Prelude 5: Music as Passion and Individualism
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The Romantic movement really comes into its own through music in:
a. the middle of the eighteenth century.
b. the last few decades of the 1700s.
c. the early decades of the 1800s.
d. the middle of the 1800s.
2. _____ is identified as the first great creative Romantic.
a. Goya c. Schiller
b. Beethoven d. Wagner
3. Which of the following describe the common tenets of Romanticism?
a. Artworks display their creators’ originality.
b. Art should unsettle rather than soothe.
c. Struggling artists are working against society and conventions.
d. all of the answers shown here
4. The French Revolution signaled:
a. the end of Classicism.
b. the transfer of power from the aristocracy to the middle class.
c. the beginning of the Enlightenment.
d. the end of Romanticism.
5. The nineteenth century saw the rise of a new social order shaped by:
a. the monarchies of the major political powers.
b. the aristocracies.
c. the technological advances of the Industrial Revolution.
d. the Catholic Church.
6. The democratic character of the Romantic movement is illustrated by:
a. sympathy for the oppressed. c. faith in humankind and its destiny.
b. interest in peasants. d. all of the answers shown here
7. Which of the following is true of Romantic poets?
a. They rebelled against conventional forms and subjects.
b. They leaned toward the fanciful and picturesque.
c. They expressed their new spirit of individualism with passion.
d. all of the answers shown here
8. Which of the following was NOT a major theme of Romantic writers?
a. glamorizing the past
b. far-off lands
c. idealized heroes of Greece and Rome
d. individualism
9. Which instruments extended the high and low ranges of the orchestra during the nineteenth
century?
a. piccolo, violin, and trumpet c. violin, viola, and cello
b. piccolo, tuba, and contrabassoon d. trumpet, tuba, and violin
10. During the nineteenth century, concert life began to center on the:
a. palace. c. university.
b. church. d. public concert hall.
11. Which of the following describes orchestras of the nineteenth century?
a. The orchestra was directed from the keyboard or the first violin.
b. The range of dynamics decreased.
c. The size of orchestras decreased, making for more compact ensembles.
d. New instruments were added to the ensemble.
12. What trend inspired composers to write music evoking scenes or sounds of far-off lands?
a. exoticism c. chromaticism
b. nationalism d. virtuosity
13. Romantic composers sought to make instruments sing. This statement best describes which
element of music?
a. rhythm c. harmony
b. melody d. texture
14. Romantic music was characterized by which of the following?
a. singable melodies c. expanded forms
b. expressive harmonies d. all of the answers shown here
15. Which of the following describes Romantic orchestral music?
a. Classical forms were followed.
b. Music expressed emotional balance and restraint.
c. New genres emerged, some of which incorporated voices.
d. Composers produced more symphonies than their Classical-era counterparts.
16. Which of the following characterizes musicians of the Romantic era?
a. They continued to be viewed as servants.
b. Virtuosic soloists became stars.
c. They relied on aristocratic patronage and the favor of royal courts.
d. Composers were treated fairly by their publishers.
17. What was the slogan of the French Revolution?
a. “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”
b. “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”
c. “All men are created equal.”
d. “Long live the king!”
18. Which nineteenth-century novel was dedicated “to the unhappy ones of the earth”?
a. The Three Musketeers c. Kubla Khan
b. Les Misérables d. The Scarlet Letter
19. Which central figure emerged to guide orchestral performances?
a. the conductor c. the diva
b. the concertmaster d. the virtuoso
20. Which person broke away from tradition and overcame social stereotypes to become a successful
composer?
a. George Sand c. Carolyne Sayn-Wittgenstein
b. Clara Wieck Schumann d. Nedezhda von Meck
TRUE/FALSE
1. Music did not embrace the Romantic movement until the mid-1800s.
2. The French Revolution had little impact the Romantic movement.
3. The Romantic writers and artists embraced conventional forms.
4. One of the prime traits of Romantic artists was their emphasis on intense emotional expression.
5. The nineteenth-century novel found its great theme in the conflict between the individual and
society.
6. The Industrial Revolution led to the production of less expensive musical instruments with no
technical improvements.
7. The Romantic orchestra was the same size as the Classical orchestra.
8. The dynamic range of nineteenth-century orchestras was far greater than that of orchestras of the
previous century.
9. Romantic music is characterized by relatively less expression than music of earlier periods.
10. In nineteenth-century music, the composer uses new descriptive terms to communicate the desire
for increased expressiveness to the performer.
11. An interest in folklore and folk music resulted from the rise of nationalism.
12. Composers depicted exoticism by turning to the warmth and color of Italy and Spain and to the
glamour of Asia and the Far East.
13. A Romantic symphony is generally longer than a Classical symphony.
14. Nineteenth-century society continued to view musicians as glorified servants.
15. Solo performers became stars during the Romantic era, idolized by the public.
16. Songwriter Stephen Foster was a savvy businessman and helped establish an economic model that
benefits musicians to this day.
17. Women played a limited role in terms of patronage during the nineteenth century.
18. Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel was known for her songs, piano music, and the salon concerts she
hosted in her home.
ESSAY
1. What are the principal ideals underlying Romanticism? How are they reflected in the art and
literature of the period?
ANS:
Answers will vary.
PTS: 1 DIF: 2 REF: Essentials: pp. 180–184
TOP: Romantic Era MSC: Conceptual
2. Discuss the rise of the virtuoso performer in the nineteenth century. How did this phenomenon
affect music?
ANS:
Answers will vary.
PTS: 1 DIF: 3 REF: Essentials: pp. 183–184
TOP: Romantic Music MSC: Conceptual
3. Discuss how Romanticism specifically affected music.
ANS:
Answers will vary.
PTS: 1 DIF: 3 REF: Essentials: pp. 181–184
TOP: Romantic Music MSC: Applied