KEYBOARDS
Alfred's Premier Piano Express is designed for students who need a fast-paced approach to piano study. Based on the
concepts and music from Premier Piano Course, this all-in-one accelerated course integrates lesson, theory, tech-
nique, and performance pages. It’s organized into skills-based units that feature clear explanations of important
musical concepts and written worksheets to provide review and strengthen understanding.
The Romantic Period
From Alfred’s Premier Piano Express, Book 4
An Introduction to the Romantic Period (1820-1900)
Music from the Romantic period often represents strong emotions, but
not necessarily those relating to “romance” or “love.” Composers wrote
pieces that demonstrated many moods, such as dramatic and stormy,
thoughtful and dreamy, or inspiring and uplifting. Romantic music was
intended to communicate personally with the listener.
During the Romantic Period:
•
Short character pieces for piano became popular, yet older
forms such as sonatas became longer.
•
The modern piano reached the height of its development,
paving the way for famous concert pianists like Franz Liszt
and Clara Schumann. Their popularity rivaled the pop stars
of today!
•
Three important keyboard composers were: Frédéric
Chopin (1810–1849), Edvard Grieg (1843–1907), and Robert
Schumann (1810–1856).
A Brief Timeline…
•
1839 – Frédéric Chopin completed his Preludes, Op.28, for
piano.
•
1848 – Robert Schumann composed Album for the Young,
Op.68, for piano.
•
1876 – Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.
•
1880 – Thomas Edison invented the light bulb.
Musical Examples
Play the above melodies from the Romantic period and count aloud
in the process.
This column is an excerpt from Book 4 of Alfred’s Premier Piano Express – All-in-One Accelerated Course by
Dennis Alexander, Gayle Kowlchyk, E.L. Lancaster, Victoria McArthur & Martha Mier. Get it today at
www.musicbooksplus.com.
26 CANADIAN MUSICIAN