Question: Discuss the development of music beginning in the Romantic period through the Modern period.

During the Romantic period (roughly 1815-1910), music became increasingly expressive and emotional. Composers began to explore new harmonic possibilities, and the piano became the instrument of choice for many solo works. The development of musical nationalism also emerged during this time, as composers sought to create music that represented their respective cultures.

The Modern period (roughly 1910-present) saw a further expansion of harmonic language, as well as the emergence of atonality and other avant-garde techniques. The use of electronics in music also began during this time, ushering in a new era of sound exploration. contemporary music continues to push boundaries and explore new sonic possibilities.

The Romantic period in music was marked by a number of important changes. One was the increasing importance of the performer, as opposed to the composer. This was due in part to the increasing popularity of public concerts, which gave performers a chance to show off their virtuosity. Another change was an increase in the use of expressive devices such as rubato (a flexible approach to tempo) and vibrato (a wavering of pitch). These were used to add emotion and drama to the music.

During the Romantic period, composers began to explore new genres and forms. One popular genre was the art song, which was usually a setting of a poem for voice and piano. Composers also wrote large-scale works such as symphonies, concertos, and operas. These works often told stories or conveyed emotions, and they frequently used new and innovative harmonic ideas.

The Romantic period was followed by the Modern period, which lasted from approximately 1900 to 1950. This period saw a number of important changes in music. One was the increasing use of atonality or harmony that avoids using a tonic (key) center. This made much of the music of this period very dissonant and difficult to listen to. Another change was the increasing use of technology in music. Composers began to use electronic instruments such as the theremin, and they also began to experiment with recorded sound.

One of the most important developments of the Modern period was the rise of serialism. This was a compositional technique developed by Arnold Schoenberg in which all 12 notes of the chromatic scale are used in a systematic way. This created music that was highly abstract and often very difficult to listen to. However, it was also highly influential, and many of the composers of the later 20th century were influenced by it.