Some Composers during Romantic-era

The Romantic period was one of the most innovative in music history, characterised by lyrical melodies, rich harmonies, and emotive expression. 

Fryderyck Chopin (1810-1849)

Few composers command such universal love as Chopin; even fewer still have such a high proportion of all their music in the active repertoire. Yet he is the only great composer who wrote no symphonies, operas, ballets or choral works. His chief claim to immortality relies not on large scale works but on miniature forms.

Essential recording Piano Concertos No 1 & 2.

Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

Schumann is a key figure in the Romantic movement; none investigated the Romantic’s obsession with feeling and passion quite so thoroughly as him. Schumann died insane, but then some psychologists argue that madness is a necessary attribute of genius.

Essential recording Symphonies Nos 1-4.

Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

Composer, teacher, Abbé, Casanova, writer, sage, pioneer and champion of new music, philanthropist, philosopher and one of the greatest pianists in history, Liszt was the very embodiment of the Romantic spirit. He worked in every field of music except ballet and opera and to each field he contributed a significant development.

Essential recording 'Transcendental: Daniil Trifonov plays Franz Liszt'

Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

Tchaikovsky is the most popular of all Russian composers, his music combining some nationalist elements with a more cosmopolitan view, but it is music that could only have been written by a Russian. In every genre he shows himself to be one of the greatest melodic fountains who ever lived.

One of the best composition of Tchaikovsky, Pas de Deux from 'The Nutcracker'

Essential recording Symphony No 6, Pathétique.

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

One of the giants of classical music, Brahms appeared to arrive fully armed, found a style in which he was comfortable – traditional structures and tonality in the German idiom – and stuck to it throughout his life. He was no innovator, preferring the logic of the symphony, sonata, fugue and variation forms.

Essential recording Symphonies.