Romantic Era Music: A Deep Dive

Romanticism

1. Main Characteristics

• Chronology: 1805 (Beethoven's 3rd Symphony premiere) to 1905 (Debussy's La Mer premiere).
• Rise of Nationalism: From the latter half of the 19th century, nations sought independence from major political powers. Composers reflected this by incorporating folk elements into their work.

2. Instrumental Music

• Importance: Instrumental music was considered the most important art form due to its ability to express deep emotions without words.
• Orchestral Growth: The orchestra expanded, leading to the concept of the symphony orchestra and the construction of large concert halls to meet bourgeois demand.
• Rise of the Piano: A need for intimate music suitable for bourgeois homes led to the piano becoming the most important instrument of the Romantic era.

2.1 Instrumental Forms

Small Forms

• Short piano pieces allowed composers to express feelings freely. These forms lacked a defined structure and included preludes, nocturnes, ballades, études, waltzes, and fantasies. Notable composers include Schubert, Chopin, and Liszt.

Large Forms

• Symphony: A four-movement form (first movement in sonata form) inherited from Classicism, but with extended durations, especially in the developments. Key composers include Beethoven, Brahms, and Mahler.
• Symphonic Poem: A programmatic orchestral work where the composer tells a story through music. It has a freer structure than the symphony. Berlioz pioneered the form, followed by Liszt and Strauss.

3. Vocal Music

3.1 Romantic Opera

• Italy: Dominated the genre with composers like Rossini (The Barber of Seville), Verdi (La Traviata, Macbeth, Rigoletto), and Puccini (La Bohème, Madama Butterfly).
• France: Bizet, known for Carmen, was a major figure.
• Germany: Wagner revolutionized opera, striving for a Gesamtkunstwerk (total work of art) by controlling all aspects of production. His music dramas eliminated the distinction between arias and recitatives for greater unity. He also used leitmotifs (recurring themes) for characters. Notable works include Tristan und Isolde, Tannhäuser, and Parsifal.

3.2 The Lied (German Song)

• A song with piano accompaniment, where the piano plays a crucial role in setting the mood. Texts were often drawn from Romantic poetry and explored themes of emotion. Schubert, Schumann, and Mahler were prominent Lied composers.