The Bridge from Classical to Romantic
Beethoven and the Heroic Period
- The notion and image of the genius, as something of a suffering loner (an outsider), came into being alongside Romantic values in art.
- Beethoven believed that his gifts empowered and compelled him to serve Art about even the aristocracy.
- Studied with Haydn.
- Opus number - by the order of publication
- Fidelio Overture
- Deafness since 28 affected Beethoven’s social life and prevented him from attending social events
- Moonlight Sonata
The Heroic Beethoven and Beyond
- The three periods of Beethoven
- Early Period, 1792-1802
- Heroic Period, 1803-1812
- Late Period, 1813-1827
- 1st Symphony = 1800
- 3rd Symphony “Eroica” = 1803
What is "Revolutionary" about the "Eroica"
- Opening hammer-strokes
- Triadic themes
- Orchestration
- Foregrounding the brasses
- Length (45 minutes vs. Haydn’s 25)
- Slows down presentation of melody, but builds up the volume
- 5th Symphony - the fate knocking at the door
- Major/Minor/Diminished triad
- Beethovenian tsunami
What's Exceptional about Symphony No. 5?
- Doesn’t have a nickname!
- “Sucker punch” beginning
- Emphasis on rhythmic motive
- Almost all melodic material derived from a single motive or cell
- Importance of the diminished triad (1st movement)
- Linking movement 3 to movement 4 (by means of a Beethovenian swell)
- Bulking up the orchestra in the Finale
- Emphasizing sound for the sake of sound
-
Beethoven’s Gift to Music: SOUND
- Contrabassoon - added bass
- Trombones - enriched brasses, first time in symphony
- Piccolo - add the top, cuts from the dense texture
- The size of orchestra is doubled
- Length of the symphony/each motives is doubled
-
Toward his death, Beethoven has become a “Rock Star”
Ars gratia artis. All that is called life shall be sacrificed to
sublime Art, a sacrament of art. — Ludwig van Beethoven
How did Beethoven change the course of Western classical music?
- Added new instruments to orchestra
- Expanded size of the orchestra
- Showed that “sound per se” could be beautiful
- Created the “grand gesture”
- Doubled the length of the symphony, quartet, and sonata
- Created the image of the artist as isolated genius who struggles for art
- Fostered the notion of “art for art’s sake”
Romanticism and the Romantic Art Song
- The rise of middle-class in 19th century → Schubertiade
- Franz Schubert
- Eased out from choir
- More than 1000 compositions, including more than 600 art songs
- Lied (plural Lieder) = “art song”, a song with artistic aspiration, accompanied by a piano
- Erlkonig = Elf King
- Ballad by Johann von Goethe = a sad story with an unhappy ending
- First find the poem, then compose for it
- Dramatic expression
- Robert and Clara Schumann
- Robert was a law student
- Clara was Robert’s piano teacher’s daughter
- Robert suffered from bipolar disorder
- Song Cycle = a “concept album”
- Through Composed = no repetition
- Lyric poetry tells about nature and love; Narrative poetry tells about story