Romantic Music Timeline

Historiographers define the Romantic period to be between 1800 to 1900. It

is characterized by using music to tell a story or express an idea, the use of
various instruments including wind instruments and melodies are fuller and
more dramatic. Here is a timeline of music-related events from 1821 to 1900
to give you an idea of the major music events that occurred during the
Romantic Period.

1821 - The harmonica was invented by Friedrich Buschmann.

1825 - Carl Almenräder redesigned the French bassoon.
1826 - Carl Maria von Weber died.
1827 - Ludwig van Beethoven died.
1828 - Franz Schubert died.
1829 - Felix Mendelssohn conducted the first modern performance of J.S.
Bach's "St. Matthew Passion."
1830 - Louis-Hector Berlioz completed his "Symphonie Fantastique."
1831 - Vincenzo Bellini's opera, Norma, was first performed at La Scala in
MIlan.
1832 - Frédéric Chopin performed his "Piano Concerto in F Minor" and the
"Variations, opus 2" in Paris.
1833 - Johannes Brahms was born.
1838 - Georges Bizet was born. Also in the same year in Scotland, music
was published in Braille notation.
1840 - Pyotr Il'Yich Tchaikovsky was born and Niccolò Paganini died. Also,
the clarinet was redesigned giving it its mature form.
1841 - Felix Mendelssohn became the director of the Leipzig Conservatory.
1842 - The New York Philharmonic Orchestra was founded.
1846 - Adolphe Sax patented his first saxophone.
1847 - Felix Mendelssohn died.
1849 - Frederic Chopin died.
1853 - Giuseppe Verdi wrote his "La traviata."
1856 - Henry Engelhard Steinway created his first grand piano.
1858 - The Italian composer Giacomo Puccini was born.
1859 - In New Orleans, Louisiana, the first opera house was opened.
1862 - Claude DeBussy, one of the most influential composers of his time,
was born.
1864 - The German composer, Richard Strauss was born.
1867 - Amy Beach, the first major American female composer, was born.
 1868 - Gioacchino Rossini died.
1869 - Louis-Hector Berlioz died. In the same year, the opera "Faust" by
Charles Gounod was first performed in Paris.
1874 - The Austro-Hungarian composer, Arnold Schönberg and the
American composer, Charles Ives, were born.
1875 - The opera "Carmen" by Georges Bizet was first performed in Paris.
He would also pass away that year.
1876 - Edvard Grieg wrote the incidental music for Ibsen's "Peer Gynt."
1877 - "Requiem" by Gabriel Fauré was first performed in Paris. That same
year, Thomas Edison patented the phonograph which will change the
way people listened to music. Also, "Swan Lake" by Tchaikovsky, was
first performed in Moscow.
1881 - One of the major 20th century composers, Béla Bartók, was born.
1882 - The Russian composer, Igor Stravinsky, was born. That same year,
Hugo Riemann published his Musiklexikon; a study on musical
harmony.
1883 - The Metropolitan Opera Association opened in New York and
Richard Wagner died after completing his final work "Parsifal."
1886 - Franz Liszt died and in Vienna, "Te Deum" by Anton Bruckner was
first performed.
1889 - The famous cabaret, "Moulin Rouge," opened in Paris.
1891 - Carnegie Hall opened in New York City.
1897 - Johannes Brahms died and Gustav Mahler became director of the
Vienna Art Opera.
1899 - Scott Joplin published his Maple Leaf Rag.
1900 - Giacomo Puccini's opera, "Tosca," premiered in Rome.

Early Romanticism

Beethoven and Romanticism

Ludwig van Beethoven - Contributed to the composer's shift in status from

merely a servant of the wealthy to an artist. Wrote choral, chamber music
and opera. Briefly studied under Haydn, was also influenced by the works of
Mozart. He used dissonance in his music which intrigued his listeners.
Beethoven began to lose his hearing at age 28, losing it completely by age
50. One of his most popular works is the Ninth Symphony. He influenced a
new crop of young composers guided by the ideals of Romanticism.
What is Romanticism?

Romanticism or the Romantic movement was a concept that encompassed

different art mediums; from music to painting to literature. The Romantics
believed in allowing their imagination and passion to soar spontaneously and
interpret it through their works. This was different from the Classical belief of
logical order and clarity. During the 19th century, Vienna and Paris were the
centers of musical activity.

Music Forms/Styles

Program music - An instrumental music which relays ideas or narrates a

story. Berlioz' Fantastic Symphony is an example of this.

Character pieces - A short piece for the piano that depicts a single emotion,
often in ABA form.

Musical Instrument

The piano was still the main instrument during the Early Romantic period. The
piano underwent many changes and composers brought the piano to new
heights of creative expression.

Notable Composers/Musicians

Franz Schubert - Wrote about 600 lieders (German songs). One of his most
famous pieces is titled Unfinished named so because it only has 2
movements.

Hector Berlioz - His Fantastic Symphony was written for a stage actress he
fell in love with. Included the harp and English horn in his symphonies.

Franz Liszt - His Fantastic Symphony was inspired by one of Berlioz' works.
Developed the symphonic poem; making use of chromatic devices.

Frederic Chopin - Wrote character pieces for solo piano.

Robert Schumann - Also wrote character pieces; some of his works were
performed by Clara, his wife.

Giuseppe Verdi - Wrote many operas with patriotic themes. Two of his most
famous works are Otello and Falstaff.

Late Romanticism
Nationalism in Music

During the 19th century, Germany was also a center of musical activity. By
the mid-19th century however, music themes shifted to folklore and folk
music became a style that influenced composers. This nationalist theme can
be felt in the music of Russia, eastern Europe and Scandinavian countries.

The Mighty Handful

This term, also known as "the mighty five," is used to distinguish the 5
Russian nationalist composers of the 19th century. They include Balakirev,
Borodin, Cui, Mussogrsky and Rimsky-Korsakov.

Other Music Forms/Styles

Verismo - A style of Italian opera wherein the story reflects daily life but with
emphasis on intense, sometimes violent, actions and emotions. This style is
particularly evident in the works of Giacomo Puccini.

Symbolism - A concept introduced by Sigmund Freud that influenced various

art mediums. This attempt to convey a composer's personal struggles in a
symbolic manner can be felt in the works of Gustav Mahler.

Notable Composers

Richard Wagner - He was influenced by the works of Beethoven and Liszt.

Started composing operas at age 20; he coined the term "music dramas."
Wagner took the opera to a different level by making use of larger orchestras
and applying musical themes to his work. He called these musical themes
leitmotiv or leading motive. One of his famous work is The Ring of the
Nibelung.
Johannes Brahms - He was also influenced by the works of Beethoven. He
wrote what is called as "abstract music." Brahms wrote character pieces for
the piano, lieders, quartets, sonatas and symphonies. He was a friend of
Robert and Clara Schumann.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - He wrote concertos, symphonic poems and

symphonies. Known for his expressive music.

Antonin Dvorak - His Symphony No. 9, from The New World was influenced
by his stay in America during the 1890s.

Edvard Grieg - Norwegian composer who drew upon the national folklore of
his beloved country as basis for his music.

Richard Strauss - He was influenced by the works of Wagner. Wrote

symphonic poems and operas; known for the lavish, sometimes shocking
scenes in his operas.
Top 10 Love Stories of Famous Romantic Composers
Famous composers, such as those belonging to the Romantic era, weren't
only passionate about their music, they were also passionate about the
women who captured the hearts of composers during the Romantic period.

1. Marii Wodziñskiej (1810 - 1869) - Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin was

friends with the Wodzinski family, they had a 17 year old daughter named
Maria who was also a brilliant musician. Chopin fell in love with her and
proposed marriage, Maria's mother accepted the proposal but advised Chopin
to take better care of his health. Their short-lived engagement didn't end in
marriage because Maria's parents eventually saw Chopin as unfit due to his
poor health and irregular lifestyle.

2. George Sand (1804 - 1876) - Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin's famous love

affair. George Sand was a French writer whose real name was Aurore
Dudevant. She was older than Chopin by six years, was divorced and had two
children. George Sand was forced to part ways with Chopin in 1847 because
of her son's disapproval of their relationship.

3. Clara Wieck (1819 - 1896)- She was Robert Schumann's great love. Clara
was the daughter of Friedrich Wieck and was also a gifted musician. Her
father strongly opposed their relationship but Clara and Robert held on to
their love and was married in 1840. Schumann's "Arabesque in C Major" was
written for Clara. Clara remained faithful to Schumann even when the latter
was admitted to an asylum. It has been mentioned that the composer
Johannes Brahms also fell in love with Clara during this period.

4. Marie d'Agoult (1805 - 1876) - Also known as Countess Marie d'Agoult,

she was a German writer using the pen name Daniel Stern. Marie fell in love
with Franz Liszt in 1833. During that time, she was married to Comte Charles
d'Agoult but soon left her husband to be with Liszt. Marie and Liszt had three
children but ended their relationship in 1844.

5. Princess Carolyne von Sayn-Wittgenstein (1819- 1887) - The sister of

a Tsar, she was a Russian princess who was romantically involved with Franz
Liszt. They met in 1847, she was married at that time and had a daughter,
but chose to be with Liszt. She and Liszt tried to get married but their plans
were thwarted when it turned out her divorce documents (she was granted a
divorce from her former husband) needed to be reviewed. Nevertheless, they
stayed together until Liszt' death in 1886.

6. Cosima von Bulow (1837 - 1930) - She was the daughter of Franz Liszt
and Countess Marie d'Agoult. She was married to the conductor Hans von
Bulow and they had two children. Cosima fell in love with the composer
Richard Wagner, they had two daughters of their own. In 1868, Cosima left
her husband to be with Wagner and they got married in 1870. They had a
son for whom Wagner composed "Siegfried Idylle."

7. Giuseppina Strepponi (1815 - 1897) - Her real name was Clelia Maria
Josepha, she was a talented soprano. Giuseppina was Giuseppe Verdi's
second wife and they lived together from 1848 to 1859. They finally got
married in 1859.

8. Desirée Artôt was a Belgian singer with whom Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
was enamored. She and Tchaikovsky became engaged but Desirée had to
travel due to her career. On January 1869, Tchaikovsky received a telegram
informing him that Desirée became engaged to a singer. Desirée and the
singer were married on September 15, 1869.

9. Cecile Jeanrenaud was a painter and her father was a Lutheran

clergyman. She was the wife of Felix Mendelssohn. Cecile and Mendelssohn
married in 1837 and had five children.

10. Harriet Constance Smithson (1800 - 1854) - She was the first wife of
Louis-Hector Berlioz. Berlioz saw her on a stage play where she played the
part of Ophelia in "Hamlet" and Juliet in "Romeo and Juliet." They were
married in 1833 but she died in 1854. Berlioz fondly called her Henriette.