by Veronica Kogan

There is no music style that is as revolutionary as the romantic period. Its ability to capture the human soul led to a mass expansion in the audience for classical music and forever changed music’s role in communicating with society.

The romantic period came at a time when the ideas of the Enlightenment were in full swing. The cry was “power to the people,” and no longer “all hail King so and so and Pope this and that.” In the artistic world, this meant that the expression and power of the individual had become the ruling philosophy. Music was gradually made more and more for the enjoyment of all classes of society, dealing with deep, heartfelt emotions, such as misery or elation, that any audience member could relate to. This revolutionary development within music continues to be the basis for song-writing inspiration to this day, which is one of the main reasons that music of the romantic period remains so popular among audiences today.

Romantic works are also well-known for their ability to sweep listeners off of their feet with their intense, passionate emotions and hair-raising energy. Such music was so moving that men of Beethoven’s time would often forbid their daughters from attending his concerts because of their tendency to swoon from the overwhelming passion of his music. The music of that period has the unique power to dig deep into the abyss of human emotion and explore the human psyche like no music had done before and that future eras would strive to emulate.

One of the main advantages of the romantic period over all others is the music of Chopin. His music is a go-to for piano teachers who want to teach their students the ability of harmony and storytelling to sway mood and expression. Chopin compositions are also a major appeal for even first-time listeners of classical music, who can immediately connect to his sorrow and nostalgia as well as to his soothing Polish-inspired lullabies without having a mature understanding of classical music.

No matter what one’s musical taste may be, whether it be modern pop, rap, jazz, or Mozart, they can thank the romantic era for solidifying the connection between music and the expression of the individual. Without it, we’d be singing songs about our devotion to the Queen of England each and every day–don’t get me wrong, she’s a groovy lady, but I much prefer to hear music about love, jealousy, and even a bit of unspeakable sorrow.