Question 1: Describe the typical emotional qualities associated with Romantic music. Provide two specific adjectives that a composer might aim to evoke in the listener.

Answer: Adjectives such as passionate, expressive, dramatic, or emotional.

Question 2: Identify and explain one common musical feature used in Romantic music to create a sense of tension or drama.

Answer: Use of dynamic contrast, such as sudden louds (forte) and softs (piano), or chromatic harmony to build tension.

Question 3: Listening analysis: Imagine a piece where the melody is highly expressive, with wide leaps and expressive phrasing, played by a solo violin. What characteristic of Romantic music does this exemplify?

Answer: Emphasis on personal expression and emotional storytelling through virtuosic solo lines.

Question 4: Discuss how the use of harmony in Romantic music differs from that in Classical music. Mention one specific harmonic technique common in the Romantic period.

Answer: Romantic music often uses chromaticism and more complex, sometimes unresolved chords, to enhance emotional intensity.

Question 5: Sketch a simple outline of a Romantic melody that includes expressive features such as wide leaps and dynamic markings. Label the key features in your sketch.

Answer: A melody with large interval leaps (e.g., a sixth or seventh), marked crescendo and decrescendo, with expressive phrasing lines.

Question 6: Name two composers associated with the Romantic era and one characteristic style or feature of their music.

Answer: Frédéric Chopin – known for poetic piano music; Richard Wagner – famous for his leitmotifs and rich harmonic language.

Question 7: Identify a typical instrument or instrument combination commonly used to evoke the Romantic style. Explain how it contributes to the expressive quality.

Answer: The full Romantic orchestra, especially the strings and brass, which can produce powerful, lush sounds that convey deep emotion.

Question 8: Listening analysis: Imagine a piece that features a slow, lyrical melody with a rich harmonic background, often used to express longing or introspection. What Romantic characteristic does this describe?

Answer: Expressive, lyrical melodies that convey deep emotion and introspection.

Question 9: Explain the concept of 'program music' in the Romantic era. How does it differ from absolute music?

Answer: Program music is composed to tell a story or depict a scene or idea, whereas absolute music is purely abstract without extra-musical meaning.

Question 10: Draw a short, expressive musical phrase that might be used in a Romantic piano piece. Include dynamic markings and expressive elements in your sketch.

Answer: A melodic line with large leaps, marked forte or subito forte, with expressive shaping (e.g., a rallentando or a crescendo).