Romantic Period Music and Violin Masters

Romantic Period Music (1820-1910)

• Characterized by emotion, imagination, individualism, and freedom of expression
• Nationalism incorporated into music, exemplified by Chopin's Polonaise
• Beethoven bridged the Classical and Romantic eras, inspiring emotional expression and expanded orchestras
• Romantic piano music is in free forms like fantasies, rhapsodies, ballades, and nocturnes
• Program music, like Symphony Fantastique, portrays literature, history, emotions, and nature

Violin and Strings Music - Niccolo Paganini

• Born October 27, 1782, in Genoa, Italy
• Began playing mandolin at age 5, then violin at 7
• Developed exceptional violin skills, influencing many other composers
• Rumored to have sold his soul for skills; known for problems with women and gambling
• His compositions inspired other composers, such as Franz Liszt,Frederic Chopin, and Robert Schumann

Piano Music

• Romantic piano music required high virtuosity
• Some were recreations of Classical sonatas
• Adaptations of Romantic period piano compositions exist as songs today

Frederic Chopin

• Born March 1, 1810, in Zelazowa, Poland
• Began playing piano at age 4, composed polonaises at 7
• Studied at Warsaw Conservatory; influenced by folk music
• Primarily composed for piano; used the piano pedal extensively
• Famous works include Fantasie in F minor, Op. 49, Revolutionary Etude, Op. 10, No. 12, and 24 Preludes, Op. 28.

Franz Liszt

• Known for virtuosity; a busy, prolific composer and performer during the Romantic era
• Born in Hungary, displayed early talent; passionate about piano performance
• Focused on virtuoso piano playing; notably known for his symphonic poems and piano transcriptions of operas and symphonies
• Generous with time and money towards orphans and the less fortunate

Robert Schumann

• A noted Romantic composer and music critic
• Born in 1810; studied law, but transitioned to music
• Founded the journal "Neue Zeitschrift für Musik"
• Also composed works under pseudonyms, Eusebius (lyrical side) and Florestan (fiery side)
• Known piano works include Abegg Variations, Davidsbündlertänze, Carnaval, and Fantasiestücke, among others
• Contained orchestral music and art songs, such as Frauenliebe und Leben

Program Music - Hector Berlioz

• A French Romantic composer (born December 11, 1803)
• Famous for the five-movement "Symphonie Fantastique" (or "Fantastic Symphony")
• A program piece depicting a musician's experiences and hallucinations after taking opium
• Focused on tone color in his compositions

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

• A Russian composer known for his ballet music, born May 7, 1840.
• Initially studied law; later transitioned to music composition.
• Known for works like Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, 1812 Overture, The Sleeping Beauty, and Symphony No. 6

Camille Saint-Saëns

• A French composer and pianist known for elegance and creativity in his compositions
• Born October 9, 1835, in Paris; taught himself from an early age
• Famous for the "Carnival of the Animals," "Danse Macabre" , Symphony No. 3, and The Swan, amongst many other works

Glossary Terms

• Adagio: Slow tempo
• Allegro: Quick tempo
• Allegretto: Moderately quick tempo
• Ballade: A musical verse-form piece
• Ballet: Group or solo dance with musical accompaniment
• Concerto: Music for orchestra and solo instruments
• Etude: Composition for developing a specific technique
• Largo: Very slow tempo
• Mazurka: A Polish dance
• Nocturne: An instrumental piece with a pensive mood.
• Nationalism: Devotion to one's nation.
• Overture: Instrumental introduction to an extended work
• Piano music: Music created for the piano
• Polonaise: A Polish promenade dance
• Program music: Music portraying a non-musical scene, incident, idea.
• Rubato: Flexible rhythm in a phrase.
• Scherzo: Playful movement in music
• Sonata: Composition for one or more solo instruments.
• Symphony: Extended composition for orchestra, typically in multiple movements
• Virtuoso: A highly skilled musician
• Waltz: A dance in triple time involving couples circling.
• Symphony poem: Single-movement orchestral work with a program