Composers

of the
Romantic Period
 As in the Baroque and Classical periods of
musical history, there were hundreds of
composers whose music was performed and
published during the Romantic period.
But unlike those two previous periods, in which
there were a relatively small number of
composers whose works are now considered to
be musically and culturally significant,
there were many more composers in the
Romantic period whose names and music
are very widely known today.
Composers of the Romantic Period
Franz Schubert
Austrian; 1797-1828
9 Symphonies,
600+ Songs,
Chamber Music
Solo Piano Music
Musical Examples:
1.Unfinished Symphony
(1st Movement - excerpt)
2.Song: "Gretchen am
Spinnrade" ("Gretchen at
the Spinning Wheel")
Composers of the Romantic Period

Gioacchino Rossini
Italian; 1792-1868
Many Operas
including
The Barber of Seville and
William Tell

Musical Examples:
1.Overture to William Tell
2.Aria: "Largo al Factotum"
from The Barber of Seville
 Composers of the Romantic Period

Hector Berlioz
French; 1803-1869
Symphonies
Operas
Overtures

Musical Example:
"March to the Scaffold"
from Symphonie Fantastique
Composers of the Romantic Period
Felix Mendelssohn
German; 1809-1847
5 Symphonies,
Concertos,
Overtures,
Chamber Music
Choral Music

Musical Example:
Overture to A Midsummer
Night's Dream
 Composers of the Romantic Period

Robert Schumann
German; 1810-1856
4 Symphonies
1 Piano Concerto
Many Songs (Lieder)
Piano Music

Musical Example:
Song: "Ich grolle nicht"
Composers of the Romantic Period
Frederic Chopin
Polish; 1810-1849
Piano Music
Chopin, (along with Liszt)
was one of the two most
important composers of
piano music in the Romantic
period. His works for solo piano
are among the cornerstones of
the piano repertoire.
Musical Example:
“Heroic” Polonaise in A-flat
Composers of the Romantic Period
Franz Liszt
Hungarian;1811-1886
Piano Music,
Tone Poems,
2 Piano Concertos
Liszt is one of the most
important composers
of piano music in the
Romantic period.
Musical Example:
"Liebestraum"("Dream of Love")
 Composers of the Romantic Period
Richard Wagner
German; 1813-1883
Operas
Wagner composed the most
important German operas of
the Romantic period including
The Flying Dutchman,
Lohengrin, Tannhäuser,
The "Ring" Operas
and Tristan and Isolde.
Musical Example:
Prelude to Die Meistersinger
("The Mastersingers")
Composers of the Romantic Period
Giuseppe Verdi
Italian; 1813-1901
Operas
Verdi was one of the two most
important composers of Italian
operas of any period of
musical history. Some of his
most important operas are
Aida, La Traviata,
Rigoletto, Il Trovatore
Musical Example:
Final Scene from Aida
Composers of the Romantic Period
Anton Bruckner
Austrian; 1824-1896
9 Symphonies,
Choral Music
Bruckner is best known for
his nine symphonies,
in which he expanded the
symphonic form in both
length and scope.
Musical Example:
Symphony No. 8 - Finale
Composers of the Romantic Period
Johann Strauss Jr.
Austrian; 1825-1899
Waltzes, Polkas & Operettas
Known as the “Waltz King,”
Johann Strauss, Jr.
was the leading composer
of “light” music during
the Romantic period.
Musical Example:
On the Beautiful Blue Danube
 Composers of the Romantic Period
Johannes Brahms
German; 1833-1897
4 Symphonies,
4 Concertos, Songs,
Piano Works,
Chamber Music
Brahms is considered
to be one of the most
important composers of the
Romantic period.
Musical Example:
Symphony No. 2 – Finale
Composers of the Romantic Period
Peter Illych Tchaikovsky
Russian; 1840-1893
6 Symphonies,
Ballets, Concertos,
Orchestral Works, Operas
Tchaikovsky is also considered to
be one of the most important
composers of the Romantic period.

Musical Example:
Symphony No. 4 - Finale
Composers of the Romantic Period
Giacomo Puccini
Italian; 1858-1924
Operas
Puccini is one of the two
most important composers of
Italian opera in the Romantic
period, or any period in musical
history, including:
La Boheme, Tosca, Turandot
Madame Butterfly, Manon Lescaut
Musical Example:
Duet: "O soave fanciulla"
from La Boheme
Composers of the Romantic Period
Richard Strauss
German; 1864-1949
Tone Poems, Operas,
Songs (Lieder)
Richard Strauss is the composer of
the most important tone poems
ever composed,
as well as the most important
German operas in the
Romantic era after Wagner.
Musical Example:
Tone Poem: Don Juan
Composers of the Romantic Period
Gustav Mahler
Austrian; 1860-1911
9 Symphonies,
Songs (Lieder)
Mahler is the last great composer
of symphonies in the school of
Austrian & German composers that
included Haydn, Mozart,
Beethoven, Schubert, Bruckner
& Brahms.
Musical Example:
Symphony No. 2 - Finale