1. Advanced Higher Understanding Music
PERIODS OF MUSIC
Advanced Higher Understanding Music

2. Outcomes
All of the different styles of music we listen to today have evolved over a long period of time. Musical styles have not always been so diverse, in fact before c.1450 music was pretty simplistic.
In order to understand modern music we must first understand its origins, history and development through the ages.
In this unit you will learn about the development of music through the following periods of time:
Medieval & Renaissance (1450 – 1600)
Baroque ( )
Classical ( )
Romantic ( )
20th Century (1900 – Present Day)
Through discussion and completing listening tasks, you will develop your understanding of musical concepts from these periods of history.

3. Music History
Throughout history there have been many eras, such as the Renaissance, Classical and Gothic ages. These eras describe the style and characteristics of that period in time, particularly in the areas of science, art, architecture, literature and music.
The history of music is divided into six main periods of history:
Medieval
Renaissance
Baroque
Classical
Romantic
20th Century

4. The Romantic Period
Romantic composers looked for a greater freedom of form and design in their music with a more powerful and intense expression of emotion. Imagination, fantasy and a quest for adventure are important ingredients in Romantic style.
During the Romantic period the orchestra developed greatly. Melodies included more modulations and harmonies became richer and intensely emotional with a more powerful use of discords, bringing in chromatic notes from outside the key. There was an enormous increase in both the size and range of the orchestra and, with advances in technology, the range and flexibility of instruments increased. Every section of the orchestra grew and there were a much more varied and colourful choice of percussion instruments.

5. Main Features and Developments in Romantic Music
Composers used chromatic notes and discords in their music
Rubato was frequently used as a way of conveying the mood and emotion in the music
The music used an extensive variety of dynamic variation
The music was very expressive and was often based on a theme or poem
Development of new forms and works including the lied, leitmotiv and Song Cycle
Growth of Nationalist music

6. Vocal Music
There was a rich flowering of songs during the Romantic period, especially the German Lied for solo voice and piano (the plural is lieder ‘songs’).
There are two main types of lied:
Strophic – these lieder have the same music for each verse of the poem
Through Composed – the music is different for each verse
An important aspect of lieder is that the piano and voice are used in equal partnership, with the piano accompaniment being more complex than that of other forms of vocal music.
Schubert and Schumann were the greatest composers of this vocal form.
You are now going to listen to Schubert’s Erlkönig. Whilst listening you should read the translation of the text and note how the piano adds to the atmosphere of the poem. Schubert - Erlkonig

7. Vocal Music
Often composers such as Schumann and Schubert would compose a series of songs that had a common theme or story running throughout, linking them together.
When a composer links a series of songs or poems of the same idea, this is called a Song Cycle. A fine example is Schumann’s Fauenliebe und Leben.
Song 1 - Seit ich ihn gesehen
Song 2 - Er, der Herrlichste von Allen
Song 3 - Ich kann's nicht fassen, nicht glauben
Song 4 - Der Ring
Song 5 - Helft mir, ihr Schwestern
Song 6 - Susser Freund, du blickest
Song 7 - An meinem Herzen, an meiner Brust
Song 8 - Nun hast du mir den ersten Schmerz getan

8. Romantic Nationalism
By the middle of the 19th century music had become almost completely dominated by German influences. At about this time, composers of other countries – particularly Russia, Bohemia (later part of Czechoslovakia) and Norway – began to feel that they should break free from these influences and discover a musical style of their own. This led to a type of Romanticism which is called nationalism.
We describe a composer as Nationalist if he deliberately aims to express strong feelings for his country in his music, or somehow brings a distinctive flavour by which his nationality may be easily recognised. This may be done by:
Using national folk tunes
Folkdance rhythms of the country
Taking scenes from his country’s life
Using national history or legends as the basis for works

9. Romantic Nationalism
The spirit of Nationalism spread to other countries, particularly Spain and France.
As much of this music relied on creating an idea of a country and national identity, often composers would use leitmotiv. This is a theme occurring throughout a work which represent a person, an event or an idea, etc. The German composer Wagner used leitmotiv extensively in his operas, including his famous ‘Ring Cycle’.
Nationalist Leitmotiv
Mussorgsky - Boris Godunov Prologue Wagner - Ring Cycle motivs
Dvorak - Slavonic Dance No.8 Das Rheingold lietmotifs
Grieg – Slatter
Smetana - Vltava

10. Concepts CONCEPT DEFINITION Lied
This term (the German word for song) refers specifically in the Romantic era to works for solo voice and piano
Strophic
A song which has music repeated for verses/choruses, therefore the same music will be heard repeating throughout the song
Through Composed
A vocal/choral composition in which there is little or no repetition of the music
Song Cycle
A group of songs linked by a common theme or with a text written by the same author, usually accompanied by piano but sometimes by small ensembles or full orchestra
Nationalism
Music which incorporates elements of folk music of the composer’s country
Leitmotiv
A theme occurring throughout a work which represents a person, event or idea.