The nineteenth century brought immense social change: the Second Industrial Revolution boosted urbanization, productivity and prosperity. Western imperialism brought much of Africa and Asia under colonial rule. It was the time of the Manifest Destiny, Civil War, California Gold Rush, and the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi and Puerto Rico by the United States. Fearing colonization by the West, Japan modernized during the Meiji Era, 1868-1912, emerging as a world power after defeating Russia in the Russo-Japanese War, 1904-05.
Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog | Caspar David Friedrich, 1774–1840, and other Romantics exulted the primacy of the individual and the impact of nature on human existence. | Kunsthalle Hamburg
What Was Romanticism About?
The Romantic movement began with late eighteenth century European art and literature, emphasizing inspiration, subjectivity and the primacy of the individual. Romantics were fascinated by the supernatural, the grotesque, the ancient past and distant lands and cultures. Romantic music lagged a generation behind other arts: 1820 to 1900 is considered the main span of Romantic music.
Shifting Style
Germany and Austria emerged as stylistic innovators, shifting away from the dominance of France and Italy. By mid-nineteenth century, art and literature moved towards Realism, a stylistic movement representing familiar things as they actually are. Nationalism, pride in one’s culture, and Exoticism, fascination with another culture, became vital mid-century movements in art, literature, and music. These movements—Realism, Nationalism and Exoticism—existed in music, albeit music historians treat them as subcategories under Romanticism.
Carmen Opera Medley | Georges Bizet, 1838-1875 | Bizet's Carmen was a huge success, appealing to the extravagant tastes of the middle class.
Romanticism thumbed its nose at the order and restraint of classicism and rejected rationalism of the Enlightenment. Romanticism was characterized by dramatic thought and action but, at the same time, contradictions: capitalism and socialism, fantasy and reality, logic and emotion, freedom and oppression, and science and faith. This era exhibited emphasis on emotion and individualism, but glorified the distant past and nature. In other words, Romanticism was diverse and less unified than previous eras.
Liberty Leading the People | Eugène Delacroix, 1798-1863 | Romantic art rejected eighteenth century neoclassicism, preferring bolder, brighter colors and dramatic motion over graceful poses. | Louvre Museum
Nineteenth CenturySociety
The Industrial Revolution produced major changes in the social-economic structure of Western society: migration to cities and increased trade and employment. The growth and power of the middle class, especially the wealthy middle class, accelerated. There was a leveling of social classes. Aristocratic patronage waned due to a decline of noble political and economic prominence. Thus, the middle class became the musician's primary audience.
The Tempest | Thomas Cole, 1801-1848 | Nature scenes were an inspiration for Romantic art and music. | High Museum of Art
Music Industry
A shift from noble patronage to the general public created the music industry. The mainstay of musicians was the vast but unsophisticated public. Music was marketed by publishers and concert agents. Dazzling showmanship and bizarre personalities were often more important than artistry. Audiences used music as an escape from the boredom, craving extravagant spectacle such as symphonies, opera, ballet and, especially, virtuosic displays by famous personalities.
Dance
Social dance provided a huge publishing market for dance music. Johann Strauss and his sons aroused the envy of many artistically progressive composers due to their full bank accounts and wide public recognition.
Caprice No. 14 | Niccolo Paganini, 1797-1828 | Paganini was among the first musicians to engender a bigger than life persona, appealing to the bizarre and lavish tastes of the middle class.
Critics
The music critic's role became important for the music industry. Critics, via print media, had the influence to cause rejection or acceptance of new works. Innovative composers were constantly in conflict with critics.
L'Allegro | Thomas Cole, 1801-1848 | Romanticism glorified the ancient past and distant lands and cultures. | Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Music Education
The nineteenth century saw the advent of research into music: the study of music as an academic subject distinct from performance and composition. The scholarly study of music is called musicology.
Music Schools
The teaching of music became a widely established profession during the nineteenth century. Many of the finest conservatories and music schools were founded during this era. Much pedagogical material for advanced students was published by the era’s greatest composers.
Music at Home
For consuming music at home, the publishing market was flooded with method books and "Easy and Brilliant" parlor solos for piano. The piano was the most important instrument of the era: the center of home entertainment and a symbol of middle class achievement.
John Broadwood & Sons Square Piano (1797) | This compact square piano design was optimized for home use and middle class budgets. The 5-1/2 octave range was cutting edge for the era. | Metropolitan Museum of Art
Finally, here's a taste of early nineteenth century music from Northern Europe:
Serenade | Franz Schubert (1797-1828) | Schubert was linked to Romanticism due to the emotional intensity and lyricism of his music.
What Was Romanticism About?
Music Industry
