Question

fDescribe the characteristics of Romantic Music and provide examples from specifics composers (Berlioz, Beethoven, Chopin)

Answer 1

The Romantic period of music is from 1830 to 1900. This period was a time where composers, artists and authors channelized their efforts at avoiding the formal restraints of the classical period. Emotional expression took precedence over all else and the recognized, formal fundamental concerns took a back seat. There was a large scale expansion in the size of the orchestra and there were many new instruments introduced. New forms came into being, like rhapsody, song cycle and nocturne. The melodies seemed longer in the romantic period as compared to the classical period. The pitch was also larger ranged now and there was found to be a bigger range of dynamics. Many composers started using their compositions to celebrate their countries and promote nationalism. For example, Finlandia.

Coming to the composers of the romantic music era, Firstly, Berlioz wrote his most celebrated and original work in 1830, Symphonie Fantastique, an autobiographic work portraying his “ceaseless and unappeasable desire” for Harriet Smithson:Richard Wagner categorized Berlioz as one of the world’s three supreme composers, the other two being himself and Liszt! Berlioz was seen as an exceptional musician in his homeland and he was respected by other European artists. But he was not as financially strong as Beethoven and Liszt.

Secondly,  Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the most noteworthy and prominent composers of the western art music tradition. He was a ground-breaker as He masterminded the evolution of music from the Classical style which was so full of style, poise and balance, to the Romantic style which came to be described by sentiment and influence.Beethoven was a composer of the classical period but he also dominated the romantic period that followed. The major elements of music include: the use of folk songs, stress on manifestation and passions, extension in the use of form and the growth of synchronization from sound quality increased chromatics.

The third composer who dominated the romantic music period - Frederic Chopin was a A piano genius of the Romantic era who composed mostly for solo piano, he created some of the instrument’s most cherished, extraordinary works before his death at the age of 39. Some of his works which are perfect for making Valentine’s day memorable are :

Ballade in A flat major, Op. 47 No. 3

Nocturne in E flat major, Op. 9 No. 2

Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23