Romantic Era

Take note of as you read, watch, and listen to the materials about music of the Romantic Era is the huge stylistic variety of the era’s music! In this unit, you will learn about more composers and more genres than in any other unit we’ve completed thus far. This is partly a product of the changing market for music. During the 19th century, we begin to see a push and pull between honoring the great Classical traditions and creating innovative new sounds. There is also a changing market for music as more middle-class consumers have access to music either via concerts or the purchase of sheet music. The end of the 19th century saw the rise in the modern divide between “classical” and “popular” music and the inherent value judgment that goes along with this divide. Wagner was a contributor to the “snobbism” inherent in this divide. QUESTIONS BASED ON THE DOCUMENTARY 1) What piece does Goodall identify as initiating the Romantic Era’s obsession with tragic love and fate? a. Who composed it? b. What year was it composed? 2) What does Goodall say about the relationship between words and instrumental music during the Romantic era? Please note that this answer can also be found in the reading and, in part, on the PowerPoint slides! 3) What are some of the various ways music was disseminated during the Romantic era? Please note that this answer can also be found in the reading and, in part, on the PowerPoint slides! a. What impact did this have on compositional decisions composers made? 4) What is the atmosphere or mood that the narrator creates when he says of Liszt’s “Innovation #1” that “the devil has all the best tunes?” a. What is the imagery used in the video at this point? b. What musical sounds does he describe as being associated with this music? 5) What is the music drama? a. Who invented it? b. How was it similar to and different from opera? 6) Summarize the views of Wagner on the Jewish people. Does this impact your views of his music or your willingness to listen to/enjoy it? 7) What was Nationalism and where did the tradition emerge (from lower class “people” or upper class intellectuals?) 8) Summarize how the United States participated in the Nationalist movement in the 19th century? a. Which folk traditions did we use? b. How did we use European traditions? c. Which composers were composing “Nationalistic” American music? 9) Summarize and comment on the moral debate that swirled around Dvorak’s New World Symphony. a. Why was the piece controversial? Identify at least 2 separate reasons.