Lesson 7

Romantic (1820-1880)

The Romantic period and the life of Beethoven.

What’s Up, Doc?

Melodies from overtures, symphonic poems, and a few well-known Lieder have been used for decades as incidental music behind some very famous cartoon characters.

For a Deeper Understanding. . .

Want to know more about Romanticism and how it differs from other types of classical music? Read Chapter 16 of The History of Western Music.

Overtures, Lieder, and Symphonic Poems

This lesson will provide you with a quick look at the Romantic music that developed from the Classical form, and the musician most responsible for the development of early 19th century orchestral music: Ludwig van Beethoven.

Liberated by Romance

Here’s a two-minute overview of music in the Romantic era:

• Romantic music often uses poems, novels, or paintings as a source of inspiration and organization.
• The subject of Romantic-era music and literature is often romantic love, self-scrutiny, the divine beauty of nature, or the “mystical” connectivity between all things great and small.
• Unlike Classical music, Romantic music is characterized by intense emotional expression.
• Composers of this era experimented liberally with the composition forms they inherited and with the traditional instruments of the orchestra in order to fully express the ideas and emotions of the poems or paintings they were interpreting musically.

Overtures

An overture is generally an introduction to an opera or symphony. It can also be a stand-alone composition.

The history of the overture begins in the mid-17th century, when the overture was a preparatory piece performed at the beginning of an opera as a means of quieting the audience and preparing them for the drama that was about to begin. Musically speaking, the overture had nothing to do with the opera’s music. Allesandro Scarlatti (1660-1725) and Jean Baptiste Lully (1632-1687) are known for their significant contributions to this form of overture.

Christopher Gluck (1714-1787) added a new wrinkle to the “operatic overture” when he began using it as an introduction to the opera itself, often merging the close of the overture into the opening of the drama.

This idea of linking the overture to the musical and thematic concerns of the opera was expanded by other composers in operatic and non-operatic compositions alike:

• Joseph Haydn used the overture to begin his oratorio Creation (1809), as well as other pieces.
• George Handel used the overture extensively in his vocal compositions, smoothing the transition between different vocal movements.
• Beethoven and Wagner used the overture as a means of introducing and beginning the theme of a composition for orchestra.

Such experimentation eventually led to Felix Mendelssohn’s invention of the “Concert Overture,” a stand-alone composition very much like the first movement of the Classical symphony.

Here’s a list of famous overtures that you might enjoy:

“The Barber of Seville,” by Rossini (disc 1, selection 2)

Overtures, The Greatest Hits

Catalog Number: 3611
UPC: 15095361127
Format: CD
Release Date: Apr 13 1994
Label: INTERSOUND RECORDS

“Rienzi” (disc 1, selection 1)

Wagner: Overture & Preludes
Same Day Delivery in Manhattan.

Catalog Number: 439687
UPC: 28943968720
Format: CD
Release Date: Feb 14 1995
Label: POLYGRAM RECORDS

“Egnont, Opus 84″ (disc 1, selection 2)

Beethoven: Complete Overtures
Same Day Delivery in Manhattan.

Catalog Number: 438706
UPC: 28943870627
Format: CD
Release Date: Feb 15 1994
Label: POLYGRAM RECORDS

“1812 Festival Overture, Opus 49″ (disc 1, selection 1)

Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture/Capriccio Italien/Beethoven: Wellington’s Victory
Same Day Delivery in Manhattan.

Catalog Number: 434360
UPC: 28943436021
Format: CD
Release Date: Nov 14 1995
Label: POLYGRAM RECORDS

“Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (disc 1, selection 1)

Mendelssohn: Overture & Incidental Music to “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”/Symphony No. 4
Same Day Delivery in Manhattan.

Catalog Number: 80318
UPC: 89408031823
Format: CD
Release Date: Nov 17 1992
Label: TELARC

Lieder

Written primarily during the Romantic period, Lieder are art songs that blend lyric poetry and emotionally rich melodies, most often accompanied by piano. Composers of Lieder sought poems that embraced the Romantic era’s fascination with nature, introspection, and emotionally powerful experiences, such as the poems written by Germany’s literary giant, Goethe. The goal of the composer was to musically portray the moods and images of the chosen poem.

For the most part, Lieder composers used fairly simple melodies that followed the meter of the poetry. This meant someone of average vocal talent was able to perform the work. The piano part was something else. Some were quite short and to the point, others were highly complex, lengthy compositions with elaborate harmonies and modulations that were far too difficult for the casual pianist.

One composer, Franz Schubert (1797-1828), stands out among all others in this category. Among the 1,000 compositions bearing his name, about 600 are Lieder. At certain periods in his life he wrote several Lieder each day; he once wrote 18 in one day.

Besides Schubert, musicians well known for their Lieder are Robert Franz (1815-1892), Robert Schumann (1810-1856), Johannes Brahms (1833-1897), and Hugo Wolf (1860-1903).

Note

During the brief period when Lieder was most popular, accompanists used a keyboard called a pianoforte. This instrument was essentially the modern piano, and as such it provided a range of dynamic expression unavailable in earlier keyboard instruments.

Here is list of links to memorable Lieder by Schubert, Schumann, and Wolf:

Disc 1, #1: “An die Entfernte, D. 765″

Franz Schubert: 21 Lieder
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Same Day Delivery in Manhattan.

Catalog Number: 69503
UPC: 77776950327
Format: CD
Release Date: Oct 25 1990
Label: ANGEL CLASSICS

Disc 1, selection #2: “The Erl-King, Opus 1″

Zarankin: Schubert Lieder S558
Boris Zarankin

Catalog Number: 3472
UPC: 15095347220
Format: CD
Release Date: Apr 16 1995
Label: INTERSOUND RECORDS

Disc 1, selection #1: “Three Songs, Opus 30″

Schumann: Lieder-Album für die Jugend Op79

Catalog Number: 61799
UPC: 90266179923
Format: CD
Release Date: Jan 12 1999
Label: RCA

Disc 1, selection #1: “An Eine Aolsharfe, Angelehnt An Die Efeuwand”

Hugo Wolf: Mörike Lieder

Catalog Number: 8726
UPC: 95115872628
Format: CD
Release Date: Oct 28 1992
Label: CHANDOS

Symphonic Poems

This form is mostly the invention of Germany’s Franz Liszt, who sought the freedom to move his music beyond the boundaries of the traditional symphonic or sonata form.

Sometimes called a “tone poem,” the symphonic poem:

• Uses the instruments of the orchestra
• Utilizes a single musical movement (not four movements, like its namesake) that sounds to our modern ears like an overture
• Is usually inspired by an extra-musical idea or story, often found in a poem (and hence the title of this form)

Other composers immediately followed Liszt’s lead. Bedrick Smetana (1824-1884) and Alexander Ritter (1833-1896) were two of the most influential. Ritter’s student Richard Strauss (1864-1949) eventually wrote one of the best-known symphonic poems of all time, “Also sprach Zarathustra,” used as the theme for the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The symphonic poem endured as a popular and formal entity until the early 20th century, when many composers discarded traditional structures and names and concentrated more on music for the sake of music, essentially completing what Franz Liszt had begun.

Note

Franz Liszt’s reputation as one of the best concert pianists who ever lived was probably well earned; it was said that his ability to capture his audience with the power of his playing would even cause women to swoon in the aisles during performances.

Here’s a list of links to popular symphonic poems:

“Symphonic Poem No. 3″ (disc 1, selection 2)

List: Orchestral Works

Catalog Number: 453130
UPC: 28945313023
Format: CD
Release Date: Jul 14 1998
Label: POLYGRAM RECORDS

“My Fatherland: Vysehrad” (disc 1, selection 1)

Bedrich Smetana: Ma Vlast/My Fatherland
Same Day Delivery in Manhattan.

Catalog Number: 58944
UPC: 74645894423
Format: CD
Release Date: Sep 6 1994
Label: SONY

Opus 30 (disc 1, selection 1)

Richard Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra
Same Day Delivery in Manhattan.

Catalog Number: 447441
UPC: 28944744125
Format: CD
Release Date: Apr 9 1996
Label: POLYGRAM RECORDS

Beethoven Slept Here!

Beethoven had a reputation for being a bit hard to please, especially when it came to housing. During his life in Vienna, he resided in apartments, homes, mansions, and palaces, almost always finding something wrong with the accommodations, which would prompt another move. At last count, his residences numbered nearly thirty. For more about the life of Beethoven, see Classical Music: The 50 Greatest Composers and Their 1,000 Greatest Works pages 131-145, or read chapter 15 of The History of Western Music

Discuss

Why does Beethoven’s work remain so popular and resonant today?

Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven was born December 17, 1770, in Bonn. His exceptional talent was readily apparent at a very early age, and after a respectable amount of time studying piano and violin, the child prodigy was introduced to the world at large at the age of seven.

Ludwig’s training continued throughout his teens, and his reputation grew. He traveled to Vienna in 1792 to study with Joseph Haydn, and remained a resident of the city for most of his life. It’s said his relationship with Haydn remained cordial even though Beethoven openly complained about his teacher’s casual method of instruction. Ludwig eventually dedicated three piano sonatas to Haydn. When Beethoven attended an 1808 concert in Vienna honoring his venerable teacher (who had to be carried in on his favorite chair), Beethoven wept as he kissed his master’s hand.

Beethoven is often described as surly and short-tempered, which may have been true; however, an accurate picture of the man must also include his devotion to his younger brothers, Caspar Anton Carl (1774-1815) and Nikolaus Johann (1776-1848), and his keen interest in the welfare of his nephew Karl, the son of Caspar. The untimely death of his brother (in 1815) prompted Ludwig to intervene in the care of his nephew and seek permanent guardianship from the courts. This action was at considerable personal cost and resulted in a significant interruption to his composing schedule. However, Ludwig’s persistence prevailed, and in 1820 Karl became his legal ward. In the meantime, Beethoven had been paying for the teenager’s care and education, sending him to a private school and university training. In 1826, Karl unsuccessfully attempted suicide, and eventually convinced Ludwig to let him join the army.

Deafness

Along with the emotional stress of his family life, Ludwig had another, more personal demon to fight: he was becoming deaf. This staggering blow is reason enough to explain Ludwig’s irascible behavior. He began noticing the early signs of hearing loss around 1800, and by 1818 he could communicate effectively only by writing in a notebook. (Historians estimate Beethoven filled nearly 400 notebooks, though only 137 survive.)

Beethoven, one of the greatest musicians who ever lived, overcame his disability and went on to compose some of the most important music in Western history, hearing it all only with his mind — not his ears. In 1823 he completed the “Missa Solemnis,” and the following year his Ninth Symphony. During the last three years of his life, Ludwig composed the most significant and personal music of his life, the five string quartets known as Opuses 127, 130, 131, 132, and 135.

In the fall of 1826, while returning home from a visit to his brother, Ludwig contracted pneumonia, which weakened him and greatly aggravated an already existing liver disease. He died the next year on March 26 at the age of 57.

Afterword

Beethoven has been called, among other things, a musical titan, and deservedly so, for he bridged the gap between two substantially different musical eras — Classical and Romantic — more successfully perhaps than any composer of any musical era. His ability to interpret and express a vast range of emotion was quintessentially Romantic, and yet his compositions have a formal beauty and clarity that is the essence of Classical music.

Beethoven’s hallmark “fusion” of the Classical and the Romantic has greatly influenced and carefully guided many of the composers who followed in his footsteps.

1, Kyrie-Assai Sostenuto (disc 1, selection 1)

Beethoven: Missa Solemnis

Catalog Number: 429779
UPC: 28942977921
Format: CD
Release Date: Feb 8 1991
Label: POLYGRAM RECORDS

Beethoven: Ninth Symphony:
“Sym. No. 9 in D Minor (Ode to Joy)” (disc 1, selection 1)
Catalog Number: 8810
UPC: 56775881023
Format: CD
Release Date: Oct 7 1997
Label: MADACY RECORDS

“Quartet in A Minor” (disc 1, selection 1)

Beethoven: The Late String Quartets
Guarneri Quartet

Catalog Number: 60458
UPC: 90266045822
Format: CD
Release Date: Oct 10 1990
Label: RCA

Nothing New?

The use of folk melodies as the main theme within a larger body of music is a device composers have used for generations. The Romantic difference is the emphasis placed upon the heritage of the theme.

Nationalism in Music

The early Romantic period, with its emphasis on the deep expression of emotion, was a fertile breeding ground for ideas of patriotic pride, not only in literature and poetry but in music as well. The national revolutions in America and France made indelible impressions in the hearts and minds of thoughtful people throughout Europe. These impressions became ideas and were soon expressed in musical forms that placed a premium on the expression of a national identity.

Here are some of the earliest composers of music that can be considered nationalistic:

• Robert Schumann (1810-1856) blended German literature and music
• Frederic Chopin (1810-1849) defiantly expressed his sympathies for his native Poland
• Franz Liszt (1811-1886) included Hungarian folk music phrases in compositions
• Richard Wagner (1813-1883) was forcefully Germanic and bold in his approach

These pioneers were succeeded in the latter half of the 19th century by another generation of composers who were even more nationalistic. The most passionate practitioners of this form managed to fuse their national identity with compositions of magnificent beauty. Such “second generation” nationalists include:

• From Bohemia, Bedrich Smetana (1824-1884) and Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904)
• From Norway, Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)
• From Germany, Richard Strauss (1864-1949)
• From Russia (with love), Modeste Moussorgsky (1839-1881) and Nicholas Rimsky-Korsakof (1844-1908)

Here’s a list of links to some of the best-known nationalistic compositions:

“Hungarian Rhapsody No. 5 in E Minor” (Disc 1, selection 1)

Franz Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 5/Piano Concerto No. 2/Symphonic Poems

Catalog Number: 3622
UPC: 56775362225
Format: CD
Release Date: Sep 9 1994
Label: MADACY RECORDS

“The Bartered Bride: Overture” (disc 1, selection 1)

Smetana: The Bartered Bride / From My Life

Catalog Number: 8412
UPC: 95115841228
Format: CD
Release Date: Oct 28 1992
Label: CHANDOS

“Night On Bald Mountain” (disc 1, selection 1)

Moussorgky: Night on Bald Mountain/Pictures at an Exhibition

Catalog Number: 80042
UPC: 89408004223
Format: CD
Release Date: Oct 25 1990
Label: TELARC

Op. 30: “The Song of the Grave” (disc 1, selection 5)

Richard Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra
Same Day Delivery in Manhattan.

Catalog Number: 447441
UPC: 28944744125
Format: CD
Release Date: Apr 9 1996
Label: POLYGRAM RECORDS

Moving Forward

In this lesson we covered the Romantic period of music and some of its most popular and influential forms. We also saw that Ludwig van Beethoven managed to bridge the gap between Classical and Romantic music. In our next and final lesson, we’ll review what we’ve learned throughout this entire course.

Assignment: Romantic (1820-1880)

Select one symphony by Beethoven and listen to the entire composition.

Answer the following questions and e-mail the results:

1. Find one example each of an overture, lieder, and symphonic poem not mentioned in this lesson. List the title, composer, and the year it was written.
2. Listen to one of Beethoven’s symphonies in its entirety and then write a couple of paragraphs analyzing its use of emotion as a compositional device.

Go to the message board and name one composer not discussed in this lesson who wrote nationalistic music.