Ok, so basically i have to do a presintation about the Romantic era in a couple of weeks, and need some examples of music to play. I'm looking for well known pieces from the romantic era which are for simple violin or intermediate flute.

Thanks

you might start by making a list of some typically Romantic composers ... does that help, or would you like more clues ??

I have a list of composers, but i don't know which of their works were romantic because some of them overlap with other eras. My list included Faure (could play Sicilienne), Brahms (could play his Waltz), Tchaikovsky (can play some of his music from the Nutcracker) - are any of these romantic?

Mmm - ok -- Tchaik and Brahms definitely; Faure is interesting; I regard him more as a post-romantic I guess (don't like pigeon-holes!) dates-wise he was born only very slightly later than the other two, but perhaps the difference is that he lived 24 years into the 20th century. Some of his music has a very Romantic feel, other seems to show a later harmonic idiom. Sicilienne could well be regarded as romantic in style, although I don't know offhand when it was written. If I were in your position and I played Faure I'd need to feel I could argue (if necessary) why he, or this piece in particular if not Faure in general, could be thought of as romantic, but you're ok with the other two. If you want to play safe, find people who lived most of their composing lives in the 19th century. If not include Faure and be prepared to argue your case if asked!

sorry for waffle! hope something helps

Hmmm.....maybe i'll do a little more research. I'm not sure how much arguing would be needed though - theres only 5 people in my class, and the other 4 are my best mates anyway!!

ok - I wasn't sure either! but in case your teacher asks, you might like to be able to say what the characteristics, broadly speaking, of romantic style music are and be able to demonstrate that you have thought about your pieces in this light, and briefly describe why they are examples.

Good idea.

Can anyone think of any other pieces which i might be able to use instead - the more well known the better!!

Have you played Anitra's Dance, which is on the Grade 5 list? That's a good example of music from the romantic era. Or one of Kohler's Romantic Etudes would be good.

You'll find an absence of romantic music written for flute: plenty of studies, but a lack of other music. This was due largely to the changes the instrument was undergoing during this period. Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Grieg pieces arranged for flute can fill the gap.

If you have 76 Graded Studies for flute, look at the composers' dates in the back of the book. This should give you an idea of which of the studies were composed during the romantic period.

Ooooh - changes in the flute. Didn't even think of that.

Can we say that I'm pretty safe going for Brahms Waltz and Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker works?

I'm confused!! Then again, at least I didn't have to do some of the 20th century weird stuff as my unit.

The trouble is that Brahms, Tachikovsky, Schumann, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Mahler, Bruckner, Liszt etc, did not really write for flute... If you are just looking for any piece by so-called Romantic composers, there are plenty of which you could just play the theme...

If you are looking to play Romantic-in-style pieces and written originally for flute, they how about Gaubert or Taffanel? But I guess this is not what you want really, is it?

All i really need is an example of a piece of music from the Romantic era that i could play during a presintation about this period. I don't really want to have to buy any new music so am trying to find something that i already own. I also play violin (would probably only have time to prepare something grade 3 or easier though) if thats easier.

How about the nocturne from Mendlesohhn's Midsummer Night's Dream? It is very well known, and you can get it as a free download, arranged for the flute, if you google a bit.

Weber wrote a wonderful Trio for flute, cello and piano. I know Khachaturian doesn't exactly belong to the Romantic era but his Flute Concerto (an arrangement by Jean-Pierre Rampal of the composer's Violin Concerto) is one of the most lusciously "romantic" pieces I've ever heard.

try virtualsheetmusic.com for arrangements.

For info on the Romantic era - and I hope this doesn't sound too simplistic - look at the Usborne book of Easy Piano Classics! It's more than just a piano book; there is lots of interesting information there on style, composers, instruments of the day, etc. I once organised a concert that took the audience through all main periods of musical history, and most of my spiel came from this little book!

I can't play piano

What I was trying to say was that you wouldn't be getting it for the music in it! It's full of litle snippets of information about Romantis composers, instruments of the orchestra, works, and musical customs of the day - I did actually buy it for the piano music, to use with pupils, but I've actually used it much more to get ideas for things to say at concerts about different musical genres. It's not for you to play something from; it's to read the text.

Talk about how composers use chromatics to harmonise their music...

Do you have 'Solos For Flute' arranged by Donald Peck? That's full of stuff from the grade 5 syllabus and it gives dates of the composers so you'll be able to tell if it's romantic or not.