Exercise 1

Listen to the following pieces of work from The Romantic era. Could they be called absolute or programme music? Maybe you won’t have to listen to the pieces – their titles will be enough of a clue. If you decide on programme music, give ONE reason how the music succeeds in describing the title. Use the musical elements to be quite specific.

1. Schubert: Gretchen am Spinnrade (Gretchen by the Spinning Wheel)
2. Bruch: Violin Concerto no. 1
3. Grieg: Schmetterling
4. Liszt: Ce qu'on entend sur la montagne, Symphonic Poem no. 1 (What one hears on the mountain)
5. Mendelssohn: Octet yn E^♭ major