The Vocal Music of the

Romantic Period
Lesson 1 – Art Song of the
Romantic Era

William
Wordsworth
What is the poem
about?
Are impressed with the poems? Why or why
not?
Do you think the poems may be used as lyrics of a song? Why do you
say so?
Art Song – is a poem expressed in music. It is a
short vocal solo piece based on poem that is
often accompanied by the piano. It already
existed during the medieval times, but it became
more popular during the Romantic period.
Lied – is a German word for art song. A lieder
refers to a group of German art songs. Composers
back then used the poems of famous poets as
bases for their compositions; they also used
pianos as their accompaniment.
Strophic Form – plays the same melody in all
stanzas.
Through-composed music – each stanza of the
poem is sung to a new music
Composers who are known for their art
songs:
1. Franz Schubert
2. Robert Schumann
3.
TheJohannes Brahms.
“Erlkonig,” also known as the “Erlking” or the “Elf King,” was an art song composed by
Franz Schubert, which was based on the poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The song was
intended to be performed by a baritone/bass and a pianist.
Lesson 2 – The Opera Music of the
Romantic Era

What do you think is the main concept of the first video about
singing?
Are you familiar with the opera singers in the second video? Describe their
singing style?opera singing should be learned by all singers? Why or
Do you think
why not?
Opera – is an Italian word that means Two Faces of Opera
“work,” is a play or drama set to music. 1. Italian Opera – the song is the focus (vocal part).
This musical form played an important Italian composers have developed a form of
role in the lives of the people in the 19th singing called ‘bel canto,’ which literally means
century. This is why the Romantic period “beautiful singing” in Italy.
was also known as the “golden age of 2. German Opera – shift focus from the voice to the
operas.” orchestra.
 Two significant composers represent the
Romantic opera
1. Giuseppe Verdi for Italy
2. Richard
Terms UsedWagner
in for Germany.
Opera – this is an instrumental introduction to an
Overture
opera.
Recitative – this is the text declaimed in the rhythm of natural speech with a slight melodic
variation and little orchestral accompaniment.
Aria – this a solo song with an instrumental
accompaniment.
Libretto – this is the text or story of the
opera.
Librettist – this person is the writer of the
libretto.
Bel canto – this is an Italian phrase that means beautiful
singing.
Leitmotif – this is the leading motive or basic recurring
theme.
Opera seria – this is a serious
opera.
Opera buffa – this is a comic
opera.
Big Idea
“Opera is an entertaining and interesting art form that depicts various topics and
genres such as action, romance, comedy, drama fantasy, and horror.
Lesson 3 – The Music Makers of the
Romantic Era

What do composers
do?
What do you think a composer must have in mind to create
music?
Can you compose a song? Why or
why not?
Franz Schubert
• Was an Austrian composer born on 31 January
1797.
• When he was 10 years old, he had already
established
his reputation as a budding composer in Vienna.
• He followed his father’s profession as a teacher
and
spent his spare time in writing compositions.
• Schubert became musically productive.
• He was a able to compose 600 lieder, 7 complete
symphonies, 2 sonatas, and a series of miniatures
for
solo piano, 2 Mass settings and other shorter
choral
works, 4 stage works, and various other projects.
• He struggled financially, but his musical works
were
great successes .
• He died on 19 November 1828.
Giuseppe Verdi
• Was an Italian composer born on 10 October
1813.
• The Milan Conservatory rejected him because he
was
not qualified based on the standards of the
institution
at that time.
• Some sources, however, said it was because of his
age
that Verdi was not admitted. So he studied music
privately under another composer, Vincenzo
Lavigna.
• He was known for his successful operas such as
Rigolleto,
II Trovatore, La Traviata, Falstaff, and Aida.
• He composed over 25 operas, and his works have
been
performed worldwide.
• He died on 21 January 1901.
Giacomo Puccini
• Was an Italian composer born on 22 December
1858
in Lucca, Italy.
• He came from a family of musicians.
• The Puccinis were organists and composers to
the
Cathedral of San Martino for five generations.
• He studied at the Milan Conservatory, and later
became
successful because of his operas.
• His famous works include Tosca, Edgar, Turandot,
La Boheme, and Madame Butterfly.
• He died due to post-operative shock on 29
November
1924.
Richard Wagner
• Was a famous German composer, primarily known
for his complex and controversial operas.
• He was born on 22 May 1813 in Leipzig, Germany.
• During his early years, he attended school in Dresden,
Germany.
• Unlike other composers, Wagner was not considered
a child prodigy. But did not stop him from composing
music.
• When he was only 11 years old, he wrote his first
drama; by the age of 16, he was already composing
music.
• He studied at the Leipzig University and performed
his first symphony in 1833.
• Inspired by Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Wagner
became one of the world’s most influential composers.
• His works are known for their complex texture, rich
harmonies and orchestration, and elaborate use of
leitmotifs.
• His famous operas include The Flying Dutchman, Tannhauser, Lohengrin, Tristan und
Isolde, Parsifal, and his great tetralogy, Der Ring des Nibulgen (Ring of the Nibelungs). He
died of a hearty attack in Venice on 13 February 1883.