Classical music is not extinct, but very few people still think of it as the forefront of musical creativity today.
Even if they listen to classical music, most contemporary listeners tend to think that this happened in the past. They prefer to call modern-day composers ‘romantic’ instead. But it’s essential to know the difference between classical vs romantic music if you want to appreciate classical music fully.
Classical Music: A Definition
Talking about classical music is not an easy task for several reasons. To begin with, it is a term that has been used in different ways at different times.
In the past, people called classical music ‘art’ or ‘serious’ music instead of popular tunes and folk songs. It is not a definition but an exclusion: those other kinds of music are not considered real art.
Classical Music: Features
After this period, people began to talk about certain musical features that characterized classical works. Some of these include the following:
These are usually composed for larger groups than solo performers or small ensembles. It’s difficult for a single person to play the entire symphony of Beethoven. They are written for orchestras, including anything from 20 to 100 musicians.
Classical music is usually composed by only one person, unlike some forms of folk music where many people work on different parts of it. The composer writes all the notes themself and then hands them to the musicians.
The composer usually has a special relationship with the musicians who perform their music. It is especially evident in smaller ensembles where there is much room for personal engagement between both groups.
Romantic Music: A Definition
Romantic music is a term that has been used in several different ways by different people at different times. Initially, it referred to the late 19th and early 20th century period.
It was when composers were starting to break away from traditional classical forms and structures.
Around this time, the idea of the composer as a genius came into the picture. In the past, composers were anonymous professionals who worked for kings and noblemen. They became more like superstars, with larger-than-life personalities and passionate love affairs that inspired their compositions.
Romantic Music: Features
Here are some of the critical features of romantic music:
The music is usually written for small ensembles or soloists. It doesn’t need to be as big as a symphony orchestra, and the idea of one composer writing everything by himself soon became obsolete.
The composers were more interested in creating personal statements that reflected their individualities and passions rather than writing music to connect them to an audience.
The focus shifted again towards the performers, often women with striking voices and beauty. Famous singers like Jenny Lind and Adelina Patti were the new superstars and famous composers like Franz Liszt and Frederic Chopin.
Romantic music is usually characterized by a lot of emotion and expression instead of the classical structures that could be very formulaic.
How Classical Music Differs from Romantic Music?
The main difference between classical vs. romantic music is their approach to structure and form. Classical music follows a strict method of writing where every note is carefully composed for a specific purpose, while romantic music is more fluid and less formulaic.