ROMANTIC ERA

Romantic Thinking A middle class was beginning to form Revolutionary War in America affected politics all over Europe. Napoleon led France in a Revolution; they did NOT end up with a democracy. The Romantic era is about shepherds, young maids, and other common folk who were suddenly considered as important as rich people.

Composers become free-writers Composers were no longer hired by the wealthy. They begin to write music for the common people. They work free-lance and write what they want to write.

Beethoven Abusive Father Carried notebook for music ideas Showed how to develop motives Wrote in a classical style and romantic style Eroica Symphony

Schubert Wrote many songs in German; most songs until now were in Italian Friends tried to ‘set him up’ for a “good time” He died soon afterwards in his early 30’s

Franz Liszt Catholic Priest Allowed to leave liturgy to marry As Famous as a rock star is today Would have people assigned to ‘faint’ during his performances Situated the piano just right so the audience could see his profile perfectly Many women adored him and came to his concerts just to see him Wrote many works for the piano Began to write folk melodies from gypsies: Hungarian Folk songs

Richard Wagner Wrote many operas Believed that music, art, and drama were meant to be performed together and simultaneously He had an opera house built in Bayreuth, Germany His operas are still performed there today. He had many people who didn’t like him Brahms and Wagner were ‘at war’ their entire lives. The only other person in the history of the world who has had more written about them than Wagner is Jesus Christ.

Johannes Brahms Never married. Many women’s names are written into his music Wrote Hungarian folk melodies Friend to Robert Schumann Cared for Schumann’s family after his death.

Robert Schumann Loved Clara Wieck; sued her father to marry her Friend to Brahms Was mentally ill last 2 years of his life Clara Wieck Schumann Excellent pianist After her husband’s death, she set up concerts where she played her husband’s music She is largely responsible for her husband’s success as a composer.

Chopin Polish Composer Wrote beautiful melodies with a sad or melancholy sound Wrote mainly for the piano

Tchaikovsky Russian Composer Famous for his ballets Swan Lake Sleeping Beauty The Nutcracker

Mendelssohn Fanny Mendelssohn Felix Mendelssohn Young Composer whose genius in composition surpassed Mozart Songs Without Words, Symphonies He died soon after his sister, Fanny

Other Composers Bruckner Franck Berlioz Dvorak Strauss

Instruments Symphonies were very large. Brass tubing was wrapped and valves were added Saxophone invented