A Discussion and

Analysis to …
The transition between Romantic and
Modern Era in Music with examples
The Eras - 7 Periods of Music History
 A Discussion on the Transition - Romantic to
Modern
Romantic (1820 - 1900) -

1. Compositions became increasingly expressive and inventive. (ref. Classicfm) Unlike music in the classical period laid an
emphasis on elegance, rationality, order and balance and less complicated musical texture as that of the Baroque period
(ref. Skoove)

2. Musical Romanticism was marked by emphasis on originality and individuality, personal emotional expression and
freedom and experimentation of form (ref. Encyclopedia Britannica)

3. Many composers fit into Baroque or Classical as well as Romantic periods as to the years, the beliefs and attitudes of
people was an influence

4. Beethoven is mainly associated with classical period but he was a composer during the Romantic period as well. Eg. One
of his pieces named ‘Moonlight Sonata’ is a classical composition that influenced the Romantic period having a sensitive
connotation to it.

5. Charles Gounod who was a French composer during the Romantic period composed ‘Ave Maria’ as a song or melody to
be sung over Bach’s Prelude in C who was a composer of the Baroque period.

6. A very famous Christmas carol, ‘Silent Night’ composed during the Romantic period by Franz Xaver Gruber is sung today
in Churches and schools alike
Contd …

20th Century (1900 - 2000)

In the 20th Century, Western music began to develop into many different styles.
Innovation was the key factor that laid the modern period to be distinct from classical
or romantic periods
Modern (2000 - current)
With various genres emerging, the current modern or sometimes referred to as new age
or contemporary in nature incorporated genres such as celtic, gospel, pop, film and
more
IGCSE - Music

● Listening
● Performing
● Composing

● Listening - Objectives
● Aural awareness, perception and discrimination in relation to Western music.
● Identifying and commenting on a range of music from cultures in different countries.
● Knowledge and understanding of one World Focus from a non Western culture and one Western
Set Work.
Musical Analysis with a few examples

Bach/Gounod - ‘’Ave Maria’

A song composed by Charles Gounod, a composer of the Romantic era on and
over Bach’s Prelude in C Major (Baroque - Romantic)

Lyrics - ‘Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus, tecum’

Contd …
Beethoven’s, ‘’Moonlight Sonata’’ in C# minor
A classical piece with a Romantic touch, Beethoven a composer of the classical
and romantic periods (Classical - Romantic)
Franz Xaver Gruber - Silent Night (Carol - Romantic Era/
Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah (Gospel - Modern Era)

Silent Night -
Contd …
Hallelujah -
Declan Galbraith - ‘Tell me why’ / Elton John -
’Circle of life’ (Modern Era Genres - Pop & Film)
Tell me why
Contd …
Circle of Life -
“Questions?”
Thank You!