Week 1

Question 1

What are 11 attitudes of 19th century art and music?

Answer 1

• Sehnsucht (yearning for the unattainable)- Individualism- Heightened emotionalism- Weltschmerz (growing pessimism)- Exoticism (distant, foreign)- Nationalism- Escapism- Fascination with the supernatural- Morbid fascination with death- Art as religion- Adoration of nature

Question 2

Name 4 non-musical people that reflect the spirit of Romanticism

Answer 2

• Johann Wolfgang von Goethe- Napoleon Bonaparte- Caspar David Friedrich- Charles Dickens

Question 3

Describe the melody of Romantic music style

Answer 3

• lyrical and expansive- influenced by folk song and dance

Question 4

Describe the harmony of Romantic music style

Answer 4

• increased chromaticism- exploration of new tonal centres (ex. mediant, submediant)- exploration of modal harmony

Question 5

Describe the formal structure of Romantic music style

Answer 5

• expansion and development of large forms: symphony, opera, song cycle- cyclical structure, linking of movements- development of miniature forms (ex. Lieder)

Question 6

Describe how programmatic music was an element of Romantic music style

Answer 6

• trend in 19th century music- instrumental music with extra-musical associations (literary, poetic, visual)- descriptive titles that evoke listener’s imagination- orchestral genres included concert overture, symphonic poem, program symphony, and incidental music

Question 7

Describe the rhythm of Romantic music style

Answer 7

• increasingly complex and varied- use of cross-rhythms, hemiola, irregular groupings- tempo rubato applied by the performer (expressive speeding up or slowing down)

Question 8

Describe the dynamic range of Romantic music style

Answer 8

• expanded to extreme levels- markings in score are more specific (compared to earlier eras)

Question 9

Describe the orchestral instruments of Romantic music style

Answer 9

• expansion of orchestra to include: harp, piccolo, English horn, trombone, tuba, contrabassoon- improvements to instruments (ex. 7 pedals added to harp, enabling it to play in all keys)- composers inspired to exploit expanded capabilities of instruments in demanding and virtuosic works

Question 10

Describe how the piano changed in Romantic music style

Answer 10

• technological improvements (ex. cast iron frame that supported thicker strings-richer tone, invention of “double escapement” action-allowed rapid repetition of individual keys)- pieces requiring greater virtuosity

Question 11

How did social changes in the 19th century affect music?

Answer 11

• audiences of a wide spectrum of social classes- growing number of amateur musicians, ensembles, and choirs- more concerts, need for more performance venues- emergence of many virtuoso musicians