Romantic music - features of style Flashcards
How did melody change?
Less common instruments given melodic lines
Melodies permeated the whole symphony; heard not just in one movement but multiple
More melodic fragmentation and development
More expressive; wider range of pitches, dynamics, phrase lengths and chromaticism
Melodies dictated by programme music stories
Music to represent characters in programme music
Inclusion of vibrato and rubato
What are the dates of Romantic music?
1820/1830 - 1900
How did structure change?
Longer sections of music
More complex sections of music
Longer movements
Themes added in the development of sonata form
More movements
Fewer movements
Tone poems
How did the woodwind instrumentation change vs. Classical?
Boehm key system in 1830s; improved performance of clarinets and flutes
Flute made out of metal in 1840s
Piccolo, Contrabassoon and Cor Anglais invented
More solo parts
Larger section
How did sonority change?
Wider range of instrumental colours available to composers
Choirs, harps, organs used
More performance techniques required such as sul ponticello, pizzicato, tremolo and sul tasto
Combination of instruments became more varied
Industrial Revolution helped develop instruments so they could have more melodic lines i.e. Clarinet, Flute and Trombone
Why was Romantic music ‘invented’?
Composers wanted to be more individual, to push the boundaries, to develop music in different ways, to be more expressive, to use more and varied instruments, to write programmatic music, to write music that fit with a story, to write more nationalistic and folk music and to move away from ‘absolute’ music (the focus on writing structures of music and music without a story; the opposite of programme music)
How did harmony change?
More expressive
More chromatic, more dissonance, wider range of chords and keys to use, move towards tonal centres vs. keys, programme music dictated the emotions needed but pedal notes and diminished chords continued
How did the brass instrumentation change vs. Classical?
Larger section
Tuba, Trombone, Wagerian Tuba and Ophicleide invented
Valves invented in 1810s
More fanfare writing after valve upgrades enabled performers to play using chromatic notes
How did the percussion change vs. Classical?
Larger section
Timpani more of a role and not just tonic and dominant from Classical
Wider range of beaters used; Berlioz SF; specific markings
Triangle, cymbals and pitched percussion including xylophone and organ used
More programmatic use; Vltava
How did strings instrumentation change vs. Classical?
Larger section
More performance techniques i.e. tremolo
Wider dynamic range
Inclusion of harp
Independence of Double Bass
How did rhythm change?
More virtuosic rhythms
More cross rhythms
Wider range of rhythms
Use of tremolo
Rhythmic augmentation and diminution
Metre changed to reflect a programmatic story
What is deemed to be Late Romantic?
1850-1900
