Romantic Music History and Nationalist Movements

La Música en el Romanticismo

Dentro de la música romántica, encontramos diversas estructuras. En la música vocal, destacan las grandes formas como la misa y la ópera, así como pequeñas formas como el lied. En la música instrumental, se distinguen las grandes formas: sinfónica, concierto y música programada (incluyendo la sinfonía dramática y el poema sinfónico); y las pequeñas formas, centradas principalmente en el piano.

Main Characteristics of Romantic Music

• Composers try to express their own ideas and emotions.
• Movement and rhythm are very flexible.
• The melodies are very long and romantic.
• Composers are considered geniuses and are independent from patrons.
• The piano is the most important instrument.
• The harmonies are more dissonant, complicated, and bold.
• The orchestra grows as instruments are further developed.
• New musical forms emerge: the lied, the symphonic poem, and small musical pieces for piano such as etudes and nocturnes.

Spanish Musical Nationalism

Spanish musical nationalism is characterized by the creation of a new musical language extracted from traditional roots. It features a great Eastern influence transmitted by Arabic culture and an increase in national symphonic music.

Classification of Musical Instruments

• Chordophones: In a chordophone, the sound is made by vibrating strings.
• Aerophones: The sound is produced by vibrating air.
• Membranophones: The sound begins with the vibration of a stretched membrane.
• Idiophones: The vibration of the instrument itself is the main source of the musical sound.

The Era of Romanticism: 1820-1900

This period expanded existing musical forms and developed new ones as a way of expressing the self. A huge variety of instrumental and vocal music appeared on the scene, increasing the number of movements and the size of the instrumental ensembles. Notable examples include Richard Wagner and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

Nationalism in the Romantic Era

Nationalism is linked to Romanticism and appeared in countries which fought for their independence and reacted to foreign domination. In this era, romantic individuals evolved.

Characteristics of Nationalist Music

• The melodies are very important and their origin is traditional.
• The rhythm is very rich, inspired by popular dances.
• Simple harmonies and varied instrumentation.