Melody:
Lyrical and song-like melodies (does not have to be in the top part), with extended phrases and less obvious cadential punctuation.
Texture:
Greater range of textural possibilities, and potential for fundamental variation in texture during a piece; texture remaining the same throughout a piece, but possibly more dense, with thicker chords.
Tempo:
Flexibility of tempo, including use of rubato ("borrowed time"- slows down... then pick up the speed).
Dynamics:
Thicker sonorities, with significant use of the sustaining pedal in piano music, and a greater emphasis on a wide dynamic range.
Structure:
Phrases tending to be less regular and predictable in length; structures often involving melodically unrelated sections, such as a separate introduction or coda (end).
Harmony:
Rich harmonies and more dense (more notes); including expressive use of chromatic notes.
Click the pictures to learn more about the composers of the Romantic Period!
Frédéric Chopin
Franz Liszt
Vincenzo Bellini
Johannes Brahms
Hector Berlioz
Felix Mendelssohn
