Transcript Overview: Ch. 1,2

Introduction to Music
Romantic Era Overview
Romantic Era & Middle
Ages/Renaissance Schedule
Wednesday
March 12
Exam 2 post, Part 5: Romantic Ch. 1, 2
Friday
March 14
Rom 3, 4, 6, 10, 12
Monday
March 24
Rom Ch. 6, 7, 9, 10
Wednesday
March 26
Rom Ch. 12, 13, 17
Friday
March 28
Rom Ch. 18, Part 2: Middle Ages
Monday
March 31
Part 2: Middle Ages, Renaissance
Wednesday
April 2
Part 2: Renaissance
Friday
April 4
Rom wrap-up/review
Monday
April 7
Exam 3—Romantic Era, Middle Ages,
Renaissance
19thC Romanticism--an overview
1. Revolutionary spirit--dissatisfaction w/ Classical era’s restraints
2. Industrialization
agrarian to industrial economy; move to cities
explosive urban growth
wretched living conditions
larger, wealthier middle class pursuing recreation
middle class music-making
university training in
music
3. Nature
Culture preoccupied w/
Dual view:
serene, beautiful, alluring
awesome, foreboding, dangerous
19thC Romanticism--an overview
19thC Romanticism--an overview
19thC Romanticism--an overview
4. Artists, musicians, writers drawn to fantasy world &
fascination with:
the past (esp. middle ages)
grotesque, ugly, evil

Mary Shelley


Sir Walter Scott


Frankenstein
Ivanhoe
Victor Hugo

The Hunchback of Notre Dame
19thC Romanticism--an overview
19thC Romanticism--an overview
5. Age of :
emotionalism
grandiose, monumental (Eiffel Tower, Crystal
Palace, etc.)
miniature (short story, tiny art works)
19thC Romanticism--an overview
1851 Crystal Palace
original photo
Crystal Palace inside
The
th
19 C
Music Business
1. Patronage gone
Beethoven--some contributors, but NO patrons
Schubert—entirely in free market
2. Music journalism = big business
3. Musical celebrities, “stars,” tour Europe, entertain
middle class audiences.
What is the connection with journalism?
4. Th/f much music is extremely difficult--for
virtuosos
5. Piano = most popular instrument (Every home has
a piano!)
6. Instrumental > vocal music
19thC Music
1.
Primary function of music = Evocation of powerful
EMOTION Th/f
“Message” = more important than form
forms = looser formal “grammar,” i.e., forms are not as clear
and precise as in classical era
2.
Individualism = VIMP
Th/f composers develop unique styles
3.
Program music popular—chic!
4.
Nationalism-- “music with an ethnic flavor”
How might a composer achieve this?
5.
Exoticism--interest in the unknown, foreign, wild
Composers & their exotic works:

Dvorak (Czech)


Rimsky-Korsakov (Russian)


Carmen (set in Spain)
Verdi (Italian)


Scheherazade (Arabian) or Capriccio Espagnol (Spanish)
Bizet (French)


New World Symphony (native American themes, melodies)
Aida (middle East)
Puccini (Italian)


La Bohème (set in Paris)
Madame Butterfly (set in Japan, American sailor, Japanese
woman)
For a GREAT overview of the
Romantic, aka “Victorian,” era:
Www.victorianstation.com