In the beginning of the Romantic era, the Viennese style of music was in full swing. Composers such as Mozart and Hayden had mastered this style so well that soon this style became a formula for lesser composers to follow. However, some composers grew tired with the mechanical nature of the Viennese style. Therefore, they decided to strike out on different paths. Something which helped these new composers was the fact that there was no longer any need to make the orchestra blend with one harmony. This meant that composers might write a composition that was played by only four instruments that did not contribute to the harmony of the music. Because of this lack of stylistic unity in music, there was a high degree of uniqueness of expression. This led to some composers writing music that expressed part of their life or particular poems and stories that they enjoyed. Moreover, Romantic composers were not inspired by music only when they wrote their pieces. Instead, they were inspired by a poem or book; and poems more often than not were the inspirational pieces. Consequently, this lead to the development of art songs which tried to display images and moods of the text. Richard Strauss was the best know art song composer of this time period. Because of the taste for oddities within the Romantic music, this lead to the break down of tonality. In its place, composers such as Richard Wagner created a style called chromaticism. This style was created with a high degree of tones outside of the prevailing key.

As in previous periods of music, Opera was popular in the Romantic period. However, unlike other periods, this period enjoyed many different types of opera. In France, the French composer Gasparo Spontini created the opera style called grand opera. Jacques Offenbach a Frenchman also, created the comic opera style. Lastly, in Germany, Richard Wagner crated an opera style called music drama. This music drama portrayed his increasing interest and favor for the chromaticism. Operas at this time had several purposes. First, they were supposed to be huge art spectacles. Moreover, these operas were supposed to produce spectacular singing situations. Finally, these operas were supposed to convey a deep emotional point based on mythology or on fiction. The operas of this time were vastly different from pervious time periods.

One of the most important composers and pianists during the Romantic period was Fryderyk Chopin. At age four, Chopin was not only playing the piano, but also receiving piano lessons. By age seven, he had composed his first music pieces. By age nineteen, he was being compared to Mozart. Many of his compositions were inspired and reflected the time that he spent studying Polish folk music. Also, Chopin’s compositions did not conform to any style of music. Chopin’s compositions were distinctly and elegantly different from any other compositions of the Romantic period. During his lifetime, Chopin composed 55 mazurkas, 27 etudes, 24 preludes, 19 nocturnes, 13 polonaises, 3 piano sonatas, and 17 songs. It could be said that, because of Chopin’s natural music talents, the lack of conformity in his music, and his exploitation of folk music, that the Romantic period was stylistically new and unique while reverently elegant and passionate.

Another important musician and composer that represents wrote with a high degree of uniqueness of expression was Claude Debussy. Like Chopin, some of Debussy’s works were inspired by folk music. Moreover, Debussy’s was also inspired by dramas and poems. His opera Pelleas et Melisande has been said to be the most perfect coming together of music and drama. Another of Debussy’s accomplishments is his wonderful exploitation of the whole-tone scale. Sadly, Debussy died of the tragic and painful disease, cancer. Yet, even today, Debussy’s works are still played around the world, with the same passion and tonality that made Debussy one of the greatest Romantic composers.

The Romantic period has produced the music platform that we have today. These periods saw some of the greatest composers ever. Moreover, because of this period of music and the freedom it allowed, folk music idioms became more wide spread. They brought back to music, a number of the older concepts of harmony and rhythm. However, this period is best marked for the fact that it was during this period that the orchestra had formed completely. By the 20th century orchestra, all sections of the orchestra were clearly defined. More than that, the abilities of the orchestra grew. Pipes and valves were added to French horns and trumpets so that they could play any note on the chromatic scale. Flutes, oboes and the like also got more holes put in them so they could play a wider range of notes. Finally, composers were no longer satisfied with pairs of woodwinds. They demanded three or more woodwinds at one time. Drummers also benefited from this period by getting an arsenal of instruments with which to play with. Today’s orchestra would certainly dwarf any orchestra before it.