Week 5 Discussion: The Romantic Era

Choose three composers from the Romantic Era. Pretend they all had an opportunity to meet, perhaps at a party. What do you think they might say to one another about music and culture? Construct the conversation as you imagine it, although be sure the conversation reflects specific information from the lives and music of your chosen composers.

List of famous composers from the Romantic Era:

Beethoven, Chopin, Wagner, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Verdi, Mahler, Strauss, Liszt, Berlioz, Mussorgsky, and Tchaikovsky.

In addition to responding to the Discussion question, students are also required to respond to two classmates by asking “the composers” additional questions.

PEER #1 POST:

Hello Professor and classmates,

Imagine a party during the Romantic Era where three famous composers, Frdric Chopin, Hector Berlioz, and Johannes Brahms finally meet and start talking about music.

Chopin begins the conversation quietly. I believe music should be personal and emotional. You do not need large ensembles to express deep feelings. The piano alone can speak clearly, especially see in my nocturnes and preludes. My Polish background and folk music rhythms influence much of my work, even though I spent much of my life away from home.

Berlioz responds enthusiastically. I respect that, but I prefer music that is bold and dramatic. I want listeners to feel like they are part of a story. That is why I use large orchestras and program music, like in Symphonie fantastique. Literature and drama inspire most of my compositions, and I believe music should excite the imagination.

Brahms listens carefully before answering. I admire both of your approaches. Emotion is important, but I believe it works best when supported by strong structure. I value traditional forms like symphonies and sonatas, especially those developed by

Beethoven. My goal is to combine Romantic emotion with classical balance and discipline.

Chopin nods in agreement. That balance is what makes Romantic music unique. Each of us values emotional expression, but we use different tools to achieve it.

Berlioz smiles. Exactly. Romantic music allows composers to break rules and follow their own artistic vision.

Brahms adds thoughtfully. And at the same time, it challenges us to respect the past while creating something new.

By the end of the evening, the three composers agree that Romantic music is defined by freedom, emotional expression, and cultural identity, even though each composer expresses those ideas in very different ways.

What a party!

PEER #2 POST:

If Franz Schubert, Hector Berlioz, and Giuseppe Verdi met at a party during the Romantic Era, I think their conversation would focus on emotion and storytelling in music.

Schubert would probably talk about how music should express real feelings. He might explain that his songs, or Lieder, were based on poetry and everyday emotions like love, sadness, and longing. Schubert would likely say he enjoyed smaller, more personal performances because they allowed listeners to connect more closely with the music.

Berlioz might jump in and say that music should tell a dramatic story. He could talk about Symphonie Fantastique and how he used a repeated musical idea, called an ide fixe, to represent a character throughout the piece. Berlioz would probably mention how he liked using large orchestras and new sounds to make his music more exciting and imaginative. Verdi would then shift the conversation to opera. He might explain that his operas focus on strong emotions, dramatic stories, and realistic characters. Verdi could also talk about how his music connected to Italian culture and reflected social and political ideas of the time. He would likely argue that opera is powerful because it combines music, drama, and emotion in a way that really connects with audiences. Even though these composers had different styles, they would probably agree that Romantic music is all about emotion and expression. Whether through songs, symphonies, or opera, their goal was to move the listener and tell meaningful stories through music.