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Published: Friday, 20 September 2024 at 12:10 PM

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Ushered in somewhere around the turn of the 19th century, Romanticism shook up the world of classical music in ways that were both seismic and enduring. With its emphasis on emotion, individuality, and the exploration of deeper psychological and emotional states, the work of the best Romantic composers displays a major gear change from the more structured forms and balance of the Classical period that has preceded it.

Now, personal expression was to the fore. So, too, was an interest in nature, fantasy, and the supernatural. Romantic music often set out to evoke profound emotional responses, and composers of the time were inspired by poetry, art and literature, with many works having a descriptive or ‘programmatic’ element – this was, after all, the era of the ‘tone poem‘.

• What are the different periods of classical music?

Contents

• Introduction: Romanticism and the 19th century
• Best Romantic composers: Classical era into Romanticism
• Early Romantic composers
• Late Romantic composers
• Romantic opera
• Romanticism in the 20th century

Romanticism and the 19th century

Romanticism wasn’t confined to music, of course. It also swept its way into literature and painting, among other art forms. Poets like Wordsworth, Coleridge and Byron, and painters such as Turner, Delacroix and William Blake all produced work that followed the Romantic ethos of passion, subjectivity, and a fascination with the outside world.

• Liszt and Byron: the ultimate Romantic hero worship

Back in music, the Romantic era followed the Age of Enlightenment and the Classical period of composers like Mozart and Haydn, where clarity, balance, and form were all prized qualities in music. Conversely, political and military upheavals such as the French Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars, and the rise of nationalism in many European nations had a major impact on the story of music in the 19th century.

Best Romantic composers: from the Classical era into Romanticism

1. Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

The great Ludwig van Beethoven was something of a bridge between the Classical and Romantic eras. Early works such as his first six string quartets and First Symphony clearly still belong to the Classical period, with their grace and sense of proportion. However, Beethoven’s later works, such as his Symphony No. 9 and Piano Sonata No. 29 (‘Hammerklavier‘), tore up the rulebooks of Classical music and injected a new grandeur and emotional intensity.

Ludwig van Beethoven: his best works

Gosh, where do we start? Perhaps with…

Symphony No. 3, aka the ‘Eroica‘, which with its drama, melodic and rhythmic adventurousness, and its sheer scale, can be credited with kicking off the Romantic movement in music. Or try the Fifth Piano Concerto, whose grandeur and momentum – not to mention a sublime slow movement – make it surely one of the greatest piano concertos of all time.

2. Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

Schubert wrote over 600 songs in total, and was at the forefront of the Romantic Lieder tradition. He is also known for his thrilling orchestral and chamber works. Schubert had a gift for shaping a melody and creating beautiful themes that makes him one of the very best Romantic composers.

Franz Schubert: his best works

Symphony No. 8 ‘Unfinished’, 1822: The first phrase comes from the cellos and basses playing low in register and pianissimo. After a few bars, agitated shimmering strings enter alongside a more lyrical oboe and clarinet line. This dark introverted opening is unlike other symphonies of the time which often open with a bold statement.