New additions to the orchestra, instrument advancements, and style The Romantic period New additions to the orchestra, instrument advancements, and style

Characteristics of romantic music Big orchestration Emphasis on nature, nationalism, and the supernatural Highly expressive and melodic Homophonic Dense textures Programmatic

New additions to the orchestra Piccolo Eb Clarinet Bass Clarinet Contrabassoon Harp Tuba

Piccolo Usually played by 3rd flutist or assistant principal Usually doubles 1st violin or 1st flute for a more brilliant sound. Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, Mvt IV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXFrjgYRMJI

Eb CLARINET Also referred to as the “sopranino” clarinet Music may be written in either Eb or D, making it necessary to transpose Used frequently by Mahler and Strauss Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZoLCcy1xbA

Bass clarinet Largest clarinet in the orchestra First appearance made in an 1834 opera by Mercadante, Emma d'Antiochia Berlioz was the first romantic composer to score heavily for bass clarinet Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Bass Clarinet Excerpts) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFx0kK22874

contrabassoon Usually doubles the bass trombone or tuba parts Found in large symphonic works, namely of Brahms, Mahler, and Strauss Underwent many cosmetic changes between the years of 1880 and 2000. Brahms: Symphony No. 1, Mvt IV (6:15) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B08YMuB6gGQ

harp Most commonly used in very large orchestrations or in ballets Not a new instrument to the romantic period, but new to the orchestra The pedal harp must be used in orchestral settings due to frequent key changes Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake, Mvt IV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc7USkQFbQU

tuba Largest instrument in brass family Only one tuba in the orchestral brass section Mussorgsky/Ravel: Pictures at an Exhibition, “Bydlo” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx6Eo6liyCg

Wagner opera instruments The Wagner Tuba Created by Wagner himself for the Ring Cycle operas Influenced by Adolpe Sax’s saxhorn Has rotary valves Bruckner and Strauss also wrote for the Wagner Tuba Played by French Horn section Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFm2C-ve7qw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgfqe4XHA78&list=PLFVevkVrD6TF6BUVrMwwNS2Z-ohtflPSw

Wagner opera instruments Bass Trumpet Also played in Wagner’s Ring Cycle Developed in the 1820s Usually played by 3rd or bass trombonist Leitmotifs in Wagner’s operas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvA54D2Gz3E

Wagner opera instruments Contrabass Trombone Between bass trombone and tuba Played by the bass trombonist Conceptualized by Wagner, but was also written for by Strauss, Verdi, Puccini, and Bartok Wagner: Siegfried https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuVpjlYoP3I

Other notable instruments Cimbasso Used in Italian operas of Verdi, Puccini, and Bellini Cross between a low trombone and the tuba In its typical “bent” shape Played by the orchestra’s tubist 4 valved instrument Verdi: Overture to Nabucco https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1itS7Et0GBY

Other notable instruments Percussion Section Explosion! Xylophone Celeste Bells Triangle Various Drums All added during the romantic period

Invention of the valve The Piston Valve Earliest type was invented in 1814 by Heinrich Stolzel The piston valve we see today was invented between 1838 and 1839 by Francois Perinet Cylindrical casing, allows for different directions of airflow with different valve combinations

Invention of the valve The Rotary Valve Its first use was credited to Joseph Riedlin in 1832 Almost always found on French Horns, sometimes on tubas and trumpets Also in a cylindrical casing, the circular plug must be rotated 90 degrees to allow for air passage, creating different pitches with different valve combination https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ziwwRhqgqk

The saxophone Invented in 1840 by Adolphe Sax Sax wanted to create a single-reed instrument like the clarinet, but with an aesthetic of a bass clarinet, and sounds similar to a French Horn tone Patented the instrument in 1846 Seven different instruments in the saxophone family. (4 basic – Soprano, alto, tenor, baritone) Used minimally in the orchestral repertoire, but is standard in the military band repertoire

The saxophone Selected Orchestral Works: Bizet: L’Arlesienne Copland: Piano Concerto & Symphony No. 1 Gershwin: An American in Paris & Rhapsody in Blue Kodaly: Hary Janos Suite Milhaud: La Creation du Monde Mussorgsky/Ravel: Pictures at an Exhibition Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances Ravel: Bolero Vaughan Williams: Symphony Nos. 6 & 9 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3KAegnejzw

The Romantic Period 1820-1900