1. Briefly summarize the life and career of Ludwig van Beethoven. In what ways was he a product of the French Revolution?
2. Please listen to the first movement of Beethoven's "Symphony #5." What is it that makes this music so forceful ? (Hint: it isn't just because it sounds louder) ?How would you compare it with the Symphony of Haydn we listened to in a previous chapter??
3. How does Beethoven unify the four movements of his Symphony #5? In a typical symphony of the Classical Period, each movement has a pause before the next one begins. In which movement of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony does this not happen? What is the effect?
4. What is Romanticism? What are the style features of Romanticism in music?
5. What are "Lieder?" Why do you think the "Lied" flourished during the Romantic Era?
6. Listen to Schubert's "Erlking." Why is this sometimes called a "mini-opera?" Excluding the narrator, list the other three characters in the "Erlking," and describe how Schubert has portrayed them in the music.
7. Who was Clara Wieck? What two great musical figures was Wieck connected with? What challenges did she face as a composer?
8. The piano, invented c. 1709 by the Italian harpsichord maker Cristofori, was increasingly refined over its first 100 years, and by 1830 was essentially the powerful and expressive instrument that we know today. Discuss the career of Frederic Chopin, mentioning his contributions and innovations to piano playing and the piano literature.
9. What is a nocturne? Please listen to Chopin's Nocturne in F-Sharp, Op. 15 #2. What is "nocturne-like" about it?
10. What is program music? One of the programmatic aspects of Berlioz's "Symphonie fantastique" is the use of something he called the, "idee fixe". What exactly is this? In what ways was "Symphonie Fantastique" directly connected with Berlioz' own life? Do you like the music??