Program music was an essential part of the Romantic Period. From the short piano character pieces to the longer orchestra tone poems and programmatic symphonies, music began to take on a greater significance than its basic elements. Many pieces told complicated stories.
Find a recording of one of the following:
“A Night on Bald Mountain” by Modest Mussorgsky
“Death and Transfiguration” by Richard Strauss
“Finlandia”by Jean Sibelius
“The Moldau” by Bedrich Smetena
Before researching the work, listen to it and write some of your thoughts. Can you hear the music tell a story? If so, describe what you hear. What is it about the music that gives you these ideas?
After completing the above, look up its program and listen to it a second time. Do you notice anything different now that you know the background? Write another paragraph on your conclusions. Make sure to use musical terms to describe the melody, harmony, rhythm, texture, and instrumentation.