This course provides an overview of the seminal composers and classical music repertory of the Romantic era. Musical works will be approached from various historical stances that trace the development of nineteenth-century genres of absolute and programmatic music, including the symphony, opera, chamber music, and art song.

Students will examine the relationship between music and society, focusing on the effects of the Industrial Revolution, the impact of nationalism, and the influences of salon culture and literary critics who championed the aesthetic development of a Romantic style. Connections with the visual arts and architecture of the Romantic era will also be considered.

MUS 312 is not open to students who have taken MUS 212.