Unit Summary
Romantic Music
A good beginning date for the Romantic period would be about 1820, coinciding with the late period of Beethoven. The boundary between the Classic and Romantic period is not clear, since many practices of the Classical period continued until close to the end of the 19th century. A good choice for the end of this period would be 1914. The onset of World War I brought with it a general disruption of cultural life in Europe, followed by a thorough reorganization after the war's end. The very nature of Romantic art creates difficulties in definition or characterization. However, some important trends include an emphasis on creative expression over careful formal design, a preference for extraordinary for exotic subjects, an interest in bridging the boundaries between art forms, and an emphasis on originality rather than tradition.
Major Developments
- Particularly in German speaking Europe, a continuation of the symphony, chamber music, and solo sonatas for piano, violin, and other instruments.
- To the classical symphony, concerto, and sonata, new musical forms were added. These include the program symphony, the tone poem or symphonic poem, and character piece (for piano). Particularly in German speaking countries, the song for solo voice and piano, the lied (pl. lieder) gained a new degree of prominence.
Romantic instruments to know by sight and sound
Innovation in musical instruments was concentrated more on developing existing instruments than creating new ones. Advances in acoustics and manufacturing technology affected many instruments. The piano was given a metal frame, old violins were reworked for greater strength of tone, the keywork of the woodwind instruments was redesigned, and valves were added to brass instruments.
- Wind instruments
- String instruments
- triple action pedal harp (chromatic)
Some important composers
- Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was a powerful influence on most European composers of this era, although their response to him varied significantly. He represents an important bridge between the Classical and Romantic styles.
- Franz Schubert (1797-1828) exhibits Romantic tendencies principally in his songs. Like Haydn with the symphony and string quartet, and Mozart with the piano concerto, Schubert is credited with bringing the lied into full maturity.
- Felix Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann, and Johannes Brahms are all important German composers with strong conservative (Classical) tendencies. Each was influenced by some aspects of the Romantic movement, and each created his own style of music, but they worked within the traditions established by the Classical masters.
- Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) is one of the first of the Romantic Revolutionaries. He created a new way of writing for the orchestra, practically invented the modern art of conducting, and brilliantly championed the idea of program music.
- Frederic Chopin (1810-1849) developed a new way of writing for the piano.
- Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) was the greatest composer of Italian opera, writing a series of masterpieces that form the core repertory of every major opera house.
- Richard Wagner (1813-1883) developed a new concept of music drama, and was a pioneer in new harmonic thinking as well.
- Franz Liszt, Georges Bizet, Peter Tchaikovsky, Giacomo Puccini are other important composers from the Romantic period.
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