Grade 9-3rd Quarter: Romantic Music Romantic Music: The Era of Emotion and Imagination By Jessa Buelva

Grade 9-3rd Quarter: Romantic Music

Romantic Music: The Era of Emotion and Imagination

Objectives:

Identify the characteristics of Romantic Period music.
Recognize key Romantic composers and their contributions.
Demonstrate understanding of Romantic music through listening and creative tasks.

Learners’ Activities for Romantic Music

Warm-Up Activity: “Emoji Mood Match”

Instructions:

Teacher plays a short Romantic music clip.
Students quietly pick or point to an “emoji card” that matches the feeling of the music (😊😢😱😌❤️).
Ask 2–3 volunteers to share why they chose that emoji.

Purpose: Introduces the emotional nature of Romantic music in a quick, fun way.

Activity 1: “Meet the Romantic Composers”

Instructions:

Divide the class into small groups.
Give each group a composer profile card (Paganini, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Schubert, Brahms).
The card includes a photo, a short fact, and one famous work.

Groups answer:

What kind of emotion does this composer often express in music?
What is one famous piece of this composer?

Output: A short group sharing of their composer card.

Activity 2: “Mood in Motion”

Instructions:

Have the class form a large circle in the classroom or open space.
The teacher plays three short Romantic music clips, one at a time (3 rounds).
During each clip, students move around the circle, swaying, stepping, or lightly dancing according to the mood of the music (e.g., happy, sad, dramatic, calm, dreamy).
After all three rounds, students return to their seats.

Ask 2-3 volunteers to share:

How did the music make them feel?
Which movements or gestures reflected the mood best?

Purpose: Promotes active listening and emotional awareness.

Activity 3: Comparison Task

“Classical vs. Romantic—What’s the Difference?”

Classical period music link. Romantic period music link.

Instructions:

Students compare Classical vs. Romantic music using a simple Venn diagram.

They fill in:

Theme
Mood
Expression
Purpose

Examples:

Classical = order, balance
Romantic = emotion, imagination

Purpose: Helps learners understand what made Romantic music unique.

Activity 4: Creative Output

“3-Line Emotion Poem”

Instructions:

Individually, students write a three-line poem that shows one emotion found in Romantic music (joy, sadness, longing, hope).
They may decorate it with small symbols or doodles (hearts, waves, stars).

Output: A simple creative poem inspired by Romantic expression.

Activity 5: Performance Task

“Emotion Freeze Performance”

Instructions:

Class listens to a Romantic piece.
In groups, students choose one dominant emotion the music expresses.
They prepare a 5 to 10 second frozen pose (like a tableau) that represents that emotion.
They present their pose to the class.

Rubric Criteria:

Expression of emotion
Teamwork
Creativity
Clarity

Reflection: “Why Does Romantic Music Still Inspire Us Today?”

Instructions:

Students write a short paragraph answering:

How can Romantic music help people express their emotions today?

Purpose: Builds personal connection and appreciation of music.

Romantic music is more than just beautiful melodies—it is music that speaks to the heart. Composers of this period wrote pieces that told stories, expressed deep emotions, and painted vivid pictures in the listener’s imagination. From soaring melodies to dramatic contrasts in volume and tempo, Romantic music invites us to feel, dream, and connect with the emotions behind every note. This is the music of passion, imagination, and personal expression, and it continues to inspire people around the world today.

What Is Romantic Music?

Romantic music (1850–1900) is music filled with emotion, imagination, and personal expression.
It often tells a story or paints a picture through sound.

Common Characteristics:

Focus on strong feelings
Dreamy, expressive melodies
Big contrasts in loudness and speed
Themes of nature, love, heroism, and fantasy
Music that feels like a story or personal experience

Key Composers of the Romantic Period

Niccolo Paganini - He stands out primarily for his “rockstar performances”.
Johannes Brahms - Known for warm, rich, emotional music such as Brahms’ Lullaby and Hungarian Dance No. 5.
Frédéric Chopin - Known for emotional and delicate piano pieces.
Pyotr Tchaikovsky - Famous for dramatic ballets like Swan Lake and Nutcracker.
Franz Schubert - Known for expressive songs that sound like storytelling.
Franz Liszt - A piano superstar of his time—powerful and impressive works.