Program music is one of the key features of the Romantic Musical Style, which brings more depth and context to the performance. It is important to note that it opens a new window of opportunities to enrich instrumental music by providing a meaningful connotation. The given analysis will primarily focus on Bedrich Smetana and Hector Berlioz, who are among the most prominent program music performers.
The selected aspect of the art is highly contextual in regards to its overall capacity to express the underlying dynamics. Program music can be defined as instrumental music, which is directly linked to a scene, idea, poem, or story (Kamien, 2017). In other words, the music is shaped in such a way that it brings a more descriptive element, where it attempts to render a certain narrative. In the case of Hector Berlioz, his program music is a highly sensational and autobiographical one. One might argue that it is due to his youth and energy, which made it unconventional, and it even irritated some directors (Kamien, 2017). However, Bedrich Smetana’s program music is based on nationalism through a repressive atmosphere. Some forms of optimism can be observed, which are mostly designed to hide the composer’s despair and anguish (Kamien, 2017). Therefore, both utilize program music, but the approach is made in a completely different way.
In conclusion, program music is an important aspect of instrumental music, which introduces a narrative and descriptive element to the given area of performance. In addition, it also brings more depth and context in the form of underlying connotations for the art. Bedrich Smetana uses the given aspect of music to focus on the repressive side of the storytelling. In the case of Hector Berlioz, he mostly approaches program music by making it unconventional and sensational.
Reference
Kamien, R. (2017). Music: An appreciation (12th ed.). McGraw-Hill Higher Education.