Romanticism

In the second half of the 18th century a new movement began in Western Europe mainly in response to the cult like rationalization of the Enlightenment period. This new movement was referred to as Romanticism. This became a time of more intellectual thinking and a going back to one’s psyche to view things in a different perspective. The French Revolution had a great impact on the formation of this time. This period of time will have a great impact on musicians and event politics. People would no longer be restricted to the classical way; they were now able to express themselves through their imagination.

The more modern term romantic is derived from the word romance which is a fictitious ideation of reality usually in reference to a character hence the capitalization of the “R” at times. More classically, it was an escape of the reality of industrialism and an attempt to go to the unknown by using the power of the imagination. Many intellectual historians have debated over the definition of Romanticism. Each had their own interpretation, which I believe is the whole point of this time. But Charles Baudelaire’s definition stood out the most by stating “Romanticism is precisely situated neither in choice of subject nor exact truth, but in the way of feeling”. [1] Where as the people of the Enlightenment, who focused on rationalized ideas and thoughts through proof and evidence, romantics embraced people’s feelings, intuitions and imaginations.

Between the years 1815 to 1848 the true “Romantic Era” of music evolved. Many great composers would become well known during this time. Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven were referred to as the three “Romantic Composers”. With the development of iron frames for pianos and wound metal strings the whole dynamics of music would change bringing much more to the Romantic Era. The musicians began to play for the public rather than the more formal settings from before.

In regards to visual art and literature the “artists” focus would be directed more towards a folkloric theme ultimately drawing people to a more mystical, passionate yet terrifying adventures. Shakespeare’s works became a significant influence on the drama prospective. One particular author Johann Wolfgang Goethe, know for “Faust”, whose works would influence Germany in developing a sense of nationalism. G.W.F. Hegel’s, who became famous for the “dialectic”, theory was that in order to have progress, conflicting opposites must be reconciled to create a synthesis. Britain had many Romantics as well, John Stuart Mill, a liberal thinker, wrote “On Liberty” which discusses the limitations that a society should have over an individual. Lord Byron in his writings of “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage” was an inspiration of the exoticism. Siren Kierkegaard, who was a Danish philosopher, works predominately focused on religion. In his writings he would leave the meaning up to the reader to decipher. He would ultimately play a significant and influenced role in contemporary thinking. Those predominately Roman Catholic countries did not play as significant of a role in Romanticism as did the Germans