Beginning about 1820, the Romantic period in history continues to affect culture and the fine arts even today. Romanticism became most prominent after about 1825 and was born from the effects of the French Revolution. 1770-1900 generally fuses the two eras (Classic and Romantic) together, with revolutionary composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) bridging the musical gap. Romanticism was opposite the Age of Reason, and combined interest in the exotic with unrealized desire and influence of the Middle Ages. It "aimed to broaden all human horizons and encompass the totality of our experience" (Kamien 294). Although this period embraced much more than music, literary figure E.T.A. Hoffmann claimed music to be "the most romantic of all the arts -- one might almost say, the only genuinely romantic one -- for its sole subject is the infinite. Music discloses to man an unknown realm, a world in which he leaves behind all definite feelings to surrender himself to an inexpressible longing" (Machlis & Forney 305).

Style characteristics of Romanticism focus on individuality and humankind, the free expression of emotions, and inexpressible longing as well as feelings of intense yearning and nostalgia. Romanticists were very much interested in the past, as seen in Richard Wagner’s The Ring of the Nibelung, a cycle of dramas based on German medieval myths. Nature was the most important factor for inspiration during the Romantic period and affected all aspects of life. All of the fine arts cultivated emotional expression: the poets Wordsworth, Heine, Byron, and Shelley; and writers Poe, Coleridge, Hugo, and Hawthorne. "Eternal longing, regret for the lost happiness of childhood, an indefinable discontent that gnawed at the soul -- these were the ingredients of the Romantic mood" (Machlis & Forney 308).

Changes that developed during the shift from Classicism to Romanticism altered the progress of society. The Industrial Revolution took place, and the middle class rose to prominence. Tensions mounted in an age of materialism, eventually climaxing in World War I. Opposed to aristocratic patronage of the 18th century, musicians became more independent and were now chiefly supported by the middle class. From an increased interest in music, society created the London Philharmonic Society, the New York Philharmonic, and the Vienna Philharmonic. This era also began music conservatories. Musicians and the middle class viewed one another as colleagues, a process started by Beethoven. Composers also played many roles in this new Romantic society and had supplementary means of income. In addition to writing music, they became active as pianists and critics, as well as in general education.

Music was related to art and literature through emotion, an emphasis seen as a "moral force, a vision of human greatness, and a direct link between the artist’s inner life and the outside world" (Machlis & Forney 312). Poetry connected the two professions. Many Romantic composers wrote lieder, vocal art songs with piano accompaniment. Composers often treated the piano as equal to the voice in importance. Based on German texts, significant poets favored by lied composers included Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Heinrich Heine. "The texts of the Lied ranged from tender sentiment to dramatic balladry; its favorite themes were love, longing, and the beauty of nature" (Machlis & Forney 316). A group of lieder collected around a central theme is called a song cycle, such as the 20 songs by Franz Schubert (1797-1828) entitled Die schöne Müllerin, based on poetry of Wilhelm Müller. Romantic songs were intended to be performed in someone’s home, but they are now typically heard in the concert hall. Reversing roles, some musicians wrote about music and writers often composed music. In all cases, "the art song met the nineteenth-century need for intimate personal expression" (Machlis & Forney 315).

Romantic period composer Robert Schumann (1810-1856) eventually became well known as both critic and author. With the assistance of others, he founded Die Neue Zeitschrift für Musik (The New Journal for Music) in 1834. The journal was issued twice a week, and he was sole editor between 1834 and 1844. In his critiques, Schumann was among the first to recognize the instrumental works of Frédéric Chopin, German composer of 18th-century style Johannes Brahms (1833-1897), and Franz Schubert (Grout 598).

The development of choral music included the choral symphony -- begun with Beethoven’s Ninth -- as well as advancements in the genres of Mass, Requiem, and oratorio. Romanticism produced both secular and sacred choral pieces, the part-songs being short in length and mostly secular, while oratorios and cantatas are longer and scored for both chorus and orchestra.