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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. <\/p>
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<\/a><\/strong>‘. <\/p> 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<\/a><\/strong> all produced work that followed the Romantic ethos of passion, subjectivity, and a fascination with the outside world. <\/p> Back in music, the Romantic era followed the Age of Enlightenment and the Classical period of composers like Mozart<\/a><\/strong> and Haydn<\/a><\/strong>, 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.<\/p>Contents<\/h2>
Romanticism and the 19th century<\/h2>