MUSIC (Music of the Romantic Period)

- Stressed emotion, imagination, individualism, and freedom of expression.

- The use of complex harmonies and extended tonality to express intense emotions.
- Nationalism is reflected in most of the music of the Romantic Era where in composers incorporated their
country’s native folk songs and musical styles into their compositions.
- This period paved the way for expanding the orchestra as the composers explored various
instrumentations. The instrument that occupies the largest space in the orchestra is the violin.
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.
VIOLIN AND STRINGS MUSIC
 NICCOLO PAGANINI – an Italian composer whose musical skills started with playing the mandolin at
age five.
- Paganini eventually transferred his training to the violin and. He kept transferring from one violin teacher
to another which led him to adopt all his teachers’ influences in playing the violin.
- Paganini became the most famous violin virtuoso in the world and rumors had it that his amazing violin
skills was said to be a gift from the devil.
PIANO MUSIC
 FREDERIC CHOPIN – a polish composer known as the “Poet of the Piano”
- Chopin composed almost exclusively for the piano and made extensive use of the piano pedal in most of
his compositions.
- His compositions like Masurkas, and Polonaises express his nationalism and love for Poland.
- His music is characterized by its beautiful tone, rhythmic flexibility, grace and elegance.
 FRANZ LISZT - a Hungarian virtuoso pianist and composer known as the busiest musician during the
Romantic period.
- Known for his symphonic poems where he translated great literary works into musical compositions.
 ROBERT SCHUMANN – one of the famous Romantic composers that beautifully combined music and
words. He dreamed to be a pianist but developed problems with his hands.
- Founder of the journal “Jornal Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik” wherein he wrote under two pseudonyms –
Eusebius and Florestan
COMPOSERS OF PROGRAM MUSIC
 HECTOR BERLIOZ – A French romantic composer who composed a five movement symphony called
“Symphonie Fantastique”
1ST MOVEMENT REVERIES/PASSION
2ND MOVEMENT A BALL
3RD MOVEMENT SCENE IN THE COUNTRY
4TH MOVEMENT MARCH TO THE SCAFFOLD
5TH MOVEMENT DREAM OF A WITCHES SABBATH

 PETER ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY – Russian composer known for his ballet music and a big fan of
Mozart. Some of his famous compositions include:
 CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS – French composer who is known for his elegant music, neat, clean, polished
and never excessive. An example of this is “The Swan”.

ARTS
NEOCLASSICISM – came from the Greek word neos meaning new and the Latin word classicus which means
first class.
- Neoclassical arts style was brought about by the renewed interest in Greek and Roman classics and
inspired by ancient times.
- Neoclassical paintings showed great importance to costumes, settings and details of classical subject
matters with much historical accuracy as possible
 NEOCLASSICAL ARTISTS
 JACQUES-LOUIS DAVID – influential French painter and considered to be the pre-eminent painter of
the era. His famous works include:
1. The Death of Marat – a painting of a murdered French revolutionary leader Jean-Paul Marat
2. Napoleon Crossing the Alps – depicts Napoleon riding a horse together with his army crossing the Alps
through the Great St. Bernard pass.
3. Oath of the Horatii – depicts scene from Roman Legend about dispute between Rome and Alba Longa.
 ANTONIO CANOVA – prolific Italian sculptor who opened the idea for portraying discrete sexual
pleasures by using contours with his mythological compositions.

NEOCLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE - Neoclassical architecture focuses on grand scale, geometric forms, and
use of columns while Romantic architecture emphasizes dynamism, features castellation often with Gothic
elements. It has 3 types:
 TEMPLE STYLE – design based on an ancient temple
 PALLADIAN STYLE – based on Andrea Palladio’s style of villa construction
 CLASSICAL BLOCK STYLE – features a rectangular or square shape, a flat roof, and an exterior
adorned with repeated classical patterns, arches, and columns.

ROMANTICISM – characterized by expression of emotion, both subtle and stormy, height of action, emotional
extremes, dramatic compositions, heightened sensation.
PAINTERS:
1. JEAN LOUIS THEODORE GERICAULT – first French master and leader of the French Realistic School.
2. EUGENE DELACROIX – considered the greatest French Romantic painter of all. His greatest masterpiece is
“Liberty Leading the People” which commemorates the July revolution of 1830 which toppled King Charles X of
France.

ROMANTIC SCULPTORS
1. FRANCOIS RUDE – French sculptor known for his social arts which aimed to inspire and capture the interest
of a broad public.
2. ANTOINE LOUIS BARYE – most famous animal sculptor of all time; his artworks stand out for their realistic
portrayal of animals in motion, capturing intricate details and showcasing a dynamic approach.

GOTHIC REVIVAL ARCHITECTURE - inspired by medieval Gothic architecture, featuring pointed arches,
ribbed vaults, and ornate tracery.

FILIPINO NEOCLASICAL AND ROMANIC ARTISTS:

1. FELIX HIDALGO – one of the great Filipino painters of the late 19 th century who was significant in the
Philippine history for inspiring members of the Philippine reform movement.
2. JUAN LUNA – painter of the famous artwork “Spoliarium” which symbolizes the colonial oppression of
Indigenous populations by Imperial Spain.
3. FERNANDO AMORSOLO – a portraitist and painter of rural Philippine landscapes; was popularly known for
his craftsmanship and mastery of the use of light.
4. GUILLERMO TOLENTINO – known as the “Father of Philippine Arts”
5. NAPOLEON ABUEVA - the artist recognized as the “Father of Modern Philippine Sculpture” and the sole
Boholano to receive the title of National Artist of the Philippines for visual arts.