NOTE: This is the fourth installment of an ongoing series about the four different eras of music. The first, “Understanding the Eras of Classical Music Is Essential for Today’s Piano Students,” was an overview of each period. This post goes into more detail about the Romantic Music Period.
Has a song ever just moved you? You can thank the composers of the Romantic Music Period for bringing passion and emotion to music with longer and more complex melodies.
Historical events and greater accessibility to music led to the start of the Romantic Music Period, one of the four eras of classical music. Romantic piano composers explored piano dynamics, blended traditional and folk melodies and used new techniques that added color and told a story.
Let’s dive into the development of the Romantic era and how its music still resonates today!
History Shapes a New Musical Era
The Romantic Music Period coincided with significant political and economic changes in Europe and America, including the American Revolution (1776) and the French Revolution (1789-1799), which fostered a longing for individualism and freedom.
The Industrial Revolution was also a critical turning point. With more people making money and the emergence of the middle class, more people could afford musical instruments and music lessons.
Music Accessibility to All
By 1820, music was no longer limited to the aristocratic elite. Everyday people now had access to music – almost every household had a piano! The public was ready for more meaningful and relatable songs. As a result, Romantic Music Period composers began creating expressive music that told stories and connected to a broader, more diverse audience.
How the Piano Became a Tool for Self-Expression
The Romantic Music Period brought simple but elegant melodies and introduced the modern-day piano, enabling composers to develop soft and loud dynamics in music. Romantic piano composers were able to create new sounds with piano pedals and, for drama, chord progression.
Nationalism in Music
The Romantic Music Period also introduced a sense of nationalism, showcasing ideas of patriotism and identity. Composers began incorporating traditional folklore melodies and rhythms from their native countries into their music. Edvard Grieg’s “Peer Gynt” blended Norwegian folk music. Modest Mussorgsky’s “Pictures from the Exhibition” and the opera “Boris Godunov” are woven with Russian history and folk traditions.
Nationalism even influenced dance choices. The Minuet, which was very popular during the Baroque and Classical periods, was out. During the Romantic Music Period, everyone was dancing to the Waltz!
Chromaticism and Storytelling
Romantic piano composers used chromaticism in diatonic passages to add color and complexity to music, using notes or chords outside the prevailing scale (main key). With chromaticism, composers created dissonance to express feelings. You can hear how chromaticism is used in Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky‘s “The Nutcracker Ballet Suite.”
During this time, composers added lyrics (sung melodies) and complicated rhythms (syncopated, dotted, cross, triplets) to evoke even more emotions in music.
Storytelling became prevalent during the Romantic Music Period, focusing on emotion, imagination and individual expression. Now armed with ways to make music more dynamic, composers wrote about things, people, places or feelings. For classic storytelling techniques, listen to “Curious Story” by Stephen Heller or “Valse Melancolique” by Vladimir Rebikov.
Let’s Get Emotional
There are many examples of the Romantic music era! Open up your music app and listen to the expressive and passionate melodies written by Romantic piano composers: Frederic Chopin, Franz Liszt, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Claude Debussy, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Edvard Grieg and Robert Schumann.
The Romantic Music Period opened the gates for emotional storytelling, producing songs that still move and enthrall us today. Want to learn more? At Piano Forte Music School, we cover the four eras of classical music in our curriculum: baroque, classical, romantic and contemporary. Contact us for piano lessons and pricing to get started on your music journey!