The Romantic Movement in Music: A Deep Dive

The Romantic Movement in Music

The Romantic movement reflects the significant changes in European politics and thought during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Following the Revolution of 1789, a new era of revolutions began, and individuals and society started to be perceived as dynamic and ever-changing.

Artists, including writers, painters, and musicians, embraced the idea of human evolution and cultural development through constant struggle. The principle of authority was challenged in favor of freedom, both on a personal and national level. In music, this pursuit of freedom manifested in three ways:

  • Breaking away from the rigid structures of the Classical period.
  • Achieving independence from authorities and their imposed tastes.
  • Exploring and inventing new musical forms that catered to the composer’s individual needs.

Consequences of Change

These shifts in ideology brought about a sense of insecurity and relativism. Romantic composers were influenced by the “mal du siècle” (evil of the century), a prevailing mood of pessimism and melancholy that often tinged their artistic creations with unhappiness. Typical Romantic themes included:

  • Nature (beyond the idealized pastoral scenes)
  • Exotic countries
  • Nocturnal landscapes and moonlit settings
  • Love for an unattainable, idealized woman

Primacy of Sentiment over Form

Unlike Classicism, Romanticism prioritized sentiment over form. In music, this emphasis on emotional expression manifested in various elements:

  • Melody: Phrases moved away from symmetry, becoming more passionate and intense to convey deeper feelings.
  • Dynamics: Composers intensified crescendos and extended the dynamic range for greater emotional impact.
  • Tempo: Tempo changes became more frequent and complex, reflecting the fluctuating emotions of the music.

The Lied

“Lied” is a German word meaning “song.” It refers to a genre of music characterized by solo voice with accompaniment (usually piano), possessing an intimate and refined character. The defining feature of the Lied is the close interweaving of poetry and music. There were two main types of Lied:

  • Strophic: The same music is used for each stanza of the poem.
  • Through-composed: The music changes with each verse, reflecting the evolving narrative and emotions of the poem.

Franz Schubert and Robert Schumann were the most prominent composers of Lieder.

Opera in the Romantic Era

Opera became a favored form of expression during the Romantic period, fulfilling two key Romantic ideals: the fusion of music and theater, and the celebration of national identity and folklore. The popularity of opera led to the construction of grand opera houses, which became important social centers. Audiences from various social classes filled the theaters, occupying their designated spaces in boxes, amphitheaters, and galleries. Opera houses served as venues for social interaction, business deals, and even clandestine encounters.

Opera music permeated daily life, with famous arias being played on pianos in cafes, organs in street corners, and in the salons of the upper class. Italy and Germany were the centers of operatic development during this period.

Italian Opera

In the early 19th century, Italian opera maintained the distinction between serious opera (opera seria) and comic opera (opera buffa). It also continued the tradition of “Bel Canto,” a term that describes the virtuosic singing style emphasizing technical brilliance and agility. Gioachino Rossini, Gaetano Donizetti, and Vincenzo Bellini were the leading figures of the Bel Canto era.

  • Rossini: The undisputed star of Italian opera in the first third of the 19th century, Rossini composed over 40 operas, including “The Barber of Seville” and “La Cenerentola.”
  • Bellini: Bellini’s operas, such as “Norma,” were known for their romantic themes and the intense passion they conveyed.
  • Verdi: Giuseppe Verdi, the great genius of 19th-century Italian opera, viewed opera as a means of portraying human drama. His works often featured emotional and violent situations, reflecting themes relevant to the Italian people. Verdi’s opera “Nabucco” (1842) became a symbol of the Italian unification movement, with its chorus serving as an unofficial national anthem. He also composed the famous trilogy: “Rigoletto,” “Il Trovatore,” and “La Traviata.”

In the second half of the 19th century, Italian opera saw the rise of “verismo,” a style that mirrored Realism in painting and Naturalism in literature.

German Opera

Richard Wagner was the most influential figure in German opera. He was both a philosopher and a musician, and his operas integrated the libretto (which he wrote himself), the music, and the stage production into a unified whole, which he called a “Gesamtkunstwerk” (total work of art).

  • Wagner’s career began with “The Flying Dutchman” in 1843.
  • His fascination with Germanic legends and myths is evident in operas like “Tannhäuser.”
  • In his later works, he employed the concept of “infinite melody,” a continuous and seemingly never-ending melodic line.

Zarzuela

During the first half of the 19th century, Italian opera dominated the Spanish musical scene. Spanish composers often had to Italianize their names and imitate Italian opera styles to gain access to the stage.

By the mid-19th century, a group of Spanish musicians and librettists sought to establish a unique national identity and founded the Sociedad Artístico Musical (Art Society). Their goal was to promote the zarzuela, a Spanish genre of musical theater. Notable zarzuelas from this period include Francisco Asenjo Barbieri’s “Jugar con fuego” (Playing with Fire) and “Los diamantes de la corona” (The Crown Diamonds).

The zarzuela is characterized by:

  • The inclusion of folklore and popular themes.
  • Settings often located in Madrid.
  • Appeal to the working class and the petite bourgeoisie.
  • A mixture of spoken and sung dialogue.
  • Frequent use of comic elements.

A shorter form of zarzuela, known as the “género chico” (little genre), also emerged. These shorter works allowed theater managers to offer multiple performances in a single day. The “género chico” typically featured stories about everyday life in Madrid, catchy music, Spanish folk dances, and relatable characters. The genre reached its peak with Federico Chueca’s “La Gran Vía” (The Great Way).