Romantic Period (Composers)

Clara Wieck Schumann

art song; composer and pianist; Robert Schumann was her teacher and then husband;

Franz Schubert

"first romantic" - all forms of music, but remembered for over 700 Lieder (Erlkonig and Unfinished)

Giuseppe Verdi

(1813-1901) Italian composer who lead the way in politicizing opera compositions. Master of Italian grand opera. among his best-known operas are Aida, Otello, Rigoletto, and La Traviata.

Hector Berlioz

1803-1869, romantic composer most like Beethoven in his time, idee fixe, Symphonie Fantastique 1830, Harold in Italy 1834

Richard Wagner

1813-1883, wrote the Ring Cycle called "The Ring of the Nibelungs" (4 separate operas), other famous operas: Lohengrin, Tannhauser, Tristan and Isolde, German composer who ultimately realized the German desire for a truly national opera; also a propagandist and writer in support of his unique conception of dramatic music; called both the culmination of the Romantic era and the beginning of the avant-garde, his music may be described as a monumental development in classical music

Bedrich Smetana

1824-1884, Czech-Bohemia, built national theater in Prague, criticized for sounding too much like Liszt, The Moldau river, emphatic-Furiant from The Bartered Bride

Franz Liszt

A Hungarian composer who wrote many nationalistic pieces during the Romantic era

Frederic Chopin

A nineteenth-century Polish romantic composer who spent most of his career in France. He is known for his expressive piano pieces; he composed almost exclusively for that instrument.

Johannes Brahms

Born Hamburg moved to Vienna. Went back to classical genres and style. Most are string quartets and other chamber music, symphonies, concertos. Classical sonata form and rondo.No new harmonies or tone color. Moved in with Schumanns. Friend also Joseph Joachim. Conducted and wrote chior music including German Requiem. Wrote Hungarian Dances.

Robert Schumann

Born in Germany; Composer and music scholar/critic; Married Clara Wiecki, a virtuoso pianist and composer; Wrote symphonies, chamber music, short piano works, lieder- traditional style; championed the works of Brahms (more to come); In later life, suffered from debilitating mental disorder

Antonin Dvorak

Czech composer who combined folk elements with traditional forms (1841-1904)

Felix Mendelssohn

German musician and Romantic composer of orchestral and choral works (1809-1847)

Giacomo Puccini

Italian operatic composer noted for the dramatic realism of his operas (1858-1924)

Peter llyich Tchaikovsky

Russian composer. Wrote the nutcracker and and the 1812 overture