By Shaquita Stubbs

During

the 19th century, composers began to use music to express feelings and even to tell stories. They ignored Classical forms or used them loosely, letting the emotional content shape the music. Describing emotions became more important than musical elegance. Painters and writers also began to use their art to convey personal feelings and experience. This movement in art and music was called the Romantic movement. It lasted until the 20th century.

 The

orchestra grew and instruments were improved in order to fill large new concert halls with sound. Romantic composers wanted to convey a wide range of emotions and atmospheres. New and improved instruments helped them to achieve more contrasts in tone and volume.

 Music

which tells a story or paints a picture is called programme music. The name comes from the notes, or programme, that some composers wrote to explain their music. Long works of programme music are called symphonic, or tone, poems. Berlioz (1803-1869) composed a symphonic poem, Symphonie Fantastique, to decribe his love for an actress, Harriet Smithson. He invited her to a performance and later she married him. Berlioz was good at composing for huge orchestras.

 You

cannot follow a story or tell what a picture like by listening to music. Instead, the composer tries to arouse feelings similar to how the picture or story might make you feel. There may be clues to the nature of the music in the title. Composers created atmosphere by their use of tempo, rhythm, harmony or instrumentation. Rapid or unexpected changes of key might create a feeling of suspense or turmoil. Strange combinations of notes create looks a sense of uneasiness or dread.

 Paganini

(1782-1840) was a brilliant virtuoso violinist. People found his talent so incredible that rumours started which said that he was in league with the devil. Paganini did not object because the rumours made him even more famous.

 Before

the 19th century, European music was mostly dominated by certain centres. Italy was the centre in Handels time and Vienna in Mozarts time. Musical styles throughout Europe were influenced by fashions in these centres. Certain Romantic composers rebelled against this and began to express national identity in their music. This was called the Nationalist movement. They borrowed folk rhythms, harmonies and tunes to give their music a national flavour.

Grieg NORWAY (1843-1907)

Elgar ENGLAND (1857-1934)

Czechoslovaka Smetana (1824-1884) Dvorak (1841-1904)

Spain Albeniz (1860-1909) Falla (1876-1946)

Finland

Sibelius (1865-1957)

Russia Poland

Borodin (1837-1887) Mussorgsk (1839-1881) Rimsky Korsakov (1844-1908)

Chopin (1810-1849)

Austria

Liszt (1811-1886) Bartok (1881-1945) Kodaly (1882-1967)

 Romantic

composers made a living from concerts and from publishing their music. They were not employed by patrons so they had more freedom to experiment. As a result, there is a lot of variety in Romantic music. Beethoven (1770-1827) was the first Romantic composer. He adapted Classical forms to express powerful emotions.

 Tchaikovsky

(1840-1893) was the first Russian composer to be famous outside Russia. He wrote music for ballets* such as The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake and The Nutcracker. Chopin and Liszt were virtuoso pianists as well as composers.

The Orchestra The addition of keys gave woodwind instruments a wider range and more volume.* Valves improved range and tone on brass instruments.* New members of the orchestra: Piccolo Cor anglais Bass clarinet The piano was given an iron frame instead of a wooden one. This could stand tighter, thicker strings which gave a louder, fuller sound.*

 Romantic

composers Composers did not make money unless the public liked their music. Beethoven Beethoven dedicated his Eroica Symphony to Napoleon. But when Napoleon made himself Emperor, Beethoven scratched out the dedication. Liszts Some of Liszts music was so difficult that only he could play it.

Born: 7-May-1833 Birthplace: Hamburg, Germany Died: 3-Apr-1897 Location of death: Vienna, Austria-Hungary

Cause of death: Cancer

Remains: Buried, Zentralfriedhof, Vienna, Austria Occupation: Composer Nationality: Germany Executive summary: Ein deutsches Requiem

Born: 12-Nov-1833 [1] Birthplace: St. Petersburg, Russia Died: 27-Feb-1887 [2] Location of death: St. Petersburg, Russia

Cause of death: Heart Failure

Remains: Buried, Alexander Nevsky Monastery, St. Petersburg, Russia Occupation: Composer Nationality: Russia Executive summary: Prince Igor

Born: 22-Feb-1810 Birthplace: Zelazowa Wola, Poland Died: 17-Oct-1849 Location of death: Paris, France Cause of death: Tuberculosis Remains: Buried, Cimetire du Pre Lachaise, Paris, France

Occupation: Composer
Nationality: Poland Executive summary: Composer for the piano

Born: 8-Sep-1841

Birthplace: Nelahozeves,
Bohemia, Austrian Empire Died: 1-May-1904 Location of death: Prague, Czechia Cause of death: Heart Failure Occupation: Composer Nationality: Czechia Executive summary: From the New World

Born: 23-Nov-1876 Birthplace: Cdiz, Spain Died: 14-Nov-1946 Location of death: Alta Gracia, Crdoba, Argentina

Cause of death: Heart Failure

Remains: Buried, Cathedral, Cdiz, Spain Religion: Roman Catholic Occupation: Composer Nationality: Spain Executive summary: La Vida

Breve

Born: 15-Jun-1843 Birthplace: Bergen, Norway Died: 4-Sep-1907 Location of death: Bergen, Norway [1] Cause of death: Heart Failure Remains: Cremated (ashes interred at a fjord cliff at Troldhaugen)

Occupation: Composer
Nationality: Norway Executive summary: Norway's greatest composer

Born: 22-Oct-1811 Birthplace: Raiding, Hungary Died: 31-Jul-1886 Location of death: Bayreuth, Germany Cause of death: Pneumonia Remains: Buried, Alter Friedhof, Bayreuth, Germany Religion: Roman Catholic

Occupation: Composer, Pianist

Nationality: Hungary Executive summary: Hungarian composer

Born: 8-Jun-1810 Birthplace: Zwickau, Saxony, Germany Died: 29-Jul-1856 Location of death: Endenich,

Prussia, Germany
Cause of death: Syphilis Remains: Buried, Alter Friedhof, Bonn, Germany Occupation: Composer Nationality: Germany Executive summary: Toccata

Born: 8-Dec-1865 Birthplace: Hmeenlinna, Finland Died: 20-Sep-1957 Location of death: Jrvenp, Finland

Cause of death: unspecified

Remains: Buried, Sibelius Estate, Jarvenpaa, Finland Occupation: Composer Nationality: Finland Executive summary: The Swan of Tuonela

Born: 2-Mar-1824 Birthplace: Leitomischl, Bohemia Died: 12-May-1884 Location of death: Prague,

Czechia
Cause of death: Syphilis Remains: Buried, Vysehrad Cemetery, Prague Occupation: Composer Nationality: Czechia Executive summary: My Country