Difference of Ideals Between 19th and 20th Centuries

Difference of Ideals between 19th and 20th Centuries

There are many ideals that occurred over the 19th and 20th centuries. These ideals covered many genres of music from piano music, orchestral pieces, to operas. The composers of these times tried many different techniques and styles making a lasting impression on the Romantic era of music.

Some of the most influential composers during the 19th century that we discussed were Franz Schubert, Hector Berlioz, Frederic Chopin, Felix Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann, Carl Weber, Richard Wagner, Gioachino Rossini, Giuseppe Verdi, Franz Liszt, Johannes Brahms, Anton Bruckner, Modest Mussorgsky, and Peter Tchaikovsky. Schubert composed in all genres but the concerto. He was best known for his ideal in writing over 600 lieder! His harmonic innovations and melodic developments are shown in many of his genres including character pieces, song cycles, ballads, and chamber works. Berlioz was considered very progressive for his time. He was known for his orchestral works because he focused on developing the symphonic form, utilized great instrumentation in some of his works, and tied programmatic and literary ideas together. He introduced the concert overtures and programmatic symphonies. Chopin’s compositions were all for piano and very expressive. He was known for his innovations in the ballade, sonata, waltz, mazurka, and nocturne. Mendelssohn composed many works including symphonies, oratorios, piano works, and chamber music. He wanted to move the music past the classical style and bring it closer to his time. Schumann also composed many genres which included pieces for piano, piano and orchestra, and piano and voice. He uses intense musical expressivity and took careful care on his musical illustrations. Weber and Wagner contributed to the accomplishments of the 19th century German opera. Weber paved the way for many 20th century composers. He started the more up-to-date romantic opera and the melodrama. Wagner was very musically advanced in his compositions. He began new musical languages, harmonic centers, and new ideas in chromaticism. Rossini and Verdi were linked to Weber and Wagner although they were composers of Italian opera. Rossini composed well known works including The Barber of Seville and Verdi composed well known works including Otello. Liszt composed hundreds of piano pieces. Along with his piano works, he composed in all other genres. Liszt is well known for his development of the Gypsy scale. Brahms composed in all genres as did many of these other composers and left a lasting impression on many. Bruckner had many progressive trademark features in his symphonies. Mussorgsky composed many pieces and in them he created virtually no tone through imitation of speech. Tchaikovsky introduced the ballet and strengthened the connection between music and character and used the technique of celesta.

All together, these composer’s and the music they composed started smaller and more intimate. Thanks to Schubert, the song became a genre. Orchestras started to get popular and Operas flourished in Europe. With Berlioz Symphonie fantastique, his works began to explore new ways for symphonic music to be dramatic. Mendelssohn expanded his compositions to more modern approaches while Schumann’s symphonies show similar stylistic elements. German operas in the beginning of the 19th century did not have a lot of difficulty. With Weber and Wagner introducing new dramatic elements and musical drama, the German opera’s traditional form was in the past. Musical nationalism was important in the 19th century music. Liszt introduced a freer form in his compositions shown partly by his invention of the gypsy scale. Vienna built new opera houses and a concert hall for their desire of new popular music. Brahms, through all his compositions is known for his chromatic harmonies and progressiveness. Until the middle of the 19th century, Russian music was ruled by foreigners. With the new techniques of Mussorgsky and Tchaikovsky, innovative styles began to immerge.