Rom-Visual+Art+and+Music

[|music lin]


 * __General Concepts of the Romantic Period in Art and Music:__**

The Romantic Period was one of liberation and experimentation in basically all ways, and the music and art of this time period definitely reflected this idea. Like any other time period, the music and art of the Romantic period was altered and changed until it fit the interests of the society as a whole. Both music and art are meant to attract and entertain the audience and that was the ultimate goal for the greater majority of the time. A strong supernatural and glorified presence of character was established in both areas of music and art and this


 * __Music:__**

During this time period, people were questioning the basis of order, class and other vague aspects of society. In music the famous exponents of the time decided to go further with this questioning and began to experiment with various new instruments and musical ideas such as trying out longer compositions, different harmonies and tonal relationships. The color was also attempted to be brought back in the playing of the instruments by trying to wean out other sounds from used and hackneyed instruments, and thus increasing the range of sound that could be used in compositions. Symphonic poems were also another highlight of this time as music was used to tell stories by combining large and small sounds, and high and low notes, and fast and slow beats to create the mood or tone of a story. Similarly, opera also became popular as the same story-telling concept was used yet again. This again goes back to reflect how the audience and listeners felt the need to "understand" their music by having it in the shape of something they were familiar with, like a story.

Liszt, was a great Hungarian virtuoso of this time period, and thus was very celebrated since basically all virtuosos during this time period were treated as celebrities. Liszt, was just said to be even more enthralling to the effect that listeners would sometimes faint in the presence of his passionate musical abilities.

As several such virtuosos developed into better and better musicians, it wad during this time period that musicians were first able to gather an audience large enough to be successful and live a fairly affluent lifestyle. This was all thanks to the musicians' greater interest and pursuit of new kinds of music and because of the extra leisure time that audience members were now ready to spend to watch these great artists. This period was right after the time of Beethoven, and the music definitely separated itself from the "normal" music of the past.


 * __Art:__**

In art, the main concepts were making characters seem heroic and accentuating their historic appeal in any way possible. For example, in the picture above, the valiance of the soldieron the horse is seen in the way that the focus of the picture is on the main character. His prowess is apparent in his nonchalance. Even as the horse is raising its two fore legs and writhing, the soldier still remains focused and determined and apparently not distracted in any way. His face still bears a calm complacency that is not parallelled by any other. His body movement and stature also reflect his inner peace. His posture remains still very distinguished, completing the entire composed persona of the epic hero that he is epitomizing.

Some of the main artists during this period were Jacque Louis David, and John Constable among others. The features of their art were usually depicting the same main object in an almost supernatural manner. The art at this time was all about exemplifying the greatness of the human body and the depths to which it can go. Nature was another main focus of this time period and thus, several other main paintings focus on nature and its beauty. Nature was thus used to also embody and convey emotions. For example, the solitary tree such as the one below, by Casper David Friedrich, could be meant to show how a character was isolated and felt disconnected with society.

Main Romantic characterisitics: ===**[|Increased Nationalism and Exoticism] [|More interest in Nature and the Supernatural] [|Individuality] [|Change in the style of Artists] [|Heroism] Important Links: [] [] []**=== []