Out of the six historical periods of Western Art music, I found Romantic Period to be the most interesting. The idea that music became “infused with emotional intensity” excited me because I’m always interested in the shift in speed or how steady the artist’ piece can be as it can represent their feelings toward a specific topic. The artist could play a complex piece which means the music could shift from a slow start to a fast pace. For example, one could make an interpretation that the artist was living a happy life until a certain obstacle came about and led to some sort of downfall. It’s also exciting to see that there were advancements such as in the type of genres, development of music programs, rhythms, and much more. I knew about the rise of industrialization and nationalism in which machines produced goods and resources. Also, people wanted independence and equality as influenced after the French Revolution.

I chose to listen to Frédéric Chopin and his piece “Nocturne in E-Flat Major, Op. 9, No. 2”. The music sounded like what I expected from my own knowledge because when the word “romantic” comes to mind, I think of a slow paced music that could also be relaxing, which is what I felt while listening to this piece. Also, I like how this piece is nice and simple with just a piano and its joyful vibe.