Romantic Era

  • Ludwig Van Beethoven

    1770-1837
  • Period: to

    Romantic Era

  • Felix Mendelssohn

    1809-47
  • 19th century

    The 19th century saw some of the most radical changes to music since music's recorded history
  • Prince Nikolaus Eszterhazy

    1765-1833
  • Melody

    Could still be symmetrical but most composers preferred to write more expansive and elongated musical thoughts
  • E.T.A. Hoffman

    1776-1822
  • Vincenzo Bellini

    1801-1828
  • Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel

    1805-47
  • Emotion

    Composers were expected to imbue their music with strong emotional content. Longing was one of the most distinguishable features of the romantic period.
  • Carl Maria Von Weber

    1786-1826
  • Rhythm

    Heroism became the fad in the 19th century starting with Beethoven. Resulting in a desire for fanfare-like musical statements in orchestral music. Rhythm took on a free nature in the 19th century.
  • Gaetano Donizetti

    1797-1848
  • Frederic Francois Chopin

    1810-49
  • Mikhail Glinka

    1804-57
  • Harmony

    Remarkable advances occurred in the harmonic nature of music in the 19th century. Sevenths, ninths, and harmonic chromaticism dominated almost every genre of music.
  • Giachino Rossini

    1792-1868
  • Robert Schumann

    1810-56
  • Texture

    Homophony, polyphony, and monophony were all used in the 19th century.
  • Franz Schubert

    1797-1828
  • Hector Berlioz

    1803-69
  • Form

    Form from the 18th century such as sonata, variations, ritornello and rondo were continued and expanded on in the 19th century.
  • Richard Wagner

    1813-83
  • Dynamics

    Dynamics were used for the first time in music history to their full potential. Dynamics became central style for the new emotional and expressive content.
  • Timbre

    For the first time, orchestration became an art in itself. Progressive composers made extraordinary changes in the expectation of roles for various orchestral instruments.
  • Franz Liszt

    1811-86
  • Anton Brucker

    1824-96
  • Instruments

    Most modern improvements to orchestral instruments were made during this time period. Tuning was refined for most instruments and the piano was improved. Percussion music found their voice through progressive music.
  • Conflict of interest

    There was a desire for large choral-orchestral works but also a desire for a solo character piece for piano.
  • Charles Gounod

    1818-93
  • Johannes Brahms

    1833-97
  • Patronage

    The patronage system disappeared. Upper and upper-middle class patrons replaced the old court system.
  • Improv and trills

    Improvisation and trills fro the 18th century were discontinued.
  • Clara Wieck Schumann

    1819-96
  • Giuseppe Verdi

    1813-1901
  • Chromaticism

    Chromaticism, especially harmonically, was used freely.
  • Mind of artist

    19th century had a weird obsession with individual feeling and an interest in the nature and mind of an artist.
  • Johann Strauss

    1825-99
  • Piotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky

    1840-93
  • New Tone

    New tone colors emerged when composers orchestrated passages for instruments never before combined. Brass and percussion sections were enlarged.
  • Antonin Dvorak

    1841-1904
  • Hugo Wolf

    1860-1903
  • Topics of interest

    Supernatural and macabre were topics of interest in the 19th century.
  • Edward Elgar

    1857-1934
  • Camille Saint-Saens

    1835-1921
  • John Philip Sousa

    1854-1932
  • Giacomo Puccini

    1858-1924