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. This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.