
the emotional intensity
Ch. 9 - Program Music
• Instrumental music associated with a story, poem,
idea, or scene
• Non-program music is called absolute music
• Usually performed with written explanation of
the piece—a program
• In Romantic,usually for piano or orchestra
• Common types:
• Program symphony—multi-movement/orchestral
• Concert overture—modeled on opera overture
• Symphonic poem (or tone poem)—1 movement,
orchestral, flexible form
• Incidental music—for use before or during a play
Ch. 10 - Hector Berlioz
• French composer (1803-1869)
• Mid-Romantic Period
• Wrote unconventional music
• Passionate & unpredictable
• Won Prix de Rome for Symphonie fantastique
• Worked as music critic for support
• One of the first of the great conductors
From Berloz’ memoirs
“When I entered that fearful human charnel-house, littered
with fragments of limbs, and saw the ghastly faces and
cloven heads, the bloody cesspool in which we stood, with its
reeking atmosphere, the swarms of sparrows fighting for
scraps, and the rats in the corners gnawing bleeding
vertebrae, such a feeling of horror possessed me that I leapt
out of the window, and fled home as though Death and all
his hideous crew were at my heels. It was twenty-four hours
before I recovered from the shock of this first impression,
utterly refusing to hear that words anatomy, dissection, or
medicine, and firmly resolved to die rather than enter the
career which had been forced upon me!”
Berlioz’s Music
• “The music of the future” along with
Liszt and Wagner
• Imaginative, innovative orchestrations
• Required huge resources
• Requim Mass: 140 players, huge chorus,
four groups of brass
• Te Deum: solo singer, large orch., organ,
two choirs of 100 singers each, choir of
600 children
• New forms: combination of opera and
oratorio in Damnation of Faust
Symphonie Fantastique
• Unites Berlioz’ Four Great Loves
• Shakespeare
• Beethoven
• Opera and its storytelling aspects
• Himself—autobiographical
Program Symphony
Idee Fixe: invented by Berlioz
•
represents a person, or a concept
• The “Beloved”
Listening
Symphonie fantastique
(Fantastic Symphony, 1830)
by Berlioz
Fifth Movement: Dream of a Witch’s Sabbath
Note: return of idee fixe as grotesque dance
Dies Irae
Fugue
Innovative violin technique
Ch. 11 - Nationalism in Nineteenth-Century Music
• National identity grew during the Romantic
• Arose out of conflict, national consolidation
• Bonds of language, history & culture formed
• Led to unifications creating Germany and Italy
• Composers deliberately gave their works
distinctive national identity
• Use of folksongs and folkdances
• Created original melodies with folk flavor
• Wrote operas and program music inspired by
native history, legends, and landscapes
• Strongest impact in countries dominated by
music of Germany, Austria, Italy and France
Ch. 12 - Antonin Dvořák (1841-1904)
• Followed Smetana (Ch.12) composing Czech national
music
• As teenager, played in orchestra under
Smetana
• Got his break when Brahms heard
• him
• Travelled to US in 1892, Became director of the National
Conservatory of Music in New York
• Urged Americans to write nationalist music
• Wrote From the New World during 1st year
• Later returned to Prague Conservatory
Listening: Symphony No. 9 in E
Minor (From the New World, 1893)
by Dvořák
First Movement: Adagio; Allegro molto
Listening Outline: p. 248
Note:
• Not programmatic, but evocative of
American musical landscape
• Based upon American folk melodies
• Use of non-major/minor scales,
pentatonic
• Clear sonata form
• Slow, dramatic introduction
• Three distinct themes
Listening Log: Symphony No. 9 in E Minor
Create a timeline of nine minutes, marked at
• 0 Introduction:
Describe how Dvorak uses tone color /
orchestration within each section to create
• 1:50: first theme
contrast with thematic material:
• 2:25 Bridge
• What instruments are present
• Do they create a dialog with other
• 2:55 Second theme
instruments?
• 4:00 Third theme
• 4:30 Development
• 6:00 Recapitulation
• 8:20 Coda
Ch. 13 - Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
• Russian, Late Romantic (1840-1893)
• Studied music in Russia
• Did not start until age 21
• By age 30 had a symphony, opera, tone poem
and his1st great orchestra work
• Married, divorced two weeks later
• Supported by benefactress (patron):
Madame Von Meck
• They corresponded but never met
• Traveled Europe and United States
Tchaikovsky’s Music
• Wrote symphonies, concerti, overtures, operas, and
more: most well known for ballets—Swan Lake,
Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty
• Fused Russian folk music & European style
• Created beautiful orchestration
• Capable of intense lyricism, long, sweeping themes , or short,
folk-like melodies
• Examples: Nutcracker suite:
• Dance Arabe
• Dance Chinoise
• Dance Russe
• Listening Log: Describe the character of each
movement, and the unique orchestration
Tchaikovsky uses. Is he successful in depicting the
“exotic” cultures musically?
Ch. 14 - Johannes Brahms
• German composer (1833-1897)
• Son of a musician (father played bass)
• At 13, studied music by day/played gigs by night
• Became close friends with the Schumanns
• Lived with Clara while Robert in asylum
• Lifelong friends with Clara, he never married
• Studied earlier composers’ works in detail
• Especially Bach, Haydn, Mozart & Beethoven
Brahms’s Music
• Considered somewhat conservative due to
his use of classical forms
• Wrote in all traditional forms except opera
Listening: Symphony No. 3 in F Major
by Brahms
Listening Outline: p. 255
Shortest of Brahms’ symphonies
Contains thematic unity
Third Movement: Poco allegretto
Triple meter
Ternary form
Interesting motive, unusual rhythm
Melody was used by Carlos Santana & Dave Matthews Love of My Life
Listening Log and Discussion: How does Brahms use tone
color and register to create contrast between, within
sections?
Ch. 16 - Giacomo Puccini
• Italian (1858-1924)
• Late-Romantic composer
• Known primarily for operas
• Became wealthy and world famous due
to the popularity of his music
• Opera La Bohème 1st major success
• Made use of Exoticism, setting his
operas in foreign places
• Short melodies, simple phrases, and
realistic dialog
• Artistic style verismo (reality): “true to life”
Listening
La Bohéme (1896)
by Puccini
Act I: Scene between Rodolfo and Mimi
through Rodolfo’s aria:
Che gelida manina (How cold your little hand is!)
Storyline of meeting of Rodolfo and Mimi
Vocal Music Guide: p. 260
La Bohéme discussion (and listening log)
• How do this opera’s musical
elements represent a break
with previous eras in opera
writing?
• How is it continuous with
Classical sensibilities?
• Dialog is more realistic
• Blurring between recitative and aria
• Tempo shifts to accentuate music & text
Ch. 17 - Richard Wagner
• German (1813-1883)
• Mid to late Romantic composer
• Studied in Germany
• Later moved to Paris—did not work out
• Returned to Germany, got in trouble
• Finally settled & succeeded in Munich, Bavaria
• Lived large off of others—ran up debts
• Wrote in many styles, famous for opera
Wagner’s Music
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His works were large, full blown affairs
No recitatives & arias—just non-stop music
Adapted idèe fixe to leitmotif approach
Huge orchestrations for operas
• Requires big voices to be heard
Listening
Die Walküre (The Valkyrie, 1856)
by Wagner
Act I: Love Scene, Conclusion
Storyline of the Ring Cycle & this scene
Listening Guide: p. 268
Basic Set, CD 7:05
Brief Set, CD 4:30
Note: Huge production, large orchestrations
Big, powerful voices required
Several leitmotifs (sword leitmotif;
love and spring )
Leitmotif
• Valhalla
• Love
• Volsung
• Spring