Romantic Era

ROMANTIC ERA 1

RomanticEra

The Romantic era occurred during the period of 1830-1900 (Taylor,2015). Famous composers and musicians during this era include Verdi,Mahler, Brahms, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky (Taylor, 2015). TheRomantic era was renowned for intense passion and energy. Most of themusic during this period was inspired by literature and artisticforms. In previous decades, classical music was notable for rigidity(Taylor, 2015). Subsequent musicians obtained inspiration fromcontemporary artists. In this paper, I will argue that music from theRomantic era was quite entertaining since the compositions wereinventive and expressive.

The Romantic period was characterized by expansive symphonies anddramatic operas (Taylor, 2015). In particular, composers such asBeethoven produced several symphonies. Such compositions were used toentertain wide audiences. Virtuosic piano music was created usingartistic concepts. Hence, songs were longer and more melodious thanthose from the Baroque and Classical periods (Taylor, 2015). TheRomantic era was also famous for dramatic operas with creativedesigns and attractive costumes. Consequently, the music during thisperiod had greater resemblance to theatre, literature, and art.

Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony was especially reflective of theRomantic era. I chose the song due to several reasons. Firstly,Beethoven is often acknowledged as the pioneer of Romantic music(Geck, 2017). In this regard, he expanded the established formulas ofsonatas. Previous symphonies were regulated by strict formulas.Composers were required to adhere to specific lengths and stanzas.The rhyme scheme was expected to maintain a certain tempo.Nevertheless, Beethoven introduced unprecedented approaches (Geck,2017). Hence, the Sixth Symphony was entertaining since it wascreated using fresh techniques of rhyme and melody.

Secondly, artists during the Romantic era made frequent references toother aspects within their life. The music released during thisperiod was passionate since composers used personal experiences(Taylor, 2015). In particular, the Sixth Symphony is captivating dueto the depiction of countrywide scenes (Geck, 2017). Many audiencescould relate to the use of real-life examples. Life in thecountryside is often peaceful and therapeutic. Persons usually travelto the countryside to escape the hustle and bustle of city life.Therefore, the Sixth Symphony was especially noteworthy due to therelaxation experienced by members of the audience.

Furthermore, the Romantic era was captivating due to the use ofdescriptive overtures. Symphonies were quite popular as primeexamples of stand-alone melodious music (Taylor, 2015). Manyaudiences could relate to the soothing nature of such compositions.The Sixth Symphony inspired a strong feeling of nationalistic prideand fervor (Geck, 2017). The Romantic era provided a platform forthe establishment of the virtuoso. Beethoven wrote complex music todisplay his supreme brilliance (Geck, 2017). Other composersrespected Beethoven’s abilities such that they would shareperformances with him. The emergence of contemporary geniuses such asVerdi, Chopin, and Liszt seemed to heighten Beethoven’s popularity.In fact, the two artists exemplified the methods that were pioneeredby Beethoven (Geck, 2017). The Sixth Symphony was selected since itcontained several descriptive overtures. Consequently, many audienceswere captivated by Beethoven’s music.

Indeed, compositions within the Romantic period were captivatingsince they showed outstanding creativity. Beethoven is oftenrecognized as the pioneer of Romantic music. Classical forms of musichad been restricted by complicated formulas. However, Beethovenadopted new techniques of composition. The musical genius ofBeethoven was manifest through his use of personal experiences. TheSixth Symphony was selected since it comprised of countryside scenes.The piece was also preferred due to its use of fresh techniques ofmelody and rhyme.

References

Geck, M. (2017). Beethoven`s Symphonies: Nine Approaches to Artand Ideas. Chicago, Ill.: University of Chicago Press.

Taylor, B. (2015). The Melody of Time: Music and Temporality inthe . New York, NY: Oxford University Press.