PRE-ASSESSMENT

I. Read the questions carefully and choose the correct answer.
1. Frederic Chopin wrote most of his music for the following
instrument
a. Violin b. Flute c. Piano d. Orchestra
2. What does term “Nationalism” means?
b. Being patriotic
c. Having a strong feeling for ones nation
d. Pride in ones own composition
e. Pride for another country or culture
3. Name the composer who bridged the Classical period to the
romantic period
f. Bach b. Bruckner c. Berlioz d. Beethoven
4. Which of these is not a characteristic of the Romantic
Period?
A. a freedom in writing and designing an intense
personal expression of self-emotion
B. has a rich variety of piece type
C. Has a shape and unity of the theme
D. the textures are more expressive
E. None of the above
5. Which one of the following is not type of program
music?
a. Song Cycle b. Symphonic Poem
c. Concert overture d. Incidental Music
II – Identify the composers of the Romnatic Period from
each column.
1 2 3 4 5

Johan Sebastian Ludwig Van Franz Liszt Richard Wagner Arnold

Bach Beethoven Schoenberg

Franz Schubert Robert Schuman Igor Stravinsky Camille Saint- Claude Debussy
Saens

Wolfgang Ryan Cayabyab Ramon Santos Edward Grieg Frederic Chopin

Amadeus
Mozart
MUSIC OF THE
ROMANTIC
PERIOD
Romantic music – refers to
western music composed in
the late 18 century to the
th

19th century. Composers and

artists believed in letting
their imagination and
passion be seen through their
artworks.
MUSIC OF THE ROMANTIC PERIOD 1820-1910
Romantic period is described as a cultural movement
that stressed emotion, imagination, individualism,
and freedom of expression. These characteristics are
evident in music, art, and literature of the era.
Nationalism was also incorporated in the music of the
Romantic Period. An example of a composition that
shows nationalism is the “Polonaise” of Frederic
Choplin, which is a dance composition for piano and is
famous in Poland until today.
Ludwig Van Beethoven Bridged the music from classical
to Romantic Era by expressing his passion and
emotions through his music. Other composers were
inspired by this musical style that they started to use
music a a means of expressing their emotions and
This change in musical form also paved
the way for expanding the orchestra as the
composers explored various instruments.
Piano music of the Romantic Period is in
free form such as fantasy, rhapsody,
ballade, and nocturne. Program music
was expressed in tone poems such as
Symphony Fantastique.
Most of the musical compositions of the
era portray literature, history, emotions,
and nature.
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 5.
He eventually transferred his training to the
violin at the age of seven with different violin
professors in Italy. His violin teachers could not
keep up with the progress of his violin skills that
he kept on transferring from one violin to
another. This led him to adopt all his teachers
influences in playing violin.

PAGANINI – Became the most famous violin virtuoso in
the world. However together with his fame came the
rumors about his amazing violin skills that was said to be
the gift from the devil and that he sold his soul in
exchange for those skills. He was also rumored to have a
problem with women and gambling.
His compositions inspired a lot of other composers
such as Franz Liszt, Frederic Chopin, and Robert
Schumann.
 Some works of Niccolo Paganini:
-”La Campanella”
_”24 Caprices for solo violin, Op. 6
-”Concerto no. 1 in Eb, op.6
-”15 Quartets for guitar and strings trio”
-”The Carnival of Venice”
Piano Music
 Piano Music of the Romantic Period was
filled with innovations. Most of the
compositions require a high level of
virtuosity. Some were reinventions of
sonatas from the classical era.
 Today, some piano compositions from

the romantic period have been adapted

into songs. An example of this is
Chopins Etude Op. 10, no. 3 in E major
that was used for the song “no other
Love”
1. Frederic Chopin
-Was known as the “poet of the Piano,” He was born on March 1, 1810 in
Zelazowa, Poland.
-He began to play piano at age 4.
-He compose Polonaise at the age of 7.
-He studied piano at Warsaw Conservatory under Wilherlm Wiirfel and
most of his music was influenced by folk music.
-He finished his formal education at the higher school in 1829 and soon
traveled to Europe giving concerts in places such as Vienna,
Munich, Paris, and London.
-He wrote almost exclusively for piano pedal in most of his
compositions.
-He composed almost primarily for the piano and some of his well
known compositions are Fantasie in F minor, Op. 49, revolutionary
Etude, Op. 10, no. 12 and 24 Preludes, Op. 28.
In 1831, Chopin arrived in Paris and met other Legendary
composers such as Franz Liszt, Felix Mendelssohn, and
Robert Schumann. During this time in Paris, Chopin met
and married the famous French writer George Sand, Which
later became a source of inspiration as well as a maternal
figure in choplins wife. In the later part of Choplins life, his
health began to decline and he was diagnosed with
pulmonary tuberculosis. Chopin died on October 17, 1849, in
Paris. Chopin music is recognized world wide for its beauty
and his works on the piano are mainstays in the piano
repertoire.
Some of his music is characterized by its beautiful tone, rhythmic
flexibility, grace and elegance. Some of his compositions like
mazurkas and polonaise express his love for portland.
Chopin is famous for the following:
1. Ballade- a verse for or narrative that is set to music
2. Etude – a piece composed for the development of a specific
technique
3. Mazurka – a polish dance in triple time signature
4. Nocturne – an instrumental composition of a pensive, dreamy, mood
for the piano
5. Polonaise – a slow polish dance in triple time that consists of a march
or procession
6. Prelude – a short piece of music that can be used as a preface, and
introduction to another work or may stand on its own
7. Waltz – a German Dance in triple meter
8. Impromptu- a short free-form musical composition usually for a solo
instrument, like the piano
9. Scherzo – a musical movement of playful character, typically in ABA
form
10. Sonata – composition for one or more solo instruments usually
consisting of three or four independent movements varying in key,
mood and tempo.
2. 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 played and studied in Vienna and Paris while
performing in concerts in the rest of Europe.
- He was born in the village Doborjan, Hungary. He
displayed remarkable talent at young age and easily
understood sight reading.
- His father was his first teacher at age of six. A
turning point came when in his early twenties, Liszt
heard the virtuoso violinist Niccolo Paganini
perform so he decided to dedicate himself in
becoming a virtuoso pianist.
-He was known for his symphonic poems where he
translated great literary works into musical
compositions.
-He also made piano transcriptions of operas and
famous symphonies. Many of his piano compositions
are technically challenging pieces.
-He was also known for his generosity in sharing time
and money to the orphans, victims of disasters, and
the many students he taught music for free.
Some of liszt’s Pino works:
“la Campanella”
Liebestraume no. 3
Un Sospiro
3. Robert Schumann
-one of the famous Romantic composers that beautifully
combined music and words is Robert Schumann He was a
composer and music critic.
-Robert Alexander Schumann was born in 1810 in Zwickau.
-His father wanted him to study law and so in 1821, Schumann
went to leipzig to study law.
-He spent most of his time with musical and literary circles
through the effort of friedrich wieck who took some time to
teach Schumann how to play the piano.
-It was also this time when he wrote some of his first piano
compositions.
-He eventually convinced his family that he should put aside law
in favor of a performing career.
-In 1830, Schumann went to live with wieck in leipzig.
- He soon developed a problem with his hands,
effectively ending his dreams as a pianist.
- It was in 1834, when Schumann founded the
music journal, “Jornal Neue Zeitschrift Fur
Musik,” wherein he edited and wrote music
criticism for his publication.
- He wrote numerous write-ups and one of
which was the performance of Frederic Chopin
in Paris, France.
-In his journal, Schumann often wrote under
two
pseudonyms-Eusebius (his sensitive, Lyrical
side) and Florestan (his Fiery, stormy side)
Piano works:
“Abegg Variations” Opus 1 (1830)
“Carnaval”Opus 9 (1835) – a portrait of a mask ball attended by
his allies and hisnbeloved clara
“Phantasiestucke,” Opus 12 (1837) – a series of mood pieces
“Kreisleriana” Opus 16 (1838) – a fantasy on the mad
Kapellmeister
“Kinderszenen” Opus 15 (1838) – a poetic series of evocations of
a child’s world
Art Songs;
“Frauenliebe und Leben” (“a woman’s love and live’)
“Dichterliebe” (“a Poet’s Love0
Orchestral Music:
“piano Concerto in A minor,” Opus 54
“overtune,” Scherzo
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
1. Hector Berlioz
Is a French romantic composer born on
December 11 , 1803, at his young age,
he learned to play guitar and flute but
never became skilled in a specific
musical instrument. His father was a
physician who sent hector to medical
school but he ended up pursuing a
career in music.
One of his famous musical composition
is a five movement symphony called
“Symphony Fantastique” in this
composition which is also known as
“Fantastic Symphony” Berloiz showcased
the important features in his composition
in creating tone color. He assembled
hundreds of musicians to produce a
powerful sound. In most of his
compositions, he made tone color as the
basic part of his musical language.
STORY OF SYMPHONY FANTASTIQUE
A young, extremely sensitive and imaginative
musician tries to kill himself with opium due to
depression caused by discouraged love.
Unfortunately, the dose was not enough and does
not kill him but instead, plunges him into a heavy
sleep flocked with nightmares. His experiences,
feelings, and memories are translated into
hallucinations of musical thoughts and images. The
girl he loves was transformed into a melody and like
a recurring theme, he meets and hears everywhere.
Each movement of the symphony refers to a
different vision in the young musicians mind.
SEQUENCE OF SYMPHONY FANTASTIQUE
Movement Title Tempo Form

1st movement Reveries/ Largo(slow introduction)Allegro

passion Agitato E appasianadoassai(agitated
and very impassioned allegro)

2nd movement A ball Allegro Non Troppo ABA form

The second movement is a waltz

3rd movement Scene in the Adagio waltz ABA coda

country form

4th movement March to the Allegretto Non Troppo Composed of

scaffold two different
themes

5th movement Dream of a Largetto Allegro Most fanatic

witches of the
sabath movement
2. Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Pytotr Ilyich
Chaykowsky)
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky who was born on May 7, 1840 in
Votkinsk, Russia, was known for the 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, is also in Petersburg.
As a big fan of Mozart, Tchaikovsy studied
composition with Anton Rubinstein, and moved to
Moscow, and started teaching at the new conservatory.
He continue his music career in the New York despite
having martial problems and became famous after
composing the musical poem “Fatum” and “Romeo and
Juliet”. He composed hunting melodies
and used a great deal of folk music in his symphonic
works. Unfortunately, there are very few surviving
manuscripts written by Tchaikowvsky. His fame
peaked in the last ten years of his life and later died
due to cholera.

Tchaikovsy’s famous Composition:

 Swan Lake
The Nutcraker
1812 Oveture
Sleeping Beauty
Symphony no. 6 “Pathetique”
“Romeo & Juliet”
Symphony no. 2
Piano Concerto no. 1
3. Camille Saint-Saëns
Camille Saint-Saëns was known as a talented musician
from an early age. 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.

He was considered as a composer who creates elegant

music, neat, clean, polished, and never excessive. An
example of this is “The Swan”. As an organist and one
of the best pianists of his time, he sat very still at the
piano and played gracefully and cool.
During the peak of his career as a musician and
composer, many beautiful buildings, and churches
were built in France. This includes the famous Eiffel
Tower.

Best known music of Camille Saint-Saëns:

Carnival of the Animals
Danse Macabre
Symphony no. 3
The Swan