Characteristics of the Romantic Music Period Essay

It is arguable that some Romantic music made greater demands upon its listeners than did music of previous historical periods. What were those demands? Why did these changes come about? And what strategies can you formulate for listening to this music today? In consideration of the musical changes present in the Romantic era, this essay will contend that these changes are very much related to the wider social and technological changes in society around that time. Thus, it is important to identify the broad time period encompassed by this era. The definition of Romanticism in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians is: â€Å"A movement or, more commonly, period of cultural history. When understood as a period,†¦show more content†¦The improved piano was critical to his displays of technical prowess. Without it he would not have been able to play pieces as demanding on the instrument. The â€Å"hitherto unimagined difficulty† [x] of his Vingt-quatres grandes à ©tudes pour le piano[xi], was considered too much by the composer, he revised the Études and later published his Études dexà ©cution transcendante[xii], – the latter still ferociously difficult but surpassed in that respect by the former. Given that a key feature of Liszt’s playing style and compositions was technical skill, one could argue Liszt could not have been the performer, or composer, he was, in the preceding century. Nicolà ² Paganini was another virtuoso of the highest calibre – a violinist[xiii]. He, too, gave fantastic performances to rapturous crowds in numerous countries. William Ayrton, editor of The Harmonicon, remarked that: â€Å"[H]is powers of execution are little less than marvelous, and such as we could only have believed on the evidence of our own senses; they imply a strong natural propensity for music, with an industry, a perseverance, a devotedness and also a skill in inventing means, without any parallel in the history of his instrument.† [xiv] Paganini, similar to Liszt, composed works for his instrument, which were considered some of the hardest in its repertoire[xv] - pushing the boundaries of the Romantic violin to previously unseenShow MoreRelatedRomanticism in Music1653 Words   |  7 Pagestwentieth century. Drastic changes in the arts took place over the course of this time period. During this movement, much emphasis was placed on emotion and imagination in the arts. Prior to the Romantic Period, music had been seen more as recreation and njoyment than as an integral part of culture. The term Romanticism was first used in England and Germany in reference to a form of literature. It soon after spread to music and the visual arts. Romanticism was largely a product of two important revolutionsRead MoreBeethoven and the Classical and Romantic Periods Essay1700 Words   |  7 Pages1993. The performance piece is a sonata which is defined by Kerman as â€Å"a chamber-music piece in several movements† (Kerman, 427) The thirty-first sonata came to be in an interesting way. Moritz Schlesinger, in the summer of 1819, had made a request to Ludwig van Beethoven. Schlesinger was in search of some music and thought that Beethoven would be perfect for the job. He asked Beethoven to compose the desired music for him and would pay Beethoven in return. The two agreed in the May of 1820 thatRead MoreCharacteristics Of The Classical Era Of Music729 Words   |  3 Pagesrecognized as a great composer in western music. Beethoven was also known for creating the bridge between the classical and romantic era of music. He is known for doing this because he took key aspects of the classical era and merged them with key aspects of the romantic era. The classical era of music dates from 1775-1825. The classical music era had a lighter and more clear texture (Kamien 161). The music from this era was mainly homophonic meaning that the music had one part or melody that dominatedRead MoreBeethovens Sixth Symphony1173 Words   |  5 Pages Beethoven’s sixth symphony (also known as the pastoral symphony) has qualities of both the classical and romantic periods and illustrates Beethoven’s revolutionary ideas as well as highlights his classical influences. The programmatic nature of the piece is the dominant romantic feature although the use of brass and percussion as well as the dramatic dynamic changes are also characteristics from this era. However there are many classical influences in Beethoven’s work such as the balanced phrasingRead MoreClassical And Romantic Eras Of Music1268 Words   |  6 Pagesthe changes in the environment in which the music evolves from. Both the Classical and Romantic eras of music offer influential aspects of music. In order for significant and noticeable changes to occur in music, the society surrounding it must also change. Significant social and political movements often bring on these stylistic changes in music. These changes can range from the way personality is expressed in music to the actual orchestration of the music. Without these changes though, culture wouldRead MoreLiterature during the Romantic Era972 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Romanticism Introduction The Romantic era began in the late eighteenth century as a reaction against the Age of Enlightenment and was a period of great change and emancipation. 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All three of these eras have brought new and innovative ideas to the world, but they are all drastically different stylistically, philosophicallyRead MoreBallet and Giselle781 Words   |  4 Pagesconsidered one of the great Romantic ballets. Romantic era was late 18th and early 19th centuries. The period mainly does not follow rational movements but rather Romantic ideas in art influence the ballets. Ballets in Romantic period focus on the conflict between man and nature where as others try to bring difference to ballets from other nations. Ballerinas stand in the forefront compared to male dancers. Giselle is one of the most popular ballerinas of the period and separate identity of theRead MoreAn in-Depth Analysis of the Use of Specific Musical Concepts in Correlation to the Romantic Period1310 Words   |  6 PagesThe Romantic Era was a period of great change and emancipation. It moved away from strict laws by allowing artistic freedom, experimentation and creativity. Romantic music evolved from ideas established in earlier periods, such as th e classical period, and went further through the use of expression and passion. New musical concepts evolved due to current trends and the music was deeply personal and nationalistic. Musical concepts including pitch, tone colour and dynamics and expressive techniquesRead MoreInfluences of the Romantic Period1575 Words   |  7 PagesInfluences on the Romantic Period Romanticism spawned in the late 18th century and flourished in the early and mid-19th century. Romanticism emphasized the irrational, the imaginative, the personal, the spontaneous, the emotional, the visionary, the transcendental, and the individual. Romanticism is often viewed as a rejection of the ideologies of Classicism and Neoclassicisms, namely calm, order, harmony, idealization, rationality and balance. Some characteristics of Romanticism include: emotion