Romantic Period Terms/Important Facts

Question 1

Clara Schumann

Answer 1

(1819-1896) wife of Robert, friend of Johannes, daughter of piano teacher (Liszt), concert pianist, wrote Lieder

Question 2

Ludwig van Beethoven

Answer 2

(1770-1827) 9 symphonies, 1 opera; first song cycle; lost hearing, bridge to Romantic Era

Question 3

Richard Wagner

Answer 3

(1813-1883) created music dramas, wrote The Ring Cycle; Leitmotives, wrote several essays

Question 4

Franz Schubert

Answer 4

(1797-1828) wrote over 600 Lieder; first great master of the Romantic Lied

Question 5

Frederyk Chopin

Answer 5

(1810-1849) from Poland, wrote almost exclusively for the piano, love affair with novelist; George Sand

Question 6

Franz Liszt

Answer 6

(1811-1886) Hungarian born; piano virtuoso; came up with concept of “recitals”; daughter married Robert Schumann

Question 7

tempo d’attaco

Answer 7

beginning section of a duet where the characters trade melodic phrases; precedes the cantabile of a duet in bel canto structure

Question 8

bel canto

Answer 8

(Italian, “beautiful singing”) Elegant Italian vocal style of the early 19th century marked by lyrical, embellished, and florid melodies that show off the beauty, agility, and fluency of the singer’s voice

Question 9

tempo di mezzo

Answer 9

(Italian, “middle movement”) The operatic scene structure developed by Gioachino Rossini in the early 19th century, the middle section of an aria or ensemble, usually an interruption or a transcription, that falls between the cantabile and the cabaletta.

Question 10

cabaletta

Answer 10

In the operatic scene structure developed by Gioachino Rossini in the early 19th century, the last part of an aria or an ensemble, which was lively and brilliant and expressed active feelings, such as joy or despair. Usually repeated in whole or in part with embellishments.

Question 11

opera comique

Answer 11

(French, “comic opera”) 1) In the 18th century, light French comic opera, which used spoken dialogue instead of recitatives. 2)In 19th century France, opera with spoken dialogue, whether comic or tragic.

Question 12

grand opera

Answer 12

A serious form of opera, popular during the Romantic era, that was sung throughout and included ballets, choruses, and spectacular staging.

Question 13

absolute music

Answer 13

Music that is independent of words, drama, visual images, or any kind of representational aspects.

Question 14

characteristic music

Answer 14

Instrumental music that depicts or suggests a mood, personality, or scene, usually indicated it its title.

Question 15

program music

Answer 15

Instrumental music that tells a story or follows a narrative or other sequence of events, often spelled out in an accompanying text called a program.

Question 16

lyric opera

Answer 16

Romantic opera that lies somewhere between light opera comique and Grand Opera. Named after Theatre Lyrique; main appeal through melody; subject usually romantic drama or fantasy; scale larger than opera comique, but smaller than grand opera; examples are Faust by Charles Gounod (1818-1893); Carmen by Geroge Bizet (1875)

Question 17

operetta

Answer 17

19th Century kind of light opera with spoken dialogue, originating in opera bouffe.

Question 18

music drama

Answer 18

19th Century genre created by Richard Wagner in which drama and music become organically connected to express a kind of absolute oneness. See also Gesamtkunstwerk.

Question 19

leitmotiv

Answer 19

(German) In an opera or music drama, a motive, theme, or musical idea associated with a person, thing, mood, or idea, which returns in original or altered form throughout.

Question 20

opera bouffe

Answer 20

Romantic operatic genre in France that emphasized the smart, witty, and satirical elements of opera comique.

Question 21

verismo

Answer 21

(Italian, “realism”) 19th century operatic movement that presents everyday people in familiar situations, often depicting sordid or brutal events.

Question 22

mazurka

Answer 22

A type of Polish folk dance (and later ballroom dance) in triple meter, characterized by accents on the second or third beat and often by dotted figures on the first beat, or a stylized piano piece based on such a dance.

Question 23

concert etude

Answer 23

(French, “study”) An instrumental piece designed to develop a particular skill or performing technique. Certain 19th century study pieces that contained significant artistic content and were played in concert were called by this name.

Question 24

melodrama

Answer 24

A genre of musical theater that combined spoken dialogue with background music.

Question 25

minstrel songs

Answer 25

songs for shows of same name; remained popular long after the shows went out of fashion; i.e. Dixie (1860); and these by Stephen Foster Oh! Susanna (1848), Camptown Races (1850), Old Folks at Home (1851), My Old Kentucky Home (1853).

Question 26

cantabile

Answer 26

(Italian, “songlike”) 1) Songful, lyrical, in a song-like style. 2) In the operatic scene structure developed by Rossini in the early 19th Century, the first section of an aria or ensemble, somewhat slow and expressing a relatively calm mood.

Question 27

dies irae

Answer 27

sacred medieval tune that is quoted several times in Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique, fifth movement, “Dream of a Witches’ Sabbath”

Question 28

Samiel

Answer 28

the name of the devil or the Black Huntsman in Carl Maria von Weber’s Der Freischutz

Question 29

Harriet Smithson

Answer 29

real life woman who inspired the idee fixe in Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique

Question 30

Fryderyk Chopin: Nocturne in D-flat Major, Op. 27, No. 2

Answer 30

form is modified strophic with three verses and a coda; timbre of this piece is piano

Question 31

Carl Maria von Weber: Der Freischutz, Act II, finale, Wolf’s Glen scene

Answer 31

melody of this piece includes reminiscence motives; timbre of this piece includes orchestra, chorus, and male soloist – some singing, some speaking

Question 32

Robert Schumann; Dichterliebe, Op. 48, Im wundershonen Monat Mai

Answer 32

genre of this piece is an excerpt from a song cycle (Lied); in this piece the piano is an EQUAL PARTNER in expressing the meanings of the song.

Question 33

Richard Wagner: Tristan und Isolde, Act I, scene 5

Answer 33

This piece contains layers of leimotives - or short melodies - to create the feel of “endless melody”. This piece is a music drama.

Question 34

Hector Berlioz: Sympohine Fantastique , fifth movement, “Dream of a Witches’ Sabbath”

Answer 34

melody of this piece quotes the Dies irae, and includes and idee fixe; This piece has imaginative, almost ‘scenic’ orchestration

Question 35

Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata in C minor, Op. 13 (Pathetique), first movement

Answer 35

form if this piece is in sonata form; timbre of this piece is solo piano

Question 36

Franz Schubert: Gretchen am Spinnrade

Answer 36

rhythm of this piece suggest the movement of the “spinning wheel” in the right hand of the piano part and the foot pedals in the left. Form of this piece is rondo-like with the refrain of the first stanza returning between each verse.

Question 37

Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 (Eroica), first movement

Answer 37

Form of this is sonata form. This piece has a title that suggests a hero.

Question 38

Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98, fourth movement, Allegro energico e passionato

Answer 38

Genre of this piece is a chaconne. This piece is in part inspired by Baroque music and forms.

Question 39

Franz Liszt: Trois etudes de concert, No. 3: Un sospiro

Answer 39

This piece is a solo piano study piece. Form of this piece is unusual and can be interpreted in several ways.