Piano Music in the 19th Century

During the Romantic period, the piano became the most popular single instrument and even a symbol of the era. Several improvements were made: it was enlarged to give it a wider range and more tonal power, it gained a richer sound and gradually a wider range of notes, and the sustaining pedal began to be used to a much wider extent. In this course, we explore prominent piano repertory from the Romantic Era with special emphasis on works by Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Chopin, Liszt, Brahms, and Rachmaninoff; and discuss the development of 19th century piano music within an evolving cultural and historical landscape.