The Romantic Period

Overview

The Romantic Period in music spans roughly from 1800 to 1900, following the Classical period, and preludes the beginning of the 20th century styles.
It was characterised by a focus on emotion, expression, and the individual experiences of composers.
Romantic music often evokes a sense of drama and passion, and is frequently associated with the Romantic movement in the arts and literature.

Dramatic contrasts in dynamics and pitch: Unlike in the Classical Period, Romantic composers used a wider range of dynamics (from very soft to very loud), key signatures, complex forms, and extremes of pitch to express emotional intensity.
Exploration of new themes and subjects: Romantic composers were open to a greater range of themes, including nature, supernatural elements, love, and even nationalist themes in some cases. This is reflected in the titles of their works, as they often have descriptive or evocative titles.
Increased role of woodwind, brass and percussion: Use of these instruments became more prominent than in classical period, adding colours and giving orchestra a fuller sound.

Emphasis on individuality and virtuosity: The Romantic concerto typically features a soloist who is given the opportunity to show off their technical skill and emotional depth.
Expanded orchestra size: The orchestras used in the Romantic Period tended to be larger than those of the Classical Period, this increased the dynamic range and allowed for more varied instrumentation.
Emphasis on thematic transformation: The themes presented in the first movement would undergo significant development, variation, and transformation in the following movements.

Composers of the Romantic Period include Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Frédéric Chopin, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Beethoven, often described as a bridge between the Classical and Romantic eras, wrote five concertos for piano and one for violin.
Examples of Romantic period concertos include Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No.1, which opens with powerful and memorable themes followed by flashy and virtuosic writing for the solo piano.
Brahms’s Violin Concerto in D, is another key work from this period, notable for its lyrical melodies and demanding virtuosic passages.