Research Point: Romantic Music

Borne from the Romantic arts movement of the late 18^th Century, the Romantic era of music seemed to follow in the footsteps of the great romantic artists, seeking fluidity, freedom and perhaps a sense of enlightenment.  Get into Classical (n.d.) describes the Romantic musical movement as,

“The point at which composers stopped trying to make technically perfect (and hence always a little cold and dry) pieces, and started to really express their feelings in the music.”

Whilst listening to pieces from this era, it is clear to see that the movement was largely about the shedding of conventions imposed by the 18^th century ‘classical period’ and focusing more on telling a story and invoking emotion within the audience.  Compositions by Wagner, Beethoven, Mahler and Tchaikovsky demonstrated a more ‘flexible’ musical form, each demonstrating their own musical styles and ideas.  However, when discussing the conventions of the Romantic period, McCleery (2007) writes that:

“It is not possible to give a comprehensive and exhaustive list of qualities contained in music of the Romantic period: each composer’s personal journey led to many contradictory trends and to many clashes of artistic opinion.  Perhaps the defining quality is a break from the formal conventions of the eighteenth century.” 

This defiance of music rigidity, teamed with the development of industrial techniques also led to the introduction of a better quality of instrument, capable of greater range and pitch.  This not only ushered in new possibility in terms of the combination of instruments available, but also led to much larger orchestral arrangements. 

Swann (n.d.) describes how the scientific, political and evolutionary process of the turn of the century also played a role in the development of Romanticism and writes that during this period, a new ‘class’ of citizen began to appear with money, power and influence.  He writes that this new ‘middle class’:

“Had an entirely different mentality from the older, aristocratic world. They were less assured in social position, more open to new influences and fashions, generally more susceptible to change, less institutionalized, more intimate, less formal, in many ways less sophisticated, more apt to be impressed by the sensational, the exotic, and the emotionally gripping.”

It seems that it may have been these changing beliefs and attitudes of the population that fueled this ‘break away’ from the traditional techniques and lead to a more fluid and free style of composition.

Lee (n.d.) writes that Beethoven’s musical career played a crucial role in the development of the romantic era; juxtaposing Beethoven’s early works, largely influenced by the classical conventions of Haydn and Mozart, with his later periods, focusing of a more narrative style of composition.   Lee believes that it was when Beethoven began to lose his hearing that he began to experiment with the power and emotion of music, creating pieces such as his Symphonies 2-8, which portray a deep sense of heroism and inner struggle.   It may have been this move away from convention by such a well-respected composer which empowered other musicians to experiment with such musical freedom. Beethoven’s later works continued with a more ‘experimental styles’ widely believed to be deeply intellectual and powerful.

Lockwood (2005) writes that, “In each period, even his earliest, Beethoven was a resolutely original and forward-looking artist”.  This suggests that it was Beethoven’s classical background, influenced by the great romantic artists that enabled him to imagine a new form of musical expression, experimenting not just with technological advances, but using music to influence societal and political changes. 

Beethoven’s desire to ‘tell a story’ through his composition, along with many other composers during that time, created a very definite shift in musical thinking.  It seems that this ‘Romantic movement’, in which composers began to explore other elements of musical form, has undeniably helped to shape the music that followed in the 20^th and 21^st centuries.