19th Century Romanticism in Music: A Deep Dive
19th Century Romanticism in Music
Romanticism
A cultural and artistic movement extending into the 19th century, Romanticism reacted against classical formalism, championing freedom, emotion, and individualism.
Characteristics of Romanticism
- Emerged in the late 18th century, originating in Germany
- Individualism and subjectivism; expression of feelings
- Desire for freedom (political, ideological, etc.)
- Escapism through supernatural themes, distant lands, etc.
- Search for the unattainable, the infinite
- Interest in national legends
- Reverence for nature
Important Authors
- Lord Byron
- Walter Scott
- Victor Hugo
- Alexandre Dumas
- Goethe
- Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer
- José de Espronceda
- Mariano José de Larra
- José Zorrilla
Musical Characteristics
- Intimate and subjective compositions
- Emphasis on inspiration over form
- Highly expressive and irregular melodies
- Complex rhythms and free polyrhythms
- Rich harmony (complex chords and modulations)
- Wide dynamic range
- Inspiration from folk themes and folklore
- Further development of instrumental music
- Improvements in instruments
- Emphasis on smaller piano forms
- Creation of program music (symphonic poem)
- Emergence of virtuosity
- Importance of the piano
Main Piano Forms
- Nocturne: Intimate, sentimental genre invented by John Field and cultivated by Chopin.
- Impromptu: Improvised piece.
- Intermezzo: Entertainment piece.
- Elegy: Sad and melancholic piece.
- Rhapsody: Grand, virtuosic piece based on folk themes.
- Barcarolle: Imitates gondoliers’ songs.
- Ballade: Lyrical piece.
- Prelude: Free-flowing piece.
- Polonaise: Stately Polish dance.
- Mazurka: Polish folk dance, moderate tempo.
- Polka: Czech dance.
The Romantic Symphony
Following Beethoven, most composers used this form, breaking free from its structure and expanding the orchestra’s sound.
Program Music
Composers moved beyond the sonata-symphony form. To express their inspiration and fantasy, they turned to freer forms, such as program music, which follows a theme, idea, landscape, literary program, or legend. Hector Berlioz, with his Symphonie Fantastique, is credited with this innovation. Other important works include Romeo and Juliet and Harold in Italy.
The Symphonic Poem
The most important form of program music, the symphonic poem is a single-movement orchestral work inspired by poetic and descriptive elements. Franz Liszt created the genre with his 12 symphonic poems. Nationalist composers followed this genre.
Nationalism
Nationalism emerged strongly in countries outside the dominant musical centers of France, Italy, and Germany.
Characteristics of Nationalism
- Exploration of folk traditions, legends, etc., as national expression
- Important musical forms related to dance and folk tunes
- New musical language with novel harmonies and rhythms
- Reaction against the influence of dominant countries
Nationalist Composers
Russia
In 1836, Glinka’s A Life for the Tsar marked the birth of Russian national music. Glinka incorporated folklore, influencing later composers like the Mighty Five (Balakirev, Cui, Borodin, Mussorgsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov). Notable works include Rimsky-Korsakov’s Russian Easter Festival Overture, Scheherazade, and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. Tchaikovsky composed symphonies and operas with European influences.
Czechoslovakia
Bedřich Smetana, the founder of Czech nationalism, composed Má vlast (My Country), including Vltava (The Moldau). Antonín Dvořák, a more universal composer, created the New World Symphony. Leoš Janáček represents a second wave of Czech nationalism.
Finland
Jean Sibelius composed symphonies and symphonic poems.
Norway
Edvard Grieg
Hungary
Zoltán Kodály and Béla Bartók, who incorporated Mediterranean folk elements into his work.
United States
George Gershwin, influenced by jazz and blues, composed Rhapsody in Blue, An American in Paris, and Porgy and Bess.
Latin America
Composers used native music and pentatonic scales. Notable figures include Silvestre Revueltas and Carlos Chávez (Mexico), and Heitor Villa-Lobos (Brazil).
Vocal Music
Lied
Meaning “song” in German, the Lied combines music and poetry, primarily for voice and piano, with high artistic intent.
Forms
- Strophic: A, A’, A” (variations)
- Through-composed: Free form
- Ternary: A, B, A
- Rondo
Composers
- Franz Schubert: Over 600 Lieder, including song cycles like Die schöne Müllerin (The Fair Maid of the Mill) and Winterreise (Winter Journey).
- Robert Schumann: More complex piano accompaniment and intensified melodies. Song cycles include Frauenliebe und -leben (A Woman’s Love and Life) and Dichterliebe (A Poet’s Love).
- Johannes Brahms
- Hugo Wolf
- Gustav Mahler: Orchestral accompaniment in Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth).
Opera
Italy
Early Romantic Opera
- Gioachino Rossini: Transition from Classical to Romantic opera. Works include The Barber of Seville and William Tell.
- Vincenzo Bellini: Beautiful melodies reflecting female psychology. Works include Norma and I Puritani (The Puritans).
- Gaetano Donizetti: Works include Don Pasquale and Lucia di Lammermoor.
Full Romanticism
- Giuseppe Verdi: Works include Nabucco, Rigoletto, Il trovatore (The Troubadour), La traviata (The Fallen Woman), Aida, and Otello.
Verismo
- Giacomo Puccini: Depicted real-life moments. Works include La bohème, Tosca, and Madama Butterfly.
Germany
- Carl Maria von Weber: Der Freischütz (The Marksman)
- Richard Wagner: Created the Gesamtkunstwerk (total work of art) with his operas based on German mythology. Works include Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (The Mastersingers of Nuremberg), Tristan und Isolde, and Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung).
France
- Giacomo Meyerbeer: Works include Les Huguenots (The Huguenots)
- Georges Bizet: Carmen
- Jacques Offenbach: Creator of the 19th-century opéra comique. Works include The Tales of Hoffmann and Orpheus in the Underworld.
Russia
- Mikhail Glinka: A Life for the Tsar
- Modest Mussorgsky: Boris Godunov
United States
- George Gershwin: Porgy and Bess
Vocal Music in Spain
Song, opera, and operetta were important in 19th-century Spain. Songs were performed in salons and cafés, accompanied by piano or guitar. Two main types emerged: one based on folk songs and another with international and Latin American influences.
Composers
- Manuel García: Tenor, songwriter, and opera composer.
- Sebastián Iradier
Zarzuela
Around 1850, the zarzuela grande gained popularity. It featured three acts, Spanish themes, spoken and sung parts, and often historical plots. Francisco Asenjo Barbieri was a key figure, with works like El barberillo de Lavapiés (The Little Barber of Lavapiés). Other composers include Joaquín Gaztambide, Emilio Arrieta, and Cristóbal Oudrid.
In 1880, the género chico (small genre) emerged. It was shorter, with one act, fewer characters, and everyday themes. Composers include Federico Chueca, Tomás Bretón, and Ruperto Chapí.
Spanish Nationalism
Felipe Pedrell is considered the father of Spanish musical nationalism. Other nationalist composers include Isaac Albéniz, Enrique Granados, Ruperto Chapí, and Tomás Bretón.
Stages of Romanticism
- Early Romanticism (1815–1848): Rebellious and passionate. Includes late Beethoven, Schubert, and Mendelssohn.
- Second Romanticism (1848–1883): Includes Wagner, Liszt, Brahms, and the nationalists.
- Late Romanticism (1883–1914): Includes Mahler, Bruckner, and Puccini.