The turn of the 19th century saw the dawn of Romanticism. This artistic and cultural movement was constantly striving for new ideas and new beginnings, during a particularly turbulent time in social, political and natural history. Browse our sheet music and scores, and explore all the romantic masters and their works today.
The reason and order of the classical period were balanced out in the romantic period by emotion and imagination. The word romanticism is derived from the French literary terms roman and romantique. Programme music uses melodies and instrumental colours to tell a story, to take the listener on a musical journey. The most prominent of all program music is undoubtedly the symphonic poem, created, explored and developed by composers such as Franz Liszt and Bedřich Smetana.
Compared to the Classical Period, the melodies of the romantic period became less and less regular and symmetrical, and the harmony more and more chromatic and dissonant. As the romantic period progressed, the possibilities of traditional tonality became more and more exhausted, and the beginning of the 20th century saw the departure from classical structure and form, and the movement towards modern and contemporary classical music.
In order to broaden the sound palate which set the mood and atmosphere for the romantic period, new instruments began to appear in the orchestra, and voices began to be deployed, choirs and soloists began to be introduced into traditional instrumental works. Throughout the 19th century, the fashion was expansion, both in music for Symphony Orchestra and in Choral Music, the forces grew and grew, far beyond the imagination of any of the classical composers of the previous century.
In the 19th century, Opera flourished, be it Italian verismo, French "Grand Opera", or Wagner’s new world of music theatre. The most important opera composers of the 19th century were Giacomo Meyerbeer, Gioacchino Rossini, Gaetano Donizetti, Vincenzo Bellini, Jacques Offenbach, Richard Wagner and Giuseppe Verdi.
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 391822
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 137158
for: Piano
Item no.: 413382
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Study score
Item no.: 391309
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Study score
Item no.: 391305
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Study score
Item no.: 391293
for: Voice (low), piano
Single edition
Item no.: 1544408
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 695518
for: Piano
Item no.: 356812
for: Piano
Item no.: 356793
for: Piano
Item no.: 356723
for: Voice (baritone), piano
Item no.: 356713
for: Piano 4 hands
Item no.: 356691
for: Piano
Item no.: 356670
for: Piano
Item no.: 356667
for: Voice (high), piano
Item no.: 356155
for: Piano 4 hands
Item no.: 356105
for: Piano
Item no.: 356080
for: Piano
Item no.: 356029
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 355994
for: Piano
Item no.: 355980
for: Klavier oder Harfe
Item no.: 355979
for: Piano
Item no.: 355975
for: Piano
Item no.: 355974
for: Piano
Item no.: 355956
for: Voice (tenor), piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 355937
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 391671
for: Voice, strings
Study score
Item no.: 391565
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Study score
Item no.: 391546
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Study score
Item no.: 391539
for: VL 2 VA VC KB KLAR 2 HRN
Study score
Item no.: 391408
for: Violin, cello, piano (piano trio)
Study score
Item no.: 391372
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Study score
Item no.: 391353
for: Voice (tenor), piano
Single edition
Item no.: 356628
for: Piano
Item no.: 356512
for: Piano
Single edition
Item no.: 356460
for: Piano
Item no.: 356435
for: Piano
Item no.: 356417
for: Voice (low), piano
Item no.: 356388
for: Piano
Item no.: 356357
for: Violin [flute], piano
Item no.: 356264
for: Violin, piano
Item no.: 356260
for: Piano
Item no.: 356245
for: Piano
Item no.: 356239
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 356230
for: Piano 4 hands
Item no.: 356228
for: Piano
Item no.: 356222
for: Piano
Item no.: 356203