Program and

Piano Music
Norjannah Modi Cairoden • Owaida Baser
• Princess Norsal A Baser • Sheehan Jelanni
Ibrahim • Aneeqah Angintaopan
 Program Music
The Romantic composers sought and received motivation from sources outside music
during the nineteenth century. An encounter with nature (such as sounds produced by
birds, thunder, wind, and the like) or a creation of music showing different moods,
emotions, and many aspects of love may be expressed through a form of instrumental
music called program music.

Program music tells a story that conveys images, poems, ideas, or scenes without words. It
is endowed with literary or pictorial associations that are indicated by the title of the
piece—the “program” This is supplied by the composer. In such manner, program music
is distinguished from absolute music or pure music

Most program music of the Romantic period was written for piano or orchestra.
Orchestral program music has the following main forms: the program symphony, the
concert overture, the symphonic poem, and the incidental music.
Four Main Forms of Orchestral Program Music

01 Program Symphony 02 Concert Overture

03 Symphonic Poem 04 Incidental Music

 Program Symphony

The program symphony is a composition in numerous movements. As

Its name implies, it is a symphony with a program. A descriptive title is
seen in each movement. One of the famous program symphonies is the
Symphonie Fantastique of Hector Berlioz.

This kind of melody is called “idée fixe” (fixed Idea) as a musical

fixation by Berlioz. Idée fixe was the term Berlioz used for the melody
representing the loved one in his composition. The melody changes
from movement to movement to reflect various moods.
Symphonie Fantastique
 Concert Overture

The concert overture consists of only one movement, usually

in sonata form. This Romantic concert overture was modeled
after the opera overture, where the mood of the opera was
established. It is an independent composition and not
intended to accompany a stage production. Among the
famous concert overtures are Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture
and Romeo and Juliet Overture.
“Love Theme” from Romeo and Juliet
1871 Overture (Finale)
 Symphonic Poem

Symphonic poem or tone poem is also a musical composition for

orchestra in one movement It is written in many forms-sonata form,
rondo, or theme and variations. It was invented by Franz Liszt in the
late 1840s and 1850s and became the most significant type of
program music after 1860. Well-known tone poems during this era
were Les Préludes by Franz Liszt and Till Eulenspiegel by Richard
Strauss.

Symphonic poems became significant means of expression for

nationalism in music during the late nineteenth century.
Les Préludes
 Incidental Music

Incidental music is intended to accompany the action or mood of a

dramatic stage performance. The usual function of orchestral music is
to accompany the play all throughout but not in incidental music. It is
only used between scenes or for particularly important moments in
the play. It can play background music, interludes, dances, or
marches. It is called "incidental" because the music is not as
significant as the play. Mendelssohn's "Wedding March," an incidental
music for Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, is a famous
example of this.
Wedding March
Piano Music

Romantic era was the rise in popularity of the piano. The

piano became a mainstay of music in homes all over America
and Europe, it attracted a large part of the middle class
population because of its major characteristics-an instrument
capable of playing both melody and harmony.

Mozart and Beethoven introduced their own piano concertos

to the public. They played their music through concert
performances. Aside from Mozart and Beethoven, another
piano music expert was also famous during this era: the
“Poet of the Piano,” polish composer and pianist, Frederic
François Chopin. Chopin dominated Romantic piano music
composition. Chopin's character pieces include nocturnes,
impromptus, ballades, preludes, minuets, scherzos, etudes,
mazurkas, and polonaises.
Nocturne
The nocturne (night song), created
by John Field and adopted by
Frederic Chopin, is a kind of quiet,
reflective movement with a mood
of melancholic nature as though
reflecting the atmosphere at night.
Nocturne means a kind of serenade.
Chopin wrote the famous Nocturne
in E-flat Major Op. 9.
Nocturne in E-flat Major, Op. 9
Impromptu
Impromptu refers to piano
compositions that have an
extemporaneous character. The
most remarkable ones are those of
Chopin, Schubert, and Schumann.
Ballade
The ballade is a narrative song
without words. It is a one-
movement piece for solo piano.
This is one of the most challenging
pieces in the piano repertoire.
Prelude
The prelude is a short mood piece
of no prescribed form. It conveys a
specific idea or emotion.
Minuet
The minuet originated from the
French word menuet, meaning
“slender” or “small,” referring
to very small dance steps. It was
adapted from the Italian minuetto.
It is in triple meter (3/4). The term
also describes the musical style that
accompanies dances.
Scherzo
The scherzo (pronounced
“skertso”) means “joke.” It is
played quickly and with an
understanding of the humor that
has been put into its writing It is
similar to the minuet in time
signature and in form except in the
tempo.
Etude
Chopin excelled in writing the
etude, a French word for “study”
or “exercise.” It is a short piece
that gives the student practice in a
particular technical problem. Liszt
also wrote piano etudes.
Mazurka and Polonaise
The mazurka and the polonaise are
stylized dance pieces for piano.
Both are based on Polish dances,
but each has its own style and
characteristics. A famous polonaise
is Chopin's “Heroic” Polonaise in
A-flat Major.
 Suite
In Italy, the early suite was called sonata da
camera. This suite involves series of dance
movements with no rigid order but nearly
always in the same key. This kind of
instrumental composition presumably
originated in the practice of the town bands
during the Middle Ages, of easing together
a succession of dance tunes, differing in
character and form but alike in key.

The optional dances of the suite are the

gavotte, bourée, menuet, loure polonaise,
air, passepied, and rigaudon.
Firebird Suite (Finale)
Igor Stravinsky
“In the Hall of the Mountain
King” from Peer Gynt
Edvard Grieg
 Norjannah Modi Cairoden •
Owaida Baser • Princess Norsal
A Baser • Sheehan Jelanni
Ibrahim • Aneeqah Angintaopan

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