The Romantic had a heavy focus on the individual and their perspective, a huge contrast to the Classic era's previous emphasis on the kinship of mankind. Natural aspects and emotional dwellings were revered, as the era placed importance on one's identity (Kelley, 2013). Experimentation in the arts and music were encouraged at the time, rather than sticking to previously established conventions. At the same time, Nationalism was becoming a popular idea, as people felt a strong sense of identity in their own country (Kelley, 2013). The one responsible for this change, in the music world at least, would most likely be Beethoven. With such strong compositions in a variety of genres, it encouraged musicians to try new styles out, lest be dwarfed
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Having grown up in Paris during a time where it was beacon of culture, Berlioz was exposed to a good amount of the Romantic ideals of the time (Kelley, 2013). Berlioz attended the Paris Conservatory for school, which was one of the world's first public schools (Kelley, 2013). Berlioz would go on to write the Fantastic Symphony, a quintessential example of romanticism. With a focus on a creative artist, inferiority, the supernatural, and romantic love, it had all the makings of a Romantic masterpiece (Kelley, 2013). Unique for the time, Fantastic Symphony’s plot was communicated through the program, a boldly experimental move that received a strong dose of skepticism from Berlioz's critics (Kelley, 2013). The play was clearly inspired by his own life, playing upon the importance of self-identity. Being about the difficulties of being a Romantic composer, Berlioz clearly drew from his own experiences. The symphony purportedly contains a real life message from Berlioz, with the narrative's tormented nature referencing Camille Moke, an eighteen year old girl he had an affair with but never married (Kelley, 2013). Of particular note is the way that the symphony is divided into two parts, the first part actually happening as watched, and the later part representing a opium induced hallucination (Kelley, 2013). Religious themes are clearly referenced in the composition, with the end of the first movement played slowly in long chords, …show more content…
Felix Mendelssohn was one such performer, with his concertos mixing the grand orchestral pieces of the time with these feats of skill (Kelly, 2013). Vibrato, slurring, arpeggio, and tremolo were all techniques used by virtuoso performers like Mendelssohn to showcase their talent. Mendelssohn also used some fairly unusual composition arrangements in Violin Concerto in E Minor, such as placing a cadenza in his first movement after its development. Meanwhile, Richard Wagner's The Ring featured a great deal of supernatural elements. Specifically a drama rather than an opera, The Ring was a bold take on Norse legends (Kelley, 2013). Emotions were very important in it, with the orchestra being devoted entirely to portraying the characters' feelings (Kelley, 2013). Wagner was also a huge nationalist, remaining distinctly German in his musical works. Wagner's The Valkyrie was also significant in the Romantic era for its genius use of a sword leitmotif in the beginning, making any reappearances of the theme signal the sword's return (Kelley,
Having grown up in Paris during a time where it was beacon of culture, Berlioz was exposed to a good amount of the Romantic ideals of the time (Kelley, 2013). Berlioz attended the Paris Conservatory for school, which was one of the world's first public schools (Kelley, 2013). Berlioz would go on to write the Fantastic Symphony, a quintessential example of romanticism. With a focus on a creative artist, inferiority, the supernatural, and romantic love, it had all the makings of a Romantic masterpiece (Kelley, 2013). Unique for the time, Fantastic Symphony’s plot was communicated through the program, a boldly experimental move that received a strong dose of skepticism from Berlioz's critics (Kelley, 2013). The play was clearly inspired by his own life, playing upon the importance of self-identity. Being about the difficulties of being a Romantic composer, Berlioz clearly drew from his own experiences. The symphony purportedly contains a real life message from Berlioz, with the narrative's tormented nature referencing Camille Moke, an eighteen year old girl he had an affair with but never married (Kelley, 2013). Of particular note is the way that the symphony is divided into two parts, the first part actually happening as watched, and the later part representing a opium induced hallucination (Kelley, 2013). Religious themes are clearly referenced in the composition, with the end of the first movement played slowly in long chords, …show more content…
Felix Mendelssohn was one such performer, with his concertos mixing the grand orchestral pieces of the time with these feats of skill (Kelly, 2013). Vibrato, slurring, arpeggio, and tremolo were all techniques used by virtuoso performers like Mendelssohn to showcase their talent. Mendelssohn also used some fairly unusual composition arrangements in Violin Concerto in E Minor, such as placing a cadenza in his first movement after its development. Meanwhile, Richard Wagner's The Ring featured a great deal of supernatural elements. Specifically a drama rather than an opera, The Ring was a bold take on Norse legends (Kelley, 2013). Emotions were very important in it, with the orchestra being devoted entirely to portraying the characters' feelings (Kelley, 2013). Wagner was also a huge nationalist, remaining distinctly German in his musical works. Wagner's The Valkyrie was also significant in the Romantic era for its genius use of a sword leitmotif in the beginning, making any reappearances of the theme signal the sword's return (Kelley,