Romantic (1815-1910)

Romantic (1815-1910)

1. Expressed every possible human emotion in a dramatic and involving way

2. Forms

   • Tonic-dominant relationships less important
   • Sonatas, concertos and chamber music for violin and piano
   • More remote key centres
   • Breakdown of sonata form
   • Lied (German poem to classical music) more popular
   • Increased use of dramatic tension, chromaticism, dissonance
     • Enhance mystery ad intensity of music
   • Cyclic thematic development (late 1800) to hold pieces together
   • Use of key centres less important

3. Audience

   • Largest orchestras for big public concerts
   • Increased literacy of masses
     • Programme music (stories/themes/ideas) from pop literature
   • Start of great split between avant garde and mainstream market
     • Avant garde: new and experimental ideas
   • Increased demand for concerts and printed music
     • Composers earn livings from performances/publishing deals
   • Demand for music to be performed in homes
     • Vast mounts of chamber music composed
   • Heights of popularity rarely seen before
     • Gangs of enthusiasts rioting for chosen geniuses
     • Mainly symphonic music and opera

4. Music

   • Development of National music (from folk sources)
   • Piano becomes most popular instrument (because of development)
   • Split between 'modernists' and 'traditionalists'
     • Modernists: Chopin/Schumann/Liszt/Wagner
     • Traditionalists: Brahms/Mendelsssohn/Rossini
   • Notion that the artist = social and cultural hero
   • Introduction of new instruments in orchestra e.g. trombone, saxophone, celesta, ophicleide
   • Around 1890s - recording technology
     • Invention of wax cylinder

5. Composers

   • Early: Medelssohn
   • Middle: Brahms
   • Late: Mahler
   • Symphony: Bruckner
   • Piano: Chopin
   • Opera: Wagner
   • Violin: Paganini

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