by Hadley Snell
As an early pianist, there are many aspects of the instrument to learn about. Beyond reading music, mastering dynamics, and recognizing chord progressions, understanding the history behind music is just as important. While there are many different societal, cultural, and literary movements over time, one significant period, known as Romanticism, remains particularly influential in the world of music today.
However, before you can understand the lives and works of Romanticist musicians, it important to understand the basic characteristics of the Romantic movement. According to the book A History of Western Society, Romanticism stood in stark contrast to the periods that came before it by valuing emotion and intuition over rational objectivity. In other words, the Enlightenment was a time of forward thinking and progress, while the Romantic movement wanted to slow down and acknowledge the many facets of the human experience. Common elements of Romanticism included a nostalgia for the past, unrestrained imagination, and spontaneity in both art and personal life, and these themes are especially common in the lives of famous musical composers.
The romantic period in music experienced the rise of many talented composers across Europe. One of the most prominent musicians during this time was Frederic Chopin, who was a Polish pianist and composer during the 1800s. Many of his works were inspired by his national heritage, because at the time, Poland was going through a series of revolts against Russian rule (Hedley). This eventually caused him to leave Poland and travel abroad, where his musical talents were showcased on a much larger stage. Chopin made his last public appearance in London for the benefit of Polish refugees in November of 1848. Unfortunately, both his mental and physical health were rapidly deteriorating, and a year later, he died in Paris, France at the age of 39. Interestingly, while his body was buried in Paris, his heart was separately buried in a cemetery back in Poland. Despite his early death, his works continued to be published. One of his most famous works published posthumously is his Nocturne in C-sharp minor, which has a beautiful, haunting melody filled with trills and a wide dynamic range, creating an emotional experience that is central to the Romanticism era. In addition to nocturnes, Chopin also composed many preludes, mazurkas, polonaises, and waltzes, all of which had unique musical aspects through which Chopin communicated deeply poignant and personal feelings. As his career went on, his music got drastically more intense and tumultuous in nature, which likely reflected his declining health.
This was a common theme for several Romanticist composers. Tchaikovsky was another composer who, despite his extreme talent, led a life that ended in emotional turmoil and stress. In Russia during the 1800s, a career in music was not seen as an option, so Tchaikovsky was sent to a boarding school in order to earn a respectable position in the Russian Civil service. The article titled “Tchaikovsky: Conflicted, Neurotic, Brilliant” by the California Symphony accurately describes his life simply in the article’s name. The article explains how Tchaikovsky eventually quit his job in the Ministry of Justice in order to join the Russian Music Society, and he was one of the first students to receive formal training in Western European music and compositional techniques at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. Since Western European music was very different compared to Russian music, this led to internal struggles between national pride for his home country and curiosity to explore new Western musical techniques. However, despite these obstacles, Tchaikovsky became Russia’s first professional composer. Throughout his career, he composed many popular works, including three ballets that are still very popular today- Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, and the Nutcracker. He also composed the 1812 Overture, which embraced the nationalistic spirit by commemorating Russia’s victory of the Napoleonic army at the Battle of Borodino. Unfortunately, like Chopin, his internal struggles cut his career short. From a young age he struggled with being gay, afraid that this would affect people’s acceptance of his work. He also doubted himself constantly and experienced frequent depression. At age 53, he died of cholera; although, it’s also been speculated that he poisoned himself with arsenic, which has similar symptoms as cholera.
As you can see, these composers produced genius level music, but often as a result of immense internal turmoil that they experienced during their lives. While this was not ideal, they all illustrate the angsty, emotional, and dramatic aspects of the Romantic movement.Although these composers lived two centuries ago, their impact on current culture is clearly influential through the recurring aspects of romantic art, music, and life…so, the next time you’re feeling overwhelmed, emotional, or simply incapable of processing the countless ups and downs of life, use it as a creative inspiration to do something great…and you may just be able to consider yourself a romanticist!
Works Cited
Hedley, Arthur. “Frederic Chopin | Biography, Music, Death, Famous Works, & Facts | Britannica.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 2022, www.britannica.com/biography/Frederic-Chopin. Accessed 2 May 2022.
“Tchaikovsky: Conflicted, Neurotic, Brilliant - the California Symphony.” The California Symphony, 20 Feb. 2020, www.californiasymphony.org/composer/tchaikovsky/tchaikovsky-conflicted-neurotic-brilliant/. Accessed 2 May 2022.
Wiesner-Hanks, Merry E., et al. A History of Western Society. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2020.
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