Instrumental Music

Romantic Era

The Romantic Symphony vs. The Classical Symphony

The Classical Symphony:

  • Movements:
  • 1: Lively, usually in sonata form
  • 2: Slow and quiet
  • 3: Usually a minuet (a lively dance in triple meter)
  • 4: Fast and energetic, often in sonata or rondo form
  • Style Traits:
  • Memorable, lyrical melodies
  • Regular rhythms and meters
  • Homophonic Texture

The Romantic Symphony:

  • Movements:
  • 1: Follows the basic sonata form, but with a long and expressive development section
  • 2: Slow and extremely lyrical/dramatic
  • 3: Energetic scherzo (light and playful, replaced the minuet); can vary in tempo and mood
  • 4: Designed to balance the first movement, tends to close on a note of triumph
  • Style Traits:
  • Tries to make instruments “sing”
  • Memorable melodies, expressive harmonies, and expanded forms
  • Twice as long as Classical Symphonies
  • Main form of orchestral music

Concertos

  • Romantic Era Concertos:
  • Three movements (fast-slow-fast)
  • Use larger orchestras
  • Display a dramatic conflict between soloist and orchestra
  • Often have the emphasis on virtuosic display (the soloist gets to show off)
  • Often have very difficult solo parts
  • Have cadenzas written by the composer rather than improvised

Chamber Music

  • Chamber music during the Romantic era became more and more technically difficult
  • This made the gap between amateur musicians and professional musicians even greater
  • This is one of the biggest differences between Classical chamber music and Romantic chamber music
  • Beethoven’s string quartets helped to make this change happen
  • These works were known for being challenging for the performers to play and challenging for the listeners to understand/appreciate

Piano Music

  • The age of the modern piano:
  • Piano manufacturers created instruments that were larger, louder, had a fuller sound, had more keys, and an improved “action” (made them easier to play).
  • The pedal started being used extensively: composers used it to sustain sounds and enhance the resonance of the instrument.
  • The piano became an extremely popular instrument.
  • Piano Technique:
  • Virtuoso music changed piano technique forever.
  • “Flashy” music was faster and more difficult than ever before.