The flower duet by léo delibes

Music appreciation 105

An introduction to music – travel – culture

Emily Smith

Unit 3 Chapter 5

Romantic

1820-1900

Characteristics of the Romantic Era

Music: emotional extremes, more freelance composers, long beautiful melodies, more chromaticism, new forms invented, music written for the general public, Piano is the most popular instrument

Nationalism – when composers incorporate elements of their country into their musical works

Texture: Mostly homophonic, sometimes polyphonic

Characteristics of the Romantic Era

Forms:

Old – Opera, Mass, Sonata, Symphony, Concerto

New – Lied, Symphonic Poem, Ballet, Many solo piano forms

Composers: Berlioz, Schubert, Chopin, Liszt, Mendelsohn, Schumann, Strauss, Mahler, Brahms, and many, many more.

Travel: France, Germany, Austria, Poland, Russia, and Italy

France

Germany

Austria

Poland

Russia

Italy

Travel

Going up the Chromatic Scale

Chromaticism – moving in half step increments

Chromatic Scale – A scale made up of 12 half steps

2

1

3

4

5

6

12

7

8

11

9

10

C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B C

C B B♭ A A♭ G G♭ F E E♭ D D♭ C

Coming back down the Chromatic Scale

Chromaticism

Notes on the Romantic Era

Instead of depending on the church and aristocracy to make a living, composers were now freelance musicians

Made a living from concerts, publishing, and private teaching

Women composers were marginalized and wrote primarily in smaller forms like art songs

Considered inferior because they didn’t write grand works like Symphonies and Operas

Inventions in the Industrial Revolution led to advancements and improvements in the mechanical valves and keys used by brass and woodwind instruments

Texture

Mainly Homophonic – one melody with chordal accompaniment

Sometimes Polyphonic – two or more melodies at the same time

Texture

Polyphonic

Homophonic

Two or more melodic lines at the same time

One Melody with Chordal Accompaniment

Old: Vocal

Sacred and Secular Songs

Opera

Forms - Old

Old: Instrumental – Large

Sonata

Symphony

Concerto

Old: Instrumental – Small

Variations

Opera

Originally composers added music to preexisting ancient Greek dramas

Now composers are starting to use new libretti and even write their own stories (Wagner)

Composers include: Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, Verdi, Puccini, Bizet, Wagner, and more.

Born in Italy

Became the church organist at age 8

Made political and nationalistic references in his operas

Influential in the Risorgimento (unification) of Italy

Established Casa di Riposo per Musicisti (a rest home for retired musicians) and the building of a hospital at Villanova sull’ Arda

Compositions Include:

3 Operas (Rigoletto, Il trovatore, La traviata, Aida, etc.)

Sacred Music: Requiem, Four Sacred Pieces

Italian Giuseppe Verdi 1813-1901

Verdi – Rigoletto: La donna è mobile “The Lady is Fickle” – Luciano Pavarotti

Rigoletto – story of Duke of Mantua, his court jester Rigoletto, and Rigoletto’s daughter Gilda. A curse placed on both the Duke and Rigoletto comes to fruition when Gilda falls in love with the Duke and sacrifices her life to save him from assassins hired by her father.

Luciano Pavarotti – Italian operatic tenor, sang with the famous Three Tenors, sold over 100 million records

Italy

Giuseppe Verdi

1813-1901

https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjbNpWRzyz4

Born in Germany

Attended Leipzig University and studied composition

Wrote the stories (libretti) as well as the music for his operas

Invented the Leitmotif – a short, constantly recurring musical phrase associated with a particular person, place, or idea

Frequently used the chromatic scale in his compositional devices

Married Franz Liszt’s daughter Cosmia

Built Festspielhaus (opera house) in Bayreuth

Compositions Include:

6 Operas (The Flying Dutchman, Tristan und Isold, etc.)

The Ring of the Nebelung – a collection of 4 operas

Orchestral: 2 Symphonies, Siegried Idyll, Grand Festival March (to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence), various overtures and concert overtures

Piano music, chamber music, and songs

Richard Wagner 1813-1883

The Ring of Nibelung – set of 4 operas by Wagner. Die Walkure is the 2nd

Story from Norse Mythology – the plot revolves around a magic ring that grants the power to rule the world

A Valkyrie is a group of female figures who decide which soldiers die in battle and which ones live

In this scene the Valkyries have gathered to transport the fallen soldiers to Valhalla

Wagner – Die Walkure: Ride of the Valkyries

https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeRwBiu4wfQ

Germany

Richard Wagner

1813-1883

https :// vimeo.com/218263252

What’s Opera Doc?

In Norse lore the Aurora Borealis was caused by the glittering armor of the Valkyries as they rode across the sky

Born in France

Mother was a pianist, Father was a composer and vocal teacher

Enrolled at the Paris Conservatory and won 1st prize in piano at age 14

His music was not very popular despite his skill and education

Compositions Include:

5 Operas (Carmen, etc)

3 Cantatas

Orchestral: 1 Symphony, Vasco da Gama, Souvenirs de Rome, and L’Arlèsienne Suites 1 and 2

Piano Music: more than 150 pieces including Jeux d’ enfants – suite of 12 miniatures for piano 4 hands

Georges Bizet 1838-1875

https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs0E2CufQ7c

Bizet – Carmen: Habanera – Grace Bumbry

Set in southern Spain and tells the story of the downfall of Don José, a naïve soldier who is seduced by the wiles of the fiery gypsy Carmen

Grace Bumbry - an American opera singer, is considered one of the leading mezzo-sopranos of her generation, as well as a major soprano for many years. She was a member of a pioneering generation of African-American opera and classical singers in the world of classical music and paved the way for future African-American opera and concert singers.

Love is a rebellious bird that no one can tame, and if you call for it, it’ll be quite in vain for it’s in its nature to say no. Nothing helps, neither a threat nor a prayer one talks well, the other rests silent and it’s the other one that I prefer doesn’t say a thing, but pleases me. Love! Love! Love! Love!

Love is a gypsy’s child, it has never, never known what law is, if you do not love me, I love you if I love you, then beware! If you do not love me, if you do not love me, I love you! But if I love you, if I love you, then beware!

Love is a gypsy’s child, it has never, never known what law is, if you do not love me, I love you if I love you, then beware! If you do not love me, if you do not love me, I love you! But if I love you, if I love you, then beware!

The bird you thought you had caught by surprise beats it wings and lies away…love lies afar, you can wait for it and when you don’t expect it anymore, there it is! All around you twirls faster, faster it comes and goes, and then comes back. You think you’ve caught it, it eludes you, you think you’ve escaped it, it captures you. Love! Love! Love! Love!

France

Georges Bizet

1838-1875

Born in Italy

Orphaned at age 5

Studied with his father’s former pupils

Music was influenced by Verdi, Wagner, Debussy, and Stravinsky

Compositions Include:

10 Operas (Turandot, Madama Butterfly, Tosca, etc.)

Il trittico – a collection of 3 operas

Songs for piano and voice

Giacomo Puccini 1858-1924

Puccini – Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino car – Montserrat Caballé

https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxZSP1Dc78Q

Gianni Schicchi – comic opera based on Dante’s Divine Comedy

The 3rd installment of Puccini’s Il tricttico operas

Montserrat Caballé – a Spanish opera singer, legendary performances and Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots, famous for collaborating with Freddie Mercury (Queen) on his album Barcelona, passed recently on 10/6/2018