MUSIC OF THE

ROMANTIC
PERIOD
MUSIC - QUARTER 3
Romantic Period
Describe as a cultural
movement that stressed
emotion, imagination,
individualism, and freedom
of expression.
 1820-
1910
Is when the Romantic
Period’s music had became
well known.
Nationalism
an ideology that
emphasizes loyalty,
devotion, or allegiance to a
nation
Anexample of a composition that
shows nationalism is the
“Polonaise” of Frederic Chopin,
which is a dance composition for
piano and is famous in Poland until
today.
STRINGED
MUSIC
Niccolo
Paganini
He was born on October 27, 1782 in
Genoa, Italy in a family of six children.
His musical skills started with playing
the mandolin at the age of five.
MANDOLIN
He eventually transferred his
training to the violin at the age of
seven with different violin professors
in Italy.
Became the most famous violin
virtuoso in the world.
Some Works of Niccolo Paganini:
 “La Campanella”
 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op.1
 Concerto no.1 in Eb, Op.6
 15 Quarters for Guitar and Strings
Trio
 “The Carnival of Venice
PIANO
MUSIC
Frederic
Chopin
Known as the “Poet of
the Piano,”
He was born on March 1,
1810 in Zelowa, Poland.
He began to play piano at age 4.
He composed polonaise at the age of
7.
Most of his music was influenced by
folk music.
Chopin is famous for the following:
 Ballade – a verse form of narrative
that is set to music.
 Etude – a piece composed for the
development of a specific technique.
 Mazurka – a Polish dance in triple
time signature.
 Nocturne – an instrumental
composition of a pensive, dreamy
mood, for the piano.
 Polonaise – a slow Polish dance in triple
time that consists of a march or
procession.
 Prelude – a short piece of music that
can be used as a preface, and
introduction to another work or may
stand on its own.
 Waltz – a German dance in triple meter.
 Impromptu – a short-free-form musical
composition usually for a solo
instrument, like the piano.
 Scherzo – a musical movement of
playful character, typically in ABA form.
 Sonata – composition for one or more
solo instruments.
Franz Liszt
The best word that
describes the works of
Franz Liszt is “virtuosity”.
He was known as the
virtuoso pianist, a composer
and the busiest musician
during the Romantic Era
He was born in the village Doborjan,
Hungary.
He was known for his symphonic poems
where he translated great literary works
into musical compositions.
He was also known with his generosity
in sharing time and money to the
orphans, victim of disasters, and the
many students he taught music for free.
Some Liszt’s Piano Works :
 “Liebestraume no. 3”
 Hungarian Rhapsodies – the most
popular and was the basis for the
“Tom & Jerry” cartoon called the
“Cat Concerto”
 Un Sospiro
 Sonata in B Minor
 Arrangements of the 9 Beethoven
Symphonies
 Transcriptions of Lieder by Schubert

Orchestral Composition
 Symphonic Poems (“Hamlet,” “Les
Preludes”
Robert
Schumann 
One of the famous Romantic
composers that beautifully
combined music and words.
He was a composer and
music critic.
He was born in 1810 in
Zwickau, Germany
He founded the musical journal,
“Jornal Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik”
In his journal, Schumann often wrote
under two pseudonyms – Eusebius
(his sensitive, lyrical side) and
Florestan (his fiery, stormy side).
Some Schumann’s Piano Works :
 “Abegg Variations,” Opus 1 (1830)
 “Davidsbundlertanze” (“Dances of
the Band of David), Opus 6 (1837)
 “Carnaval,” Opus 9 (1835) –
portrait of a masked ball attended
by his allies and his beloved Clara
Art Songs:
 “Frauenliebe und Leben” (“A
Woman’s Love and Life”
 “Dichterliebe” (A Poet’s Love”)
Orchestral Music:
 “Piano Concerto in A minor,” Opus
54
 “Overture,” Scherzo
 “Finale,” Opus 52 (a mini symphony)
 “Konzertstuck in F Major for Four
Horns and Orchestra,” Opus 86
Program Music
Program music is an
instrumental composition that
conveys images or scenes to tell
a short story without text or
lyrics. It entices the imagination
of the listener
Composers of
Program
Music
Hector Berlioz
French romantic composer
born on December 11,
1803.
One of his famous musical
compositions is a five
movement symphony called
“Symphonie Fantastique”
Story of
Symphonie
Fantastique
Peter Ilyich
Tchaikovsky

Born on May 7, 1840 in
Votkinsk, Russia, was
known for his ballet music.
He first studied law and
became a law clerk in St.
Petersburg in his twenties.
He rebelled and began to study
music at a conservatory, also in St.
Petersburg.
Became famous after composing the
musical poem “Fatum” and “Romeo and
Juliet.”
His famed peaked in the last ten years of his
life and later died due to cholera.
Tchaikovsky’s Famous Compositions:
 “Swan Lake”
 “The Nutcracker”
 1812 Overture
 “Sleeping Beauty”
 Symphony no. 6 “Pathetique”
 “Romeo and Juliet”
 Symphony no. 2
 Piano Concerto no. 1
Camille Saint-Saens
He was born in Paris on
October 9, 1835 and started
his music through the help of
his aunt by teaching him piano
lessons when he was only two
years old and afterward he
began composing piano pieces
at age three.
Considered as a composer who
creates elegant music, neat, clean,
polished, and never excessive.
As one of the best pianists of his
time, he sat very still at the piano
and played gracefully and cool.
Best known music of Camille
Saint-Saens:
 “Carnival of the Animals”
 “Danse Macabre”
 “Symphony no. 3”
 “The Swan”