Composer Profile - Activefolio

The Early Romantic Period 85
emotional roller coaster? The answer is, frankly, because they now could. In particular,
subject matter that dealt with death, ancient myths, the supernatural, the paranormal,
or any topic that might stir strong, primal emotions were favorites with
Romantic artists of all types, and especially musicians.
2. The rise of program music. Loosely defined, program music depicts or describes
something. That “something” could be a simple feeling or series of moods, a picture
or scene, or a complete story. In any case, this trend was related to the infatuation
that Romantic composers had with depicting emotional subjects through music.
Instrumental music reached a high level of descriptive power, since many composers
felt that program music should not be limited by a written text.
3. The rise of individualism in music. Beethoven was the prototype: the suffering
artist struggling to bring forth his inner thoughts through music. Classical composers
sought to entertain; logic and form were their allies. On the other hand, Romantic
composers strove to express their individuality through music. One can easily hear
real differences in the styles of Schubert, Wagner, Chopin, and others. Though most
composers of this time had no quarrel with the structural conventions set up during
the Classical period, the importance of adhering to these structures was secondary.
Personal expression was the primary focus, and if achieving that goal meant
that some time-honored procedures would be broken, then so be it. We will see that
symphonies, concertos, sonatas, operas, and other older forms were still extremely
popular during the Romantic period. However, none of those forms survived the
Romantic period unscathed. Generally, forms became longer, more melodramatic,
and more symbolic in their efforts to communicate emotions and imagery.
Cultural Perspective
The biggest single societal change that affected music was a continued rise in the size
and influence of the middle class. These people wanted arts and entertainment, and
were prepared to pay for it. Public concerts and recitals became commonplace. Symphony
orchestras sprang up throughout Europe and the United States. The Boston
Symphony and the New York Philharmonic were founded during the mid-nineteenth
century. Middle class people funded these orchestras in large part by ticket sales and
donations. Composers after Beethoven usually attempted to build their careers through
commissions from orchestras and individuals. Popular composers developed a “fan base”
similar to popular musical stars of today. Many composers barely survived financially.
Some, like Schubert, never made a lot of money at music but had a very enthusiastic
group of fans that provided financial support. In a way, this subsistence type of lifestyle
actually enhanced the “struggling artist” image that eventually defined the Romantic
period.
Musical Trends
The Enlargement of Forms
As a general trend, the orchestral music of the Romantic period became larger in scope
and size. Over time, orchestras were enlarged even beyond that used by Beethoven in
his Ninth Symphony. Symphonic forms were elongated and sometimes modified further
to accommodate the expressive needs of the composer. For example, Berlioz’s
Symphonie Fantastique employs an orchestra of ninety and his five-movement symphony
lasts nearly an hour. The solo concerto became much more of an event rather than
simple entertainment. Concertos of forty-five minutes in duration became commonplace.