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Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Goethe was a German poet and writer who was a literary force behind Romanticism. He wrote poetry, books about literature, dramas, novels, scientific books on anatomy, botany, and color, and an autobiography. Composers continue to set his works to music to this day. -
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Prince Nikolaus Esterhazy
This man employed Haydn after 1790. -
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Ludwig van Beethoven
Beethoven, still an iconic composer to this day, was the transitional composer between classicism and romanticism. He wrote symphonies, an opera, piano sonatas, masses, string quartets, arias, concertos, Lieder, other choral and chamber music, and overtures. -
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E. T. A. Hoffmann
Hoffmann was a German composer and writer. He is famous for his work The Nutcracker. He also wrote stage works, vocal works, piano works, writings, and some chamber and orchestral works. His writings are considered to epitomize Romanticism. -
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Carl Maria von Weber
Weber was the founder of German Romantic Opera. He also studied with Michael Haydn. He wrote German opera, other dramatic works, cantatas, concertos, piano works, two symphonies, songs, and writings. Also considered an important conductor. -
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Giacomo Meyerbeer
Meyerbeer was the leading composer of the French Grand Opera. He was the object of Wagner's anti-Semitic writings in 1850. Meyerbeer wrote operas, choral music, dramatic works, a few instrumental works, and songs. He was also Jewish. -
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Gioachino Rossini
Rossini was the most famous composer in the early 19th century in Vienna. An Italian composer who mostly wrote operas and choral music. He also wrote vocal works and two sinfonia. -
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Franz Schubert
Schubert was an Austrian composer who created the genre of artistic and dramatic Lieder. He also wrote symphonies, piano works, chamber music, choral music, and operas. Schubert frequently used modulations and expansion of melodies. He also had many unfinished works. He was romanticized after his death. -
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Gaetano Donizetti
A student of Mayr, Donizetti was a prolific composer of all genres. He wrote operas, symphonies, songs, chamber music, and choral music. Donizetti was also Verdi's immediate forerunner in serious Italian opera. -
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Vincenzo Bellini
Bellini was an Italian opera composer that lived a short life. He wrote 10 serious operas. He also created dramas with extreme passion, action, and emotion. -
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Hector Berlioz
Berlioz, a French composer, writer, conductor, and innovator, was the leading French musician in his day. He wrote operas, chamber music, choral music, symphonies, writings, tone poems, vocal works, and works of untraditional genres. His works embody the notions of Romanticism. -
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Mikhail Glinka
A European trained prolific composer, Glinka was the father of Russian music. He wrote stage works, orchestral works, chamber music, vocal works, and piano works. -
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Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel
Sister of Felix Mendelssohn, Fanny was trained in the same way but discouraged from composing. She married and continued to publish. She wrote Lieder, chamber music, choral works, and an overture. Her house was a center for culture and intellectuals. -
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Felix Mendelssohn
Mendelssohn, a German composer of Jewish heritage, was an early romantic with a conservative style. He was important as a conductor and revised Bach's music. He wrote symphonies, chamber music, concertos, piano and organ works, and Lieder. -
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Romantic era
Emotions were incorporated into the music. One of the most distinguishable features of Romanticism was longing. Feelings of passion were glorified more than reflection or self-control. Brass and percussion sections were enlarged. Chromaticism was freely used. Solo recitals were popularized and widespread. The upward leap of a sixth in the music became the "romantic" interval. Homophony, monophony, and polyphony were common used textures. The piano improved greatly during this era. -
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Frederic Francois Chopin
Chopin was a Polish/French pianist and composer who innovated new piano techniques. He wrote piano concertos, sonatas, and chamber music that involved a piano. He is more poplar today than he was during his time. Most known for his character pieces. Called the poet of the piano. -
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Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann was important as a critic, composer, and editor. He was the center of musical life who sadly lost his sanity at a young age. He wrote symphonies, chamber music, Lieder, piano works, one (not so great) opera, and concertos. -
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Franz Liszt
Liszt was a conductor, author, virtuoso pianist, supporter of Wagner, and inventor of the orchestral tone poem. He also invented musical form, aesthetics, and harmonies. He wrote tone poems, Lieder, dramatic works, vocal works, piano works, and writings. -
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Richard Wagner
Wagner was the creator of German Music Drama. He was also a writer, conductor, and musical innovator. Wagner strove for endless melodies and wrote about music of the future. He wrote operas, writings, music dramas, and 2 (poor) symphonies. Wagner also was an Anti-Semite. He profoundly influenced Western harmony. -
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Giuseppe Verdi
Verdi was the leading Italian opera composer of the 19th century and became a national hero of Italy. He wrote choral music and 26 operas. -
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Charles Gounod
Gounod, a prolific French composer, wrote operas, masses, oratorios, piano works, and much choral music. He wrote in most genres of the day. -
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Jacques Offenbach
Offenbach was the inventor of Opera bouffe. He wrote dramatic works, vocal works, dance music, ballets, and works for cello. He also introduced the can-can. -
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Clara Wieck Schumann
Wife of Robert Schumann, Clara Schumann was a virtuoso pianist. She wrote Lieder, and a piano concerto. Was also a close friend of Brahms. -
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Cesar Franck
Franck was a French nationalist composer, organist, and teacher. He wrote stage works, orchestral music, choral music, chamber music, organ works, -
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Bedrich Smetana
Smetana was a Czech composer who established Czech opera in the 19th century. Other than operas, he also wrote tone poems. Was also a nationalist. -
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Anton Bruckner
Bruckner was an Austrian composer and organist who was known for his large orchestrations. He wrote symphonies, organ works, and choral music. He was also a follower of Wagner and had an incredibly conscientious approach to composition. -
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Johann Strauss
Called the "Waltz-King," Strauss was a Viennese composer, violinist, and conductor. He wrote Viennese operettas. -
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Stephen Foster
An American songwriter with vernacular style. -
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Louis Moreau Gottschalk
Gottschalk was one of the most significant American 19th century musicians. He was also well known in Europe. He wrote symphonies, piano works, concertos, a few vocal works, and operas. Was also a virtuoso pianist. -
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Johannes Brahms
Brahms, friends with the Schumann's and one of the first editors of Bach's music, was an Austrian composer known as a classic-romantic. He wrote symphonies, choral music, concertos, chamber music, German Requiem, Lieder, piano works, and other orchestral works. He never wrote an opera. Brahms also had strong knowledge of the musical past. -
Start of Texas Revolution
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Camille Saint-Saens
Camille Saint-Saens was a French composer, organist, pianist, and writer. He wrote stage works, songs, choral music, chamber music, orchestral works, piano works, and writings. -
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Georges Bizet
Bizet was a French composer who created a new type of serious French opera. He also wrote dramatic works, songs, and piano works. -
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John Knowles Paine
Paine was an American composer, organist, and teacher of the new generation of American composers. He wrote stage works, songs, choral music, orchestral works, writings, and piano and chamber works. Paine was also Harvard's first professor of music. -
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Modest Musorgsky
Musorgsky was the most famous of the Russian Mighty Five. He wrote operas, piano works, orchestral works, and Russian songs and cycles. His music is rooted in Russian lore and folksong. -
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Piotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
This man was a Russian composer, teacher, and conductor. He was Western trained. He wrote stage works, symphonic poems, symphonies, chamber music, and songs to name a few. -
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Antonin Dvorak
Dvorak was the most famous of the Czech composers. He lived in the USA and was influenced by Native American and African-American music and culture. He wrote symphonies, chamber music, choral music, piano works, orchestral works, concertos, and songs. -
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John Philip Sousa
Sousa was an American leader of the U.S. Marine Band in 1880. He wrote vocal works and over 100 marches. -
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Edward Elgar
Elgar was an English composer who received international acclaim. He wrote symphonies, stage works, overtures, chamber music, choral music, and piano works. He was not folksong oriented. -
Darwin's theory of evolution is published
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Hugo Wolf
Wolf was an Austrian composer influenced by Wagner. He wrote 1 opera and 250 Lieder. -
Start of the Civil War
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Meiji Restoration
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Opening of the Suez Canal
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Unification of Germany
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First Boer War