GRADE 9

- S
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WESTERN MUSIC
Step IV – OF MUSIC
HISTORY - T
h
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ROMANTIC PERIOD COMPOSERS
Instructions for assessment and evaluation –
Write the following notes in your writing books (History Section) and answer the questions.
Leave a little space to paste -a picture of the composer.

Annexure –
Frederic Chopin ( 1810 – 1849 )

Frederic Chopin was born in a small town near Warsaw , Poland , in 1810 . His
father , a teacher was French and his mother was Polish. When he was six years
old he began studying Piano and he played a Concerto in public at the age of eight.
Chopin developed a passionate love for Poland even though he lived most of his
adult life in Paris, France. When he left Poland , he took with him a goblet filled
with the soil of his beloved native land.
He attended the Warsaw Conservatory of music. In 1829 , he began a concert tour to London
by way of Vienna, Munich and Paris. At this time,the Russians invaded Warsaw , making it difficult for
Chopin to return to Poland. Chopin remained in Paris the rest of his life Chopin preferred to perform for
small gatherings of friends and society people in private homes. He was exhausted when he returned to
Paris and died there in 1849. The soil from Poland that he had kept with him was sprinkled over his grave.
Chopin helped to make the Piano a successful solo instrument. Most of his delicate, poetic
compositions were written for solo piano. His beautiful melodies sang with his feeling of love , sadness and
longing. His lively , happy Mazurkas and Polonaises ( folk dances ) expressed his love for his native land.
His works – 54 Mazurkas , Military Polonaise , Minute Waltz ,Raindrop prelude , Revolution Etude

Questions – 1. Write the nationality and the year of Birth of Chopin ………………….

2. At what age did he play a Concerto in public ?..............................

3. Why was it difficult for Chopin to return to Poland …………………

4. Which countries did he tour ?.....................

5. How did Chopin express his love for his native land …………………

6. What are ‘’ Mazurkas and Polonaises” …………………..

7. Explain the contribution done by Chopin …………………………..


 Robert Schumann (German 1810 – 1856 . )

Robert Schumann was born in Germany in 1810 , the same year Chopin
was born . When he was 6 years old , Robert began piano lessons . After
graduating from grammar school , he went on to study law at the university.
Schmann was more interested in music than in law and eventually gave up
law completely. A t 18 , he went to Leipzig where he studied At 22 , he
permanently injured his hand after which Schumann devoted himself to
composition and literary [Link] started a magazine , New journal for
music , He became well known as a critic ,editor and a great spokes person
for the Romantic period.

In 1840 , Schumann married Clara Wieck , an outstanding Pianist and daughter of his former Piano
teacher,and his wife was a great inspiration. During the early years of his marriage he began to write songs.
Many were touching .Songs expressing his great love for Clara and children . ( They had eight children )
In 1843 , he was named teacher of piano , composition and score reading at the new Liepzig
Conservatory . In 1844 Schumann accompanied Clara on a successful concert tour of Russian where she
performed many of his compositions. In 1850 they moved to Dusseldof where Schumann became town
musical director.
By 1854, his mental health had failed and he tried to drown himself in the Rhine River . He
was rescued and taken to a private asylum where he died two years later.

His well known works - Album for the young ( The happy farmer , Solders march , Melody )
- Scenes from childhood

Fill in the blanks.

1. Robert Schumann was born in _____________ in ______________.

2. He start to learn the Piano at the age of _______________.

3. _____________ was his first Piano teacher.

4. When he was __________ years , he permanently injured his hand

working with a device.

5. He started a magazine __________in which he wrote _____________

and ___________.

6. In 1844 Robert and Clara made a concert tour of _______________

where Clara played many of Robert Schumann s compositions.

7. The well-known compositions of Schuman are

1. ________________-

2. ____________________


Franz Schubert ( Austrian 1797 - 1828)
Schubert was born in 1797,Vienna, Austria, the son of a school
master . Even as a child, he had astounding musical gifts. At 11 ,
Schubert became a choir boy in the court chapel and won a
scholarship to the imperial seminary, where he played first Violin
and occasionally conducted the orchestra. Shubert so loved music
that he once sold his schoolbooks to buy a ticket for a performance
of Beethoven ‘s Opera , Fidelio. His love of poetry led him to the
art song . Then he composed his first great song , ‘Gretchen at the
spinning wheel’. The next year he composed 143 songs ,including
‘The Erl king ’’When he was 19 , he composed 179 works including
02 symphonies , an opera and a mass.

When he was 21, Schubert gave up teaching at school to devote himself entirely to music. He associated
with a group of Viennese poets and artists who admired his compositions. Schubert often lived with friends
because he did not have money to rent a room of his own. Then he spent his afternoon in cafes , drinking
coffee , playing billiards , reading news papers and talking with friends. He accompanied the songs and
played his delightful waltzes while friends danced. Most of his works were composed for performances in
the homes of Vienna s cultivated middle class .Unlike Beethoven , Schubert did not mingle with the aristocrazy.
Schubert was 31,he died of Syphilis in 1828, The career of Schubert ,the earliest master of the Romantic
art song ,was unlike that of any great composer before [Link] never held an official position as music
director or organist, and he was neither a conductor nor a virtuoso.

Answer the following questions .

[Link] the city where Schubert was born ? ______________________

[Link] the first song composed by Schubert ? ___________________

3. At what age he died ? ________________

[Link] 2 works which were not performed during his life time ___________________________

[Link] a composer who was never held any official position as a director , organist , conductor or a
virtuoso. ______________________
6. Name some of his compositions
i. ____________________________ ii.______________________ iii.___________________


Franz Liszt ( Hungarian 1811 – 1886)
Franz Liszt was born in Hungary in 1811. Liszt s father Adam Liszt wanted his son to
learn music and began teaching Franz. When he was six years old . He progressed so
quickly that he performed a public concert when he was 9. Liszt s family moves to
Vienna , Austria. So that he could have better teachers. Liszt gave recitals in Vienna .
Astory says that Beethoven went up and kissed the young Liszt forhead and praised
him.In Paris , Liszt became friends with Chopin.

Chopin was so impressed with Liszts playing and encouraged Liszt to become a serious composer. Liszt
would eventually compose over 1000 works for the Piano. From 1839-1848 , Liszt gave concerts in the
great Europeans cities and was recognized as the greatest Pianist of his day. In 1866, the Pope conferred
on Liszt the tittle of lay priest. He is considered one of the greatest composers of the Romantic Period.
Fill in the blanks with suitable words.
[Link] Liszt was born in ____________ . ( Hungary, Poland )
[Link] performed in a ______________ ( public concert, in Churches) when he was 9.
[Link] Paris, Liszt became friends with __________.( Chopan , Beethoven )

4. ____________________ and __________________ were composed by Franz Liszt.

5.__________________ is considered as one of the best Pianists of the Romantic Period.

Giuseppe Verdi (Italian: 1813 - 1901)

Italian composer born in 1813 . At the age of 10 , he went to Bussetoy

to study music .He served as church organist for nine [Link] was
an ardent nationalist who got elected to the first Italian parliament. He
composed the Grand march from ‘Aida ’ an Opera. Commissioned to
commemorate the opening of the Suez [Link] wrote many operas
and the famous song ‘ O my country so beautiful and lost ’’A national
liberation hymn sung by all Italian Patriots.

His works
Operas - Othello, Aida

1. Give the nationality and birth year of the Verdi ______________________

2. Name the work he composed which was used to the opening of the Suez canel ______________

3. Name two operas by Verdi i.____________________ ii.________________________


Peter Tchaikovsky ( Russian 1840 - 1893)

This Russian Composer outstanding for his orchestral , including Concertoes and
Ballet scores ,wrote in distinctive Russian style . He was one of the internationally
famous and popular composers, due to the reason that he always wrote tuneful melodies
and he used orchestral sounds in a variety of exciting [Link] first Ballet ‘‘ the
Swan lake ’’was acclaimed a great composition. It was based on a [Link]
composed a few more Ballets .

Ballet - Swan lake

Dance of the Suger Plum Fairy
Sleeping Beauty
Orchestral - 1812 Overture

Fill in the blanks.

1. Tchaikovsky was a ______________ composer born in ______________.

2. Name the Programme music piece based on the Russian Revolution.______________