Abstract

In the history of Western music, the Classical and Romantic periods represent distinct musical ideologies and artistic expressions. From the Classical era of the 18th century to the Romantic era of the 19th century, there were significant transformations in musical style, formal structure, and compositional philosophy. During this evolution, absolute music and program music emerged as two contrasting approaches to composition, reflecting different interpretations of music’s essence and artistic purpose.

This thesis explores these contrasting concepts through an in-depth study of three works featured in the author’s graduate recital: Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture (also known as Fingal’s Cave), Haydn’s Cello Concerto No. 2, and Sibelius’s Symphony No. 2. By examining the compositional background, formal structure, and interpretative performance of these pieces, the paper seeks to trace the historical development of absolute and program music within the broader context of Western music history.