Romantic

c.1830 – 1910

Main Composers: Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Brahms, Tchaikovsky

Building on the trend towards self-expression pioneered by Beethoven, the Romantic composers found ways of increasing the emotional intensity of their music. The composer’s personal life was now more likely to be an inspiration, as were nature, paintings, literature etc.

Melody and Phrasing – melody is at the heart of Romantic music, and in general the melodies are longer, slower and more expansive than before.

Texture – almost always homophonic. A typical piano texture is an arching melodic line supported by a wide-ranging arpeggio figuration in the left hand. Textures tend to be thicker than in previous music, with plenty of big chordal passages and dramatic flourishes.

Harmony – richer and increasingly chromatic.

Dynamics – a significantly greater range than before, with much more use of crescendo and diminuendo. But sudden lurches from a whispering pianissimo to a thundering fortissimo (or vice-versa) are also common.

Ornaments – although much of the treble figuration is quite decorative, and trills are still used frequently, the other kinds of ornamentation centred around a single note, so typical of the Baroque and Classical periods, are rare in Romantic music.

Keyboard range – pretty much the full range of the modern piano, often used to powerful effect.

Pedal – the sustaining pedal is used extensively, particularly to retain the sound in lyrical passages where the accompaniment is ranging freely over several octaves.

Suggested Listening

Chopin Prelude in E minor, Op.28 No.4 – Rich chromatic harmonies; slow-moving melody; pedal virtually throughout; intense emotion.

Schumann ‘Erinnerung’ (Remembrance), No.28 from ‘Album for the Young’, Op.68 – Homophonic texture with a lyrical melody supported by chords and arpeggio patterns; extensive use of pedal; emotionally expressive.

Liszt Consolation No.3 in D-flat major – Wide-ranging arpeggiated accompaniment; long, arching melody; wide keyboard range.

Brahms Rhapsody in G minor, Op.79 No.2 – Rich, often chordal textures; large range of dynamics and pitch; extensive pedalling; grand emotional sweep.