home > browse > view article

Bluffer's Guide to Classical Music 4

  Tobias

The Romantic Period

The Romantic Period in music refers roughly to the years 1820 to 1900. It’s defined in style by a looseness that contrasts with the formality of the Classical Period. Essentially, the rulebook was thrown out the window. Two of the most important composers who took music from the Classical to Romantic eras were Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) and Franz Schubert (1797-1828).

Beethoven was famously a grumpy sod. But then you would be if you’d written several of the greatest works in musical history and were never able to hear them. Some scholars believe that Beethoven’s later works turned out the way they did precisely because he was deaf. They may have a point – the late string quartets are astoundingly modern sounding for their time.

As amazing as the late quartets are, they may not be the best place for newcomers to start. I’d recommend the Fifth Symphony, perhaps the most famous of all classical pieces. OK, it’s hackneyed and you’ve probably heard it a million times. However, there’s a recording with Carlos Kleiber conducting the Vienna Philharmonic on Deutsche Grammophon of spine tingling intensity that you simply must own.

For more big, bold Beethoven try the fifth piano concerto, ‘Emperor’. Claudio Arrau’s mid-price Philips recording is well worth throwing some money at. And for those who like their piano music unaccompanied there are always the piano sonatas. I’d go for Arthur Rubinstein on RCA. There’s a disc that combines four of the most famous sonatas, including the “Moonlight” and “Appassionata”. Buy it - it sounds like you’d always imagined Beethoven should in your head.

If vocal music’s your thing, have a listen to Beethoven when he goes all religious. For a composer not noted for his divinity the Missa Solemnis sure makes a good stab at sounding heavenly. John Eliot Gardiner’s award winning recording on DG Archiv is the one I’d go for.

Schubert had an advantage over Beethoven in that he could actually hear the music he wrote. However, this was balanced by the raging syphilis that killed him at the age of 31. He sure managed to pack an awful lot of music into those few years though, with his output including over 600 songs, eight existing symphonies (don’t be fooled that there’s a 9th Symphony – number 7 is missing) and loads of small-scale works for chamber ensembles and solo piano.

Unlike Beethoven, Schubert sure could write a good tune (Beethoven is the greater composer but no one could claim it’s because he wrote pretty melodies). Many of his best appear in the myriad songs he composed. For a great sample of these, try a CD released by Hyperion called “A Voyage of Discovery”. This is a highlights collection taken from the company’s 37-volume complete Schubert songs edition, and it’s a fantastic bargain as well as great music performed superbly. Addicts will need all 37 CDs.

I’d also recommend the 8th Symphony, known as “Unfinished” because with only two movements it’s half as long as symphonies were supposed to be at the time. Whether it’s unfinished because he thought it was perfect as it was or because he simply couldn’t be arsed, who knows? It’s still a great piece of music and you can get a fine recording on DG with the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Guiseppe Sinopoli at mid price.

By Richard Betts

Thanks to Megan Johnson of Thread for the Support

Source: Thread, New Zealand's Fashion Culture Magazine